APC BE350G ES 6 Outlet 350VA Back-UPS
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2F66UAWXO8TMD I certainly understand why some people are upset that the APC ES-350 does not support Power Management software However, I would like to show that even without Power Management support it can be very useful as a battery back-up for your home entertainment system.
I love my TiVo TCD652160 HD Digital Video Recorder so much so that I purchased a Western Digital My DVR Expander 1 TB eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive WDG1S10000VN (Black) to supplement the memory. Unfortunately, I live in an area that is prone to power outages and power "flickers". While I can not do much with the power outages the power flickers drive us crazy. Each time the power flickers out Tivo unit must completely reboot (which takes about 10 minutes) so not only do you miss the shows you are watching it also interrupts any recordings that are taking place.
While the APC ES-350 does not help me with power outages (the battery back-up is only good for a minute or two) it does save the day when have a flicker. Now please note, I do not have my television hooked up to the back-up, so still see the the TV flicker but now I do not have to wait for the Tivo to reboot. Could I hook my TV to the APC 350... maybe although it would likely draw too much power to be of any use... for that you would want to consider a bigger battery back-up (such as APC BE550R 550VA Back-UPS ES 8-Outlet Battery Backup System but it even it may be too small).
Other notes
- 6 total outlets - 3 provide battery back-up and 3 offer just surge protection
- Has a very loud audible beep once you lose power
- 200W of total power - in terms of computer equipment it will power a desk top computer with a 17" LCD screen for 7 minutes
- Does offer telephone line protection
Final Verdict - It seems to be a perfect choice as a power stand-by for our home entertainment center.
4 1/2 stars
Model: BE350G
APC's Back-UPS ES series is now "greener" than ever. The ES 350 utilizes an ultra-efficient design that consumes less power during normal operation than any other battery backup in its class, saving you money on your electricity bill. It's also RoHS compliant, which means its manufacture and ultimate disposal is easier on the environment. Even the packaging has been carefully selected to minimize energy use in it's creation, and to maximize the use of recycled materials. Coupled with all the standard features of the Back-UPS ES series, the ES 350 is the best value for home and home office computers.
- Output Power Capacity 200 Watts / 350 VA
- Max Configurable Power 200 Watts / 350 VA
- Nominal Output Voltage 120V Output Frequency (sync to mains) 60 Hz
- Stepped approximation to a sinewave Waveform Type
- Maintenance-free sealed Lead-Acid battery with suspended electrolyte : leakproof
Special Features: nv:Power Protection Type^UPS|Input Voltage^120V|Frequency^60HZ ( ± 1 HZ )|Input Connection Type^NEMA 5-15P|Cord Length^5 ft.|Watts^200 Watt Capacity|Volt Amps^350 VA|Output Nominal Voltage^120 V|Output Voltage Wave Form^Stepped approximation to a sinewave|Full Load Run Time^2.3 minutes|Half Load Run Time^9.7 minutes|Battery Recharge Rate^16 Hours|Type^Maintenance-free sealed Lead-Acid battery with suspended electrolyte : leakproof|Surge Energy Capacity^365 Joules
List Price: USD 58.99
Lowest Used Price: USD 42.50
excellent unit
excellent unit. Have had no problems and forget that it is there which is what I want in a backup device.
Good Battery Backup
This is the unit our IS guy recommends for our office computers. I have had one on my machine for over 5 years without problems. I bought this unit for home use to hookup to my TV, DVD, and especially DirecTV unit, so when the Florida thunderstorms hit and we have momentary power outages, I won't have to wait 5-10 minutes for my DirecTV receiver to boot up again. Works fine so far and provides an extra layer of surge protection for valuable electronic equipment.
Great Back Up
Very good backup UPS! I bought it primarily to protect my DVR, HDTV,DVD and AMP. It was easy to set up, but kept going into alarm. I found I had a defective outlet, so it was not the UPS. We had a power failure in December and it performed perfectly, allowing me to shut down the DVR and HDTV appropriately.
Does what it says, plug and play with my mac.
I just hooked it up to the mac and it recognized it as a UPS and showed its battery status and all that.