UPS vs DSL modem

[Art Todesco]

Well, I did more testing. I unplugged the UPS and both computer and modem continued to function properly. So, I tried a bunch of quick unplug/plugs of the UPS. Everything continued to work. At this point, I'm tending to blame the ISP. Here's why. Verizon used to be the provider ... now, it's Frontier. I know, in Verizon days, last year, that a power outage would kill the telephone service. I get service from a remote vault about 2 miles down the road. During a long power/phone outage, I went down to the remote and talked to the telephone guy that was dispatched to the remote site. He said that the batteries were junk and Verizon didn't want to spend the money to replace them because they knew the Frontier sale was just around the corner. Funny thing, during that long power outage, DSL still worked. It apparently comes from the same remote site, but probably uses different batteries or gets its power differently. Now, I just have to monitor the outages in the future and possibly report the problems to Frontier. I've heard both good and bad about Frontier's response to problems.

[zek]

[e-mail]:

That would have shown up in my UPS test.

greg

[A. Baum]

My son was complaining every time the power dipped his PC would shut down even though it is plugged into an APC Back UPS 1000VA unit. I held the on/ off button for a self test of the battery and he was right. His monitor stayed on but the PC shut off. I changed the outlet the PC was plugged into, redid the test and the PC stayed on. And it was plugged into a battery back up outlet! Go figure that one out. And if I recall that outlet that no longer supplies ac on battery used to supply while on battery just fine because it was formerly mine. I have four identical units. One on my 50" LED TV, one on the A/V and cable DVR equipment, one in my bedroom and one in my son's. All are self tested weekly and as far as the Powerchute software reports all still have good batteries after 7 years.

[HeyBub]

The ISP?

How does your ISP know when power goes off at your house?

[clare]

innews: [e-mail]:

The cap will be on the DC output of the wall-wart - where it will store enough power (hopefully) to carry the modem through the transition.

[clare]

Many times on the cheap stuff (old APC Backups a case in point) they would switch over perfectly if you pulled the plug, but would be sluggish switching if the mains power went down or sagged.

[clare]

You price a" beer-can" cap lately???Local surplus store is getting $69 for them!! He doesn't need 1.5 farads (likely) anyway - a 2200 will likely do it. If not, try 2 in parallel.

[Tony Hwang]

innews: [e-mail]:

Hi, Maybe with a back flow protecting diode in-line?

[clare]

Possibly - but there are a LOT that are non-regulated rectified transformers - all the regulation is done in the device itself. Using a 12 volt cap would be borderline, regardless. I would ALWAYS over-rate by a minimum 25%. (which would be minimum 15 volts - closest commercial value being 15vdc)

[jeff_wisnia]

innews: [e-mail]:

I Dunno, with a big enough cap something in the wallwart might blow trying to charge up the cap. Though I'd 'spect that the xformer in the wallwart would present a high enough impedance to prevent that.

So, suck it and see.

Jeff

[trader4]

I'm feeling lonely here. No UPS's on my PC, modem, TV, A/V or TIVO. And in decades of use, not one instance where I lost anything or had a problem due to power outage. But then, I'm living in the typical house, not the White House situation room..... That would seem to be one of the few places you might want a UPS on the TV and stereo and where you'd go around testing them weekly.

[Nate Nagel]

There's a vast difference in power quality in different areas around the country. When I lived in Ohio I just didn't even think about power outages. When I lived in MD, it was a near daily occurrance. Now in VA, it goes out occasionally, but usually only after a horrific storm, and then it's right back on again. Just like pretty much everywhere I've lived, the phones... just... worked. Except when I moved to VA and had to deal with Verizon... combusting anuses...

nate

[Art Todesco]

Well, out here in the country, there are very few feed lines. So, if I loose power at my house, chances are, the remote switcher will also loose power. If the batteries are not good, the site will (and has) go down.

[JIMMIE]

Run your modem directly off the UPS's battery..

Jimmie

[HeyBub]

Ah, thanks for explanation! I thought for a moment there you were weird.

[Pete C.]

All the telco remote terminals I've seen have a transfer switch and connection for a generator. The issues are how long with the poorly maintained batteries last and how quickly will the telco dispatch a truck with a generator to the site. I've seen a few larger RTs that do have permanent standby generators, but most do not.

[jamesgangnc]

[e-mail]:

I was replying to this;

[Art Todesco]

Yah, under Verizon days, we had a long phone outage on a Friday in the morning. It went on until about 9:30PM when V brought a portable generator and restored power. Even after commercial power was restored the next day, the generator stayed there for about 2 months. I think a big company in the industrial park must have squawked. Imagine not have phones all day on a Friday, even. I don't know this for sure, but, I'd bet V left the generator there until they installed new batteries, just to appease that large company. Then again, knowing V, they probably just never bothered to pick it up and bring it to there storage facility!