UPS power backup setup

[eddie200112]

If I buy a UPS for my freenas setup I assume I should get a pure sine model correct? Also how do I set it up in freenas so that it will shut down after x number of minutes. Will it just find it or will I have to install a driver somehow? Thanks

 

[Ericloewe]

If I buy a UPS for my freenas setup I assume I should get a pure sine model correct?

It's best. "Stepped approximations" aren't very good approximations. At all.

Also how do I set it up in freenas so that it will shut down after x number of minutes. Will it just find it or will I have to install a driver somehow? Thanks

http://doc.freenas.org/9.3/freenas_services.html#ups

 

[DrKK]

All of that being said, about 90% of us used quantized/stepped sine wave UPS's. :) On account of the IMMENSE price difference, and the fact that for a modern PSU, having a stepped sine-wave come into a switching power supply is not a big deal for short periods of time.

I, personally, recommend $50-$80 UPS's for the typical home user of FreeNAS, with a nice, nasty, dirty, stepped sine wave. And I don't lose a wink of sleep.

 

[Ericloewe]

All of that being said, about 90% of us used quantized/stepped sine wave UPS's. :) On account of the IMMENSE price difference, and the fact that for a modern PSU, having a stepped sine-wave come into a switching power supply is not a big deal for short periods of time.

I, personally, recommend $50-$80 UPS's for the typical home user of FreeNAS, with a nice, nasty, dirty, stepped sine wave. And I don't lose a wink of sleep.

It's much less of a problem in places where mains power is 110V. PSU main filter caps are typically rated for 400ishV, with some 230V "stepped approximations" getting real close to that number, higher even.

If a 110V "stepped approximation" behaves similarly, it's still only doing ~200V - well within any decent modern PSU's input range, not to mention the filter caps' rating.

I have the feeling my failed Corsair CX430M didn't like my APC Back-UPS Pro's "stepped approximation". The Seasonic G-550 has been doing admirably, though. For now, at least.

 

[DrKK]

If a 110V "stepped approximation" behaves similarly, it's still only doing ~200V - well within any decent modern PSU's input range, not to mention the filter caps' rating.

Thanks Eric. This is very interesting. I apologize for my Americo-centric viewpoint.

But for anyone else on North American power standards (so basically, Canada, the US, the Bahamas, Taiwan, and Japan, lol), years of running "stepped sine-wave" backup power have never caused any problems for any of computer PSU's. Occasionally, I will hear a bit of a switching "buzzzzzzz" in the PSU when it kicks into the UPS, on cheaper supplies, but I have never experienced any damage, or any ramifications to longevity of equipment.