Matt_Colie wrote:
pianotuna wrote:
Pretty hard to beat Triplite.
I have to disagree. I was a loyal Triplite client until I bought a UPS that with that name on it. After about four years the internal battery went bad. I tried to decase the unit to replace it. I could not figure out how that would not break some plastic, so I called them and was told that the UPS (not cheap one) was not a serviceable unit. It was intended to be scrapped. I didn't do that, I did buy an APC replacement and the Triplite is in my shop in pieces so I can salvage small parts from it.
Matt
UPS units and inverter units are two distinctively different categories.
I have had BOTH APC AND TRIPPLITE UPS units.
The older APC units were good, but the newer APC units do not hold a candle to Tripplite. I have had to scrap several 3 and 4 yr old APCs because of some failure on the mainboard and yet the Tripplites just replace the batteries and go another 4 yrs.
UPS units are a compromise between power, runtime, size, they are not battery efficient and the footprint limits the size of battery. Early UPS units used Gel batteries, newer units come with AGMs, I have noticed less battery life with the AGMs overall, three-four yrs vs the older Gel cells which often got me five to six yrs of life.
I also had to scrap a couple of APC units because they would not play well with my backup power generator and replaced those with Tripplites which have no issue with being inline with a backup generator.
I have worked also with Minuteman UPS units and some other brands which worked reasonably well as long as you understand that a UPS is designed solely to supply you enough power to safely shut down your PC(s) or other equipment in the event of a long term power outage or in a short term power surge/sag to ride out that even for a few seconds.
The Tripplite inverter I posted IS designed for the long haul, it WILL run as long as you have enough external battery capacity. At 42 pounds it is a heavy duty beast, well built and well designed and not your average run of the mill inverter. Yes, you do pay a price upfront, but in the end will outlast the cheap China imports under heavy duty use.
