Use of Laptop w/o battery on UPS?

[Al Dykes]

Thoughts on the cheapest name-brand UPS used with a laptop? The specs
say the output is stepped-approximation and switch-over time is not
shown.

APC Back-UPS ES, 6 outlet 350VA, 120V, without auto shutdown software
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm
$49

I want to use te laptop on this USP without a battery most of the
time.

I just bought a new laptop (Dell Inspiron). Since it's going to spend
much of it's time as a desktop replacement, I don't want to kill the
battery by keeping it hot and on the charger all the time. I also want
the external UPS drive on a UPS when I'm doing a backup.


Comments?


--
Al Dykes
News is something someone wants to suppress, everything else is advertising.
- Lord Northcliffe, publisher of the Daily Mail

 

[BillW50]

Al Dykes wrote:
> Thoughts on the cheapest name-brand UPS used with a laptop? The specs
> say the output is stepped-approximation and switch-over time is not
> shown.
>
> APC Back-UPS ES, 6 outlet 350VA, 120V, without auto shutdown software
> http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm
> $49
>
> I want to use te laptop on this USP without a battery most of the
> time.
>
> I just bought a new laptop (Dell Inspiron). Since it's going to spend
> much of it's time as a desktop replacement, I don't want to kill the
> battery by keeping it hot and on the charger all the time. I also want
> the external UPS drive on a UPS when I'm doing a backup.
>
>
> Comments?

Yes that works well. Many of us do the very same. If I am not charging
or using my laptop batteries, they are always removed. And they are
plugged into an UPS when operating it as a desktop. Been doing this for
8 years now and I never had a problem yet. Keep on trucking!

--
Bill
Asus EEE PC 702G4 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
Xandros Linux (build 2007-10-19 13:03)

 

[John Doue]

On 4/9/2010 5:23 PM, Al Dykes wrote:
> Thoughts on the cheapest name-brand UPS used with a laptop? The specs
> say the output is stepped-approximation and switch-over time is not
> shown.
>
> APC Back-UPS ES, 6 outlet 350VA, 120V, without auto shutdown software
> http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm
> $49
>
> I want to use te laptop on this USP without a battery most of the
> time.
>
> I just bought a new laptop (Dell Inspiron). Since it's going to spend
> much of it's time as a desktop replacement, I don't want to kill the
> battery by keeping it hot and on the charger all the time. I also want
> the external UPS drive on a UPS when I'm doing a backup.
>
>
> Comments?
>
>
I use the exact same UPS on a mini-destop+lcd display, so it should be
quite adequate for your laptop. The software can be downloaded on APC
site. The UPS comes I believe with the necessary Ethernet cable. If not,
will set you back a few bucks ...

The set-up of APC software (called PowerChute Personal Edition) can be a
little difficult, it often reports that no UPS is available, even if the
cable is properly connected. In that case, and in my experience,
uninstalling, rebooting and reinstalling is in order ... may be more
than once, but once it gets connected, quite reliable.

FWIW, after-sales from APC brought me back at least 20 years: kind,
efficient and going the extra mile: they took into account the fact I
was in hurry to get the replacement unit (defective battery within the
first year) since I was going to be several months out of the country.
Shipped the fastest way and gave me a free return UPS voucher (although
return of defective unit was on me, according to their sales terms).
Worth knowing when making a decision.

--
John Doue

 

[Barry Watzman]

Not a problem; the UPS is not going into the laptop, it's going into the
AC adapter, which is a switching power supply, and they don't much care
what kind of junk comes into them. Switchover time, also, is not an
issue; the AC adapter has enough "hold up time" to cover the switchover.

Cheapest option is an APC 300 or 350VA unit. Those are usually under
$30 and sometimes even "free after rebate".


Al Dykes wrote:
> Thoughts on the cheapest name-brand UPS used with a laptop? The specs
> say the output is stepped-approximation and switch-over time is not
> shown.
>
> APC Back-UPS ES, 6 outlet 350VA, 120V, without auto shutdown software
> http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm
> $49
>
> I want to use te laptop on this USP without a battery most of the
> time.
>
> I just bought a new laptop (Dell Inspiron). Since it's going to spend
> much of it's time as a desktop replacement, I don't want to kill the
> battery by keeping it hot and on the charger all the time. I also want
> the external UPS drive on a UPS when I'm doing a backup.
>
>
> Comments?
>
>