Battery backup

Posts: 24 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Nov 17, 2005 Posts: 24

I was reading some Voip posts on my local news forum and someone mentioned another provider supplied a battery backup in the event the power goes down.
Does anyone here use a battery back up and if so what brand and how much?
Thanks in advance Smile

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

I use a little 500 VA job from Cyberpower to handle my modem, adapter, and main computer. In a pinch I'd skip the computer. I don't want the phones going out on my wife when I'm at work. It cost about $40.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:17 pm Post subject:

APC Bac-UPS ES 500.

The WRTP54G that I have pulls 0.5A at 120V, so it's only ~60VA. Of course, you also want capacity for your modem and (if you have one) router and cordless phone.

500VA is overkill, but it powers my Vonage device, my router, my cable modem, my cordless phone/speakerphone, and my laptop, all with plenty of capacity to spare. I think it was about $50-60 at Staples. I haven't done any testing, but if I unplugged the laptop from it I'd probably have an hour or so of battery.

You can also get one of the real cheapie TrippLite or other 250VA units and run just your Vonage device, a modem, and a router and/or phone. It'll give you about 10-15 minutes of backup power, so you'll survive short blackouts.

Posts: 75 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Sep 06, 2005 Posts: 75

tigerdirect.com has a good deal on a cyberpower 825va/410w ups -- $49.99 (+ ~$16 shipping).

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?sku=C910-1234

it's certainly more toward the powerful end of the range for operating network gear like routers/modems, but it'll last quite a while (or could also provide a little extra peace of mind for your workstation, too). anyway, other places like newegg have the same ups for $40 more, so it's a good deal.

and if you don't mind refurb items, they have an ad on their front page now (expires tomorrow at noon apparently) for a refurbished 500va/275w model for $16.99 (+ ~$20 shipping).

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?sku=C910-1007

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:30 pm Post subject:

That refurb $16 unit is nearly the spitting image of my APC unit.

CyberPower's an "el cheapo" brand, though. I dunno if I'd trust it to feed clean, conditioned power, especially in a refurb. But, heck, for $16, it's better than running street power! Smile

Posts: 75 · Vonage Forum Senior Joined: Sep 06, 2005 Posts: 75

that's what i first thought of cyberpower, but i've had a couple of their ups's for a year and a half or so (and just got another one for a new pc), and they've performed wonderfully. i'm down in texas, kinda out in the sticks, where we get a lot of random power outages which last from a second or two up to several minutes, even when the weather is fine (and more frequently when the weather is bad). so far they've performed great (i have a 625va/325w and an 1100va/660w, and my new one is the 825va/410w). i don't run my pc's on them for more than a few minutes when the power is out, but they keep everything chugging through the little blips that would normally shut everything down and cause a real big headache.

Posts: 135 · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:53 pm Post subject:

I have my Vonage PAP2, USR 8054 and Toshiba cable modem all on an APC BackUPS 500. I have not tested (or calculated) the time that this UPS will give me but I would expect it to last for almost an hour.

I think these three devices may draw so little power that the UPS itself may use more power from the battery just for the overhead of the power inverter.

Posts: 4777 · Vonage Forum **MVM** Joined: Aug 30, 2005 Posts: 4777

NateHoy wrote:

That refurb $16 unit is nearly the spitting image of my APC unit.

CyberPower's an "el cheapo" brand, though. I dunno if I'd trust it to feed clean, conditioned power, especially in a refurb. But, heck, for $16, it's better than running street power! Smile

I've run a CyberPower for years, and never had a complaint. I did have to replace the lead acid battery recently, and even that was a snap. The unit seemed to be well engineered.

Posts: 10 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Nov 20, 2005 Posts: 10

I bought a Dynex (looks to be a CyberPower with a different label) at Best Buy for $40 (are still on sale). 800VA, plenty of outlets. All I run off the battery is my cable modem, router, and TA. I figure it should provide plenty of phone service in an outage.

I would have preferred an APC, but it would have been about 3x the cost, and I just don't have that kind of scratch right now.