UPS/Battery questions
Due to some recent power outages (actually rather rare for me) I am considering getting a UPS to prevent losing prints. I don't have a good understanding of UPS systems, so I have some questions:
1. Recognizing that this is highly dependent on local conditions, how long can I expect the UPS to last? I print with PETG at 240C/75C. I see numbers for the UPS stating 1500VA/1000W but I'm not sure how that translates into backup printing time.
2. Would it take a massive battery to keep printing for 4hrs? Or are these UPS systems really meant for a short time of a few minutes in order to shut things down properly?
Last nights power outage lasted about 2hrs and of course I was 3hrs in on a 4hr print on both of my printers.
RE: UPS/Battery questions
I use a 1500VA/1000W unit for mostly spike and surge protection. It also gives me about 10-20 minutes to pause prints. I have 4 printers on each unit. For me, it will not print 4 hours. You would need much larger batteries.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: UPS/Battery questions
I use a 1500VA/1000W unit for mostly spike and surge protection. It also gives me about 10-20 minutes to pause prints. I have 4 printers on each unit. For me, it will not print 4 hours. You would need much larger batteries.
So if I have one printer on the UPS it might last 40-80min?
I've never paused and restarted a print. If I pause the print and the power goes out completely, the printer can restart the print when power is restored?
RE: UPS/Battery questions
@buckeyestargazer
I don't think you would get 40-80 minutes.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: UPS/Battery questions
I think a surge protector/battery backup is mostly useful for small blips in power and now outages for hours.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: UPS/Battery questions
Each of my printers (plus corresponding raspi) is attached to a 900 VA UPS. I can get 30 minutes of run time out of it at best. I think these devices help you get over short outages not extended ones. You’d need very large and expensive ones, or better, a generator.
RE: UPS/Battery questions
Also, make sure you do the math, to make sure it works for your particular situation. The costs of filament for a failed print even after a few hours is much less than the cost of a UPS.
RE: UPS/Battery questions
I also have a generator.
I have an 8500-watt generator that I can swap out if the power is out longer for some of my printers. I have never used it. I use it only for my house during hurricane season.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: UPS/Battery questions
Also, make sure you do the math, to make sure it works for your particular situation. The costs of filament for a failed print even after a few hours is much less than the cost of a UPS.
It's not really the cost of the filament that concerns me. It's the lost print time. My printers are running almost continuously and losing 8hrs backs me up.
Still, point taken. It probably isn't really worth spending $200 for this.
RE: UPS/Battery questions
@buckeyestargazer
No. I would go cheap and use them just to deal with small blips in the power. I use to have small blips that derail my prints. That no longer happens.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: UPS/Battery questions
I have a plain vanilla Cyber Power 650VA unit, a Best Buy Special (tm) on the Prusa. I've tested it for about 5 minutes or so and I guess it would hold for maybe 1/2 hour or so. I have a slightly larger unit on the Ultimaker. Again, tested for a few minutes to be sure it would respond if the power went out.
We do have a generator, but it's a manual switch-over, maybe 3 minutes or so from realizing that the power is not coming back on to live power. That should leave plenty of reserve in the UPSs.