When I was a kid, the only time we had power failures was during hurricanes. Today, with our electrical grid stretched to capacity, power failures – brown outs, black outs and related mayhem – seem to happen without rhythm or reason. Or how about surges that love to travel through my data lines looking to create chaos at any time?
Well, after suffering countless data losses when the power flickers on, then off, then on and then really off, I know have found the answer to all of my woes -- American Power Conversion’s Back-UPS ES 750.
Accurately described by the company as a complete broadband power protection solution for home networking equipment, the uninterruptible power supply provides battery backup for a desktop PC, monitor, hub, router, and other data sensitive equipment. It also offers surge protection for high-speed Internet lines -- cable modem, DSL, telephone, Ethernet, single line phone/fax, modem and DSS.
To get started, you need to connect the internal battery terminal to the battery wires. This is simply accomplished by sliding off the back over of the unit, lifting up the terminal and connecting one of the two wires. (Watch out for your fingers -- it's a tight fit.) You then put the battery back into the compartment and you're ready to go.
Ten outlets provide enough protection for additional desktop peripherals and can accommodate those larger plugs (transformer block-shaped plugs) so that other outlets aren’t blocked (smart, very smart). Five battery backup outlets with surge protection are ideal to keep my computer system (CPU, monitor, and other data-sensitive devices) alive when the power goes dead. Five surge protection-only outlets protect my less critical printer and fax machines from surges without reducing battery capacity.
The Back-UPS ES 750 offers USB connectivity and includes APC’s PowerChute® Personal Edition software, an easy-to-use, safe, system shutdown tool that protects my files when I’m away from the computer. The software is compatible with Windows XP, ME and 98 as well as Macintosh OS X (v10.4 or higher).
The Back-UPS ES 750 has a space saving, strip-shaped form factor, user replaceable batteries and incorporates an intelligent battery management system that maximizes battery performance and reliability. APC offers an equipment protection policy of $50,000, and the product ships with a data recovery warranty.
Why did I wait so long?
Estimated Price: $99.99
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We have had one of those under every cube for over 2 years now. They don't always work though. Not sure why they did not work one day when someone hit a near by pole? And they make a very annoying beeping sound when they don't. Very annoying when there are so many of them going off at very different intervals. We still use them though. We haven't had to put them to the test in quite some time. *crossing fingers* They still work great as extra outlets none the less.
The beep is attention-getting! (Let me know battery leads were not connected.) I never think about backup until the lights go out and the computer stays on -- that's priceless!