Indeed, many such UPSes had unprotected sockets specifically for such non-critical loads to help simplify the rat's nest of cabling you might otherwise have to create from mains extension sockets.
I rigged up a UPS on a PC for my mates in the local motorcycle shop, all tested and working ok.
Months later I noticed the PC had been moved and later still, when setting up a new PC for them I though I'd better check that the UPS was signaling to Apcupsd correctly put switching the power at the wall socket. The PC went straight off and after a quick check found the IEC plug and 4 way strip I'd made up for them had been plugged back into just the surge (not battery) protected outlet (and whilst only a 1 in
4 chance of doing so randomly, the surge protected outlet was at the bottom).I wonder how many other instances there are of things (PC's particularly) accidentally being plugged into the non battery protected ports out there today?
Cheers, T i m
No probs. For everyone's edification I am now sorted. I bought a C14 to C13 cable from a local electric accessories shop for £4.50, cut off the C13 end and wired the cable into a 2-gang extension I bought from Boyes for £2.50.
I also took the opportunity to mount the D-Link switch and the Thompson modem on a board on the bedroom wall, instead of precariously blancing them on the back of my piano for six years. I knew I'd get round to it one day! All cables connected back up, TP-Link working away. Excellent! Reminds me of the old joke "Last week I couldn't spell 'engineer', now I are one." That's me with C14/C13. You learn something new every day.
Thanks for all the tips.
MM
I steal 12V from a spare disk drive connector to power my switch, and WiFi access point (and several other things), which is OK if your PC is always-on (or at least on when you need to use other things connected to the switch).
There are some valid arguments to keep an isolated supply for anything which interfaces your phone line such as an ADSL modem.
For UPS's, there are a couple of important additional points.
Make sure earth bonding is maintained if the mains supply to the UPS is unplugged, i.e. you want an additional connection from the UPS earth to the house earth so they can't drift apart if the UPS itself is unplugged and kicks into life. UPS will normally have a terminal post for this purpose.
Ideally, you shouldn't rely on your electricity supplier's earth terminal to be a valid earth during a power outage (it might have been cut through), so you should have your own earth rod too if you are creating your own electricty (UPS or inverter or generator). (This is less critical then the first point, unless you are exporting the generated electricity outdoors.)
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