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Battery backups are an essential component of the “new normal” work from home environment.
Ensuring that critical home and small office applications are safeguarded by an uninterruptible power system (UPS) has never been more important. With a record number of telecommuters──coupled with widespread online learning for both lower- and higher-ed students──many utility companies are struggling to support the proliferation of power-hungry devices in homes. As a result, electronic equipment is more vulnerable than ever to harmful surges and power cuts.
A UPS with surge protection is one of the most simple, cost-effective investments to prevent data loss and equipment damage during a blackout or surge, seamlessly switching to battery and continuing to power connected equipment until the issue is resolved or you’re able to safely shut down devices.
To help you hone in on the optimal UPS solution for your home or small office, we’ve compiled the following 10 buying tips:
Even the most brief surge or loss of electricity can be catastrophic to sensitive electronic equipment in home and small office environments, with sudden shutdowns capable of corrupting files and damaging or destroying home devices. But it’s not just your PCs, routers, modems, small servers, switches and storage devices that need protection. Desktop UPSs aren’t all work and no play; battery backup is also ideal to safeguard numerous other home devices including TVs, gaming consoles, home theater solutions, security systems and household medical equipment such as CPAP machines for sleep apnea.
A small, inexpensive desktop UPS can keep home Wi-Fi and internet systems online during short outages or brownouts, while more advanced battery backup models can enable home office equipment and workstations to remain operational during business hours ─ or at least long enough to save work-in-progress and safely shut down. The same applies to video consoles, so gamers don’t surrender their hard-fought progress.
Never plug a laser printer into a UPS. The resulting low-voltage conditions can cause the unit to transfer to battery repeatedly, prematurely exhausting its battery. However, you can plug in laser printers to a UPS if it has surge-only output receptacles.
Battery runtime varies by UPS model and depends on how much equipment is being powered.
Different UPS topologies provide varying degrees of protection against power problems. Determining the best UPS for home use model depends on your budget, the type of equipment being protected and the environment. Standby UPS such as the Eaton Ellipse ECO UPS and line-interactive models like the Eaton 5S will properly support the vast majority of desktop and small-office/home-office (SOHO) applications.
The most cost-effective topology available, a standby or offline UPS allows equipment to run off of utility power while providing continuous surge protection, then switches to battery mode during voltage sags or outages. Standby topology is best suited for equipment such as LCD monitors, docking stations, modems and routers.
With a highly reliable and efficient design, line-interactive UPSs actively regulate voltage by either boosting or decreasing utility voltage as needed before allowing it to pass to the protected equipment. Line-interactive is best suited for high-end PCs, gaming PCs and home network equipment.
For home and office applications in North America, nominal AC input and output voltages are typically 120V. Line-interactive UPS models such as the Eaton 5S and 5SC provide voltage regulation to protect connected equipment.
Never load a UPS at more than 80% of its capacity. This will provide a cushion if you reach peak conditions, as well as account for normal battery degradation, which occurs over time.
Keep in mind that wattage is related to battery runtime; the smaller the wattage load of the connected equipment, the longer the batteries will last and the larger the load, the shorter the runtime.
Protecting an Apple iMac computer or equipment that uses Active PFC power supplies such as Energy Star® or 80 PLUS®? These devices require a UPS that delivers sine wave output to prevent unexpected shutdowns and damaging electronic stress.
Never plug a surge protector into a UPS. This is a fire hazard and is typically prohibited by local fire codes.
Ready to safeguard your home and small office applications with an Eaton UPS?
Excess heat can significantly reduce battery service life, so make sure your UPS has clearance to properly ventilate.
To stay ahead of evolving cybersecurity threats, it is essential to update firmware on all UPSs and PDUs. Read more about our stance on cybersecurity.
There’s a difference between hot-swappable and user-replaceable batteries. Hot-swappable batteries can be changed out while the UPS is running, and user-replaceable batteries─which tend to be found in smaller UPSs─require no special tools or training. Batteries can be both hot-swappable and user-replaceable.
Eaton's home office and desktop UPS
