It's not a bad idea to get a UPS if you are building your own system. That way, you won't have components going bad due to poor line conditions. You'll find that it's more comforting to have this safety since you can't just call up a manufacturer and get warranty service.

UPSs are rated in VA, or Volt-Amps. Basically, it's a measurement of battery power. If you've got a lot of devices, you'll need a UPS with a higher VA rating to keep it running when the power goes out. Most computer systems can be powered for about 5-10 minutes on a 400 VA UPS. For more exact information, you'll have to check out the VA rating for each device in your system.

Make sure you get some decent indicators on your UPS, or at least some software that allows you to monitor your UPS. A USB connection is useful to pass data between the UPS and your computer.

Search