Benefits of Using an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)

It’s easy to forget how much we rely on a consistent power supply in our homes until a power outage or surge shock puts our devices on hold. In sticky situations like this, a UPS is going to be your best friend. 

A UPS serves two important functions: keeping essential systems running during outages to prevent data loss and stabilising voltage to protect electronics. For remote workers and small businesses, this protection can be critical — but does everyone need one? Let's look at what these devices do and whether they're worth the investment for your setup.

What is UPS?

A UPS is an Uninterrupted Power Source for your devices that provides uninterrupted power during power faults, surges or blackouts. It’s a device that contains a battery and power management circuitry that sits between your wall outlet and your electronics.

With a UPS, you put your eggs (devices) in multiple baskets (power sources) to stop your devices from unexpectedly switching off during a power failure. It makes sure your devices stay protected, data remains safe and you have enough time for a proper shutdown.

4 Benefits of UPS & Backup Power Solutions

If you’re considering getting a UPS, here are some reasons for why you should have one in your home or small office. 

Backup Power and Safe Shutdown

As we’ve mentioned, the main reason people invest in a UPS is to have a backup power supply during power outages. When a storm rolls through and the power goes down, the UPS kicks into gear. 

Most are designed to give you just enough time to wrap up any important work, backup data and shut down your devices safely.

Protection Against Power Surges

Power surges can happen for a number of reasons, including lightning strikes, brownouts and power grid issues. Your devices can be at risk from the sudden spike in voltage, damaging your system.

Thanks to surge protection technology, any device plugged into the UPS unit will be protected against these events.

Voltage Output Regulation

Have you ever run multiple devices at the same time and tripped the power? This is what’s called a voltage spike.

If this keeps happening, it can wear out your devices' ability to function. A UPS is great at maintaining a constant voltage output to keep your devices running smoothly.

Cost Savings & Device Longevity

The devices you decide to run through your UPS unit — whether that’s your PC, modem or even security system — will be protected from those pesky power outages, power surges and voltage spikes. So, how are you saving money? Well, the surge protectors in the UPS will keep your devices safe from electrical faults caused by the spikes in voltage. This means less time and money spent on replacing devices. 

How Long Does Uninterrupted Power Supply Last​​?

Different UPS units hold different amounts of power, which is why it’s important to consider how many people are in your household and how many devices are being used at one time. 

It’s always good to have the essentials plugged in, such as your wireless network equipment, any home security systems, such as cameras, devices that need to be backed up, like hard drives and anything that needs to be charged, like laptops and phones.

To accurately calculate the runtime of a UPS unit, you need to consider a few key factors: 

•  The Battery Capacity: Measured in Volt-Amp-Hours (VAh), determines how much energy the UPS can store and supply. 
• The Load Power Consumption: Measured in watts (W) or volt-amps (VA), reflects the total power used by the connected devices. 
• The Power Factor (PF): Since not all power is efficiently converted, this plays a crucial role in determining how much of the UPS’s capacity is usable. This is the ratio between real power (W) and apparent power (VA).

Understanding these core components, you can accurately estimate UPS performance. Every UPS will be different — two households or small businesses using the same UPS may have different run times — it all depends on how you use the UPS unit.

How to Calculate UPS Unit Runtime

You can figure this out at home by calculating the wattage of all the devices you plan on connecting to the UPS and then using the formula below. It is important to remember that these are just estimates, but they are good ballpark figures nonetheless.

• Runtime (hours) = (Battery capacity (watt-hours) * Efficiency) / Load (watts)

Or, check out this chart from APC to see the runtime of specific models without having to do the math.

How to Choose an Uninterruptible Power Supply​

There are quite a few things to consider when choosing a UPS. First, consider what type of UPS best suits your situation — a standby UPS for basic protection, a line-interactive UPS for areas with frequent voltage fluctuations, or an online/smart UPS for sensitive equipment requiring maximum protection. Our blog on choosing the right UPS goes into more detail about these options.

Next, calculate your power requirements by adding up the wattage of all devices you need to protect. The runtime you need is another crucial consideration — do you just need enough time for a safe shutdown, or do you want backup during longer outages?

Look for additional features that might benefit your setup, such as user-replaceable batteries, protection for network connections and USB connectivity for automatic shutdowns.

APC UPS: Industry-Leading Protection

APC is a leading name in power protection. Their UPS lineup spans from basic home models to enterprise-grade solutions, with a reputation for durability and performance. 

The APC Back-UPS series, including the APC Back-UPS 1200VA/650W UPS and APC Back-UPS 750VA/230V Line Interactive 3 Output UPS provides excellent protection for home users, while their Smart-UPS models deliver more advanced features for professional applications.

With intuitive displays, reliable performance and excellent post-purchase support, APC UPS systems give you peace of mind that your valuable equipment is safe from power-related damage.

Are UPS Worth it?

Whether you're cautious about power surges, protecting your data or wanting to be one step ahead of a blackout, a UPS will get the job done and is 100% worth it. 

Explore our range of APC UPS units today at Mwave and keep your tech safe and secure. If you want more info, we’re here to help you make the right choice to suit your needs and budget.