UPS options to ensure (some length of) continued service for VOIP?

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jonathan18

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Topic # 115503 27-Mar-2013 22:58

Hi there

We are currently looking at transitioning across to Snap, initially on ADSL and, once available in a few months, to UFB. My wife's only concern on the move to UFB (not that it would be with Telecom at the moment!) is regarding the loss of telephone services in a power cut. I've pointed out mobiles will work (for a decent period anyway), but I thought I'd check out as to what the best options are for a UPS for such a service as that offered by Snap (I've checked - the Fritz routers have no battery backup).

Can anyone advise me as to what the most effective way to manage power loss in such a situation, especially if the design was solely to ensure a continuation of VOIP/internet (as opposed to needing to provide a backup for power-hungry devices like computers)? Are there specialist UPSs for these sitautions, and how are affordable are they?

Many thanks for any advice that can be offered.

Cheers
Jonathan

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Reply # 788333 28-Mar-2013 06:19

Any UPS is going to work just fine, with the reality these days that a 600VA unit starts at about $80

naggyman

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Reply # 788348 28-Mar-2013 07:32

I just recently did a test with a regular desk UPS with a ADSL router setup and it ran it for about an hour and a half until the speed of the beeping became unbearable. So not bad really for a 3 year old UPS.

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jonathan18

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Reply # 788356 28-Mar-2013 07:56

Thanks for the responses thus far.

Looking at the more affordable end via Price Spy, is this the kind of unit that would be appropriate?

http://www.digitus.info/sv/produkter/archiv/line-interactive-usv-unterbrechungsfreie-stromversorgung-mit-lcd-dn-170020/

Retails for just under $80, so the price bracket you mentioned.

That said, the battery life of this unit, even under a light load appears to be 30 mins, so nothing like that I had hoped for. I'd imagine, to be useful for this purpose, I'd want 2-3 hours to operate the equipment needed to operate the phone.

Will these cheaper (and therefore typically less "grunty") units just not be able to deliver this length of backup?

Thanks!

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Reply # 788359 28-Mar-2013 08:03

Remember it's talking about a computer load, maybe including a monitor. That page doesn't say the VA rating, I'll guess around 600. Basically if you want a longer run time, buy a higher capacity unit.

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nickb800

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Reply # 788366 28-Mar-2013 08:22

Further to the OPs question - in practical terms how should one interpret the VA rating? Pretend it is equivalent to Wattage?

(I've had a brief look at the theory but was hoping there might be a rule of thumb here)

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Reply # 788367 28-Mar-2013 08:22

richms

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Reply # 792023 3-Apr-2013 00:14

I have seen figures of 1.3 to 1.4 used to turn VA into watts on UPS's.

Keep in mind when you are at the near minimum of the UPS's output that the UPS itself will be using more power than the load. I have a few old APC's that wont get to 2 hours with no load at all on them, so adding a router doesnt really do anything to reduce the runtime.

The pigs also suck about 20-30 watts sitting there with the battery charged waiting for a power cut. Not economical to use them at all even if you get given them free. Standby power use of UPSs is a really hard thing to find out, as is the runtime with nothing or near nothing connected to it.

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kiwitrc

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Reply # 792042 3-Apr-2013 06:19

If its a Fritzbox 7390 the power supply is 12V 2A. You could easily use a 12V Lead Acid Gell Cell battery to run it, either always in circuit or just on a trickle charge on standby.

Also be aware that you will need a hard wired phone unless you are using the built in DECT.

sbiddle

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Reply # 792064 3-Apr-2013 08:33

kiwitrc: If its a Fritzbox 7390 the power supply is 12V 2A. You could easily use a 12V Lead Acid Gell Cell battery to run it, either always in circuit or just on a trickle charge on standby.

Have you actually tried this or just assuming it will work? Not all ATA devices will work running off a battery, however even if the ATA doesn't work the DECT should still work.

kiwitrc

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Reply # 792077 3-Apr-2013 08:56

sbiddle:
kiwitrc: If its a Fritzbox 7390 the power supply is 12V 2A. You could easily use a 12V Lead Acid Gell Cell battery to run it, either always in circuit or just on a trickle charge on standby.

Have you actually tried this or just assuming it will work? Not all ATA devices will work running off a battery, however even if the ATA doesn't work the DECT should still work.

No I havent but I cant see why it wouldnt run off a battery, is there something magic in the DC connector like some of the laptop supplies? The internal DECT would work I assume but and external DECT phone that doesnt use the DECT built in to the FBox still needs power for the base station.

sbiddle

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Reply # 792240 3-Apr-2013 12:17

kiwitrc:
sbiddle:
kiwitrc: If its a Fritzbox 7390 the power supply is 12V 2A. You could easily use a 12V Lead Acid Gell Cell battery to run it, either always in circuit or just on a trickle charge on standby.

Have you actually tried this or just assuming it will work? Not all ATA devices will work running off a battery, however even if the ATA doesn't work the DECT should still work.

No I havent but I cant see why it wouldnt run off a battery, is there something magic in the DC connector like some of the laptop supplies? The internal DECT would work I assume but and external DECT phone that doesnt use the DECT built in to the FBox still needs power for the base station.

No isolation. Some kit (such as the Ciso ATA's) are designed to run off an isolated power supply only.

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Reply # 792250 3-Apr-2013 12:25

Ive got a Dynamix UPS1000 connected to my workstation in the office - survives for over an hour with the following connected :

Lenovo M71E Desktop (i5 etc)
LG E1951 LED screen
8 port gig switch

Leaves me with plenty of time to log in and shutdown any servers cleanly before their UPS dies ;)
http://www.dynamix.co.nz/productimages/pdfs/pc90.pdf

Running a router off a UPS on its own should give you a decent amount of uptime

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jonathan18

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Reply # 792322 3-Apr-2013 13:33

Thanks for all the helpful replies.

Yes, it would indeed be a Fritzbox 7390.

The manual for it states:

• Maximum power consumption: 22 W
• Average power consumption: 8 W – 11 W

Given that all I really care about is ensuring a continuance of phone service, I'd imagine this will not be a big drawerer of power from the UPS, therefore I may be ok with the Dynamix UPS-650. (Or wiill even the corded phone, plugged into a jackpoint, not even work in a power cut? I was under the impression from Snap that the internal phone wiring within the house can be used like an "extension cord" for conventional phones.)

That said - am I stupid not to also connect my NAS to the UPS, if only for long enough to safely shut it down? Or is it ok just to let it lose power? If sensible to plug in the NAS, I'd imagine the UPS-1000 may be a safer bet...

Until I get the router I have no idea as to whether my phone(s) will be directly supported, although it seems like many Panasonic DECT phones do work with it.

Thanks again.

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Reply # 792328 3-Apr-2013 13:40

I wouldn't bother about a big UPS. I have a small one which powers the ADSL modem and my cordless which is beside the modem. The power has always returned before the UPS has run out.

If you are looking at powering for longer periods then get a small generator.

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Reply # 799509 15-Apr-2013 11:13

Just chucking in my two cents. I have a smallish APC UPS to power my Linksys ATA, TelstraClear Motorola Cable Gateway, Linksys Wireless Access Point and my Cordless DECT phone base station.

In theory during a power cut I should still have phone & internet access during the outage. However last year there was a power-cut in Lower Hutt for about 2 hours which also knocked out the TelstraClear's own exchange and my cable internet connection was lost.

So even through I took every precaution to maintain interruptible power supply to my own devices it was still not perfect. Also the another thing was the annoying beeping sound generated by my UPS alerting me there was no mains power. I could not turn off the beeping sound for the two hours the power was out.

Additionally because the power knocked out the TelstraClear exchange, once the power did come back on-line it took about 30-50mins for the Cable Modem the reconnect and authorise/sync or wherever the hell is does when it's lost connection.

I did phone TelstraClear and they did say that UPS are supplied to there exchanges/cabinets and the power outage should not effected there own equipment.

The UPS I've got is a APC Power-Saving Back-UPS ES 8 Outlet 700VA

http://www.acquire.co.nz/acquire/default.asp?PageID=ProductDetail&pf_id=1828273&dept_id=1700010

I not sure if it' still available but I managed to pick one up for a special promotional price of only $70+GST

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