I have the Power!
Written: Mar 01 '03 (Updated Aug 21 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Reliable, easy install, customizable features, can select alarm sound, comes with software and cables
Cons: Not a con but worth noting: Nothing I've seen gives the estimated battery life.
The Bottom Line: The $60.00 spent is worth preventing the aggravation of losing valuable data or damaging equipment during a power outage. A terrific product that works. It saved me!
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| dlstewart's Full Review: Belkin Home Office (F6H650-SER) (F6H650-SER) UPS S... |
If you own a computer, no doubt you’ve experienced a power outage while on the machine. This last Christmas brought many wonderful surprises, but one of the most unexpected was the heavy box my brother handed me. Could it be exercise weights? A gold bar would be nice! What could this heavy rectangle hold? My brother decided that with all the writing and web design work I do that I needed a Belkin Home Office UPS Emergency Battery Backup system. He was right. It’s already saved my work from disappearing into the ozone!
What is a UPS?
UPS stands for Uninterrupted Power Supply. Anyone who has worked on a computer knows the anguish of having a power outage while in the middle of a project that hasn’t been saved. Worse yet, some power interruptions can damage computer equipment. A UPS provides continual power by automatically transferring from AC to battery backup when there is an interruption in power. Should a power outage or interruption occur, the UPS switches from AC to battery backup, and when power returns, switches from battery backup to AC. It’s a seamless transfer that prevents loss of data and damage to machinery. My brother discovered that his UPS unit regulated power fluctuations in his electrical household current so that his computer didn’t power down unexpectedly, which it had been doing.
The Belkin Home Office UPS Emergency Battery Backup (model F6H650-SER) provides battery backup for up to 35 minutes. (This battery backup time depends upon power consumption of peripherals plugged into the UPS unit. The more watts consumed by the devices plugged into the unit depends on the amount of battery backup time the user has. For instance a larger monitor and computer power supply, reduces the amount of battery life more than a smaller monitor and smaller computer power supply.) A UPS gives the user time to save work, close programs and properly shut down the computer.
What comes in that heavy box?
* One UPS Unit (Black - Measuring: 9 1/2" x 6" x 3 1/4" deep -- Shipping Weight 13 pounds)
* Bulldog Shutdown Software (on CD)
* Serial Port Cable
* 6-foot Telephone Cord
UPS Unit Features
Spanning the top of one long side of the unit are four outlets that provide surge protection. Along the opposite side of the unit are four more outlets, which provide battery backup with surge protection. The outlets are nicely spaced so that boxy adapters plug-in without problem. On top of the unit, to the right, are three LED lights: 1) On-line Indicator 2) On-Battery & Low-Battery Indicator 3) Site Wiring Fault Indicator. Beneath these lights is an on/off switch. On the bottom of the unit there is a circuit breaker and phone/fax/modem jacks with surge protection (one In / two Out). At the back side of the unit is a serial-compatible port.
The LED Indicators
On-line
When this light is solid green, the AC power is on.
On-Battery and Low-Battery
When this light is flashing red, an audible alarm warns of a problem. There are three situations that can apply to this warning.
1. The UPS is on battery backup, an audible alarm sounds, and the UPS begins the shutdown procedure.
2. The battery is low, an audible alarm buzzes, and the UPS will shutdown.
3. The UPS has a problem, the audible alarm will buzz for ten seconds, and the LED will stay continuously lit.
Site Wiring Fault
When this light remains a solid red, the unit has detected a possible wiring fault. The manufacturer states that in order for the UPS to work properly, it must be plugged into a properly grounded AC circuit. There are two situations that can cause this warning.
1. Open or high resistance on the ground line.
2. Hot or neutral polarity circuit.
Alarms
A great feature is that the user can choose whether a buzzing alarm sounds, or the user can select an audible alarm from a ".wav" file. Bulldog offers the option of selecting a ".wav" file from your computer system. I chose a soothing female voice with an English accent to warn of impending trouble. I feel like I’m on the bridge of the Enterprise when I hear the voice: "Power Failed. The UPS is operating on battery power." The unit can broadcast three types of alarms.
1. Back Up (Slow Alarm). When in Backup on battery mode, the red light is visible and an audible alarm sounds. The alarm stops when the UPS returns to normal operation.
2. Low Battery (Rapid Alarm). In Backup mode, should the battery become low, the UPS beeps rapidly until either the UPS shuts down due to a low battery or if the unit returns to normal operation.
3. Fault (Ten Second Continuous Alarm). Should the output become shorted, the UPS sounds a continuous ten-second alarm.
Installing the UPS Unit
Simple...at least it’s an easy installation for people whose computer cables aren’t tangled into knots behind the machinery. Yikes! It seemed to take me forever to untangle the mess so that I knew which cable went to which device. (I remember organizing those cables, too.
Hmmmm...cable gremlins?)
This unit is an easy install. Plug the unit power cord into the AC wall outlet. Make sure the "Site Wiring Fault" light has not lit. If this light is red, have an electrician inspect the utility wiring. Once the unit is plugged in, it needs to charge for six hours. Next, turn the UPS unit on by pressing the on/off button for two seconds. The green "On-Line" light will come on. Now you can plug the computer components into the UPS; however, there are a few "Do and Don’ts". (The manufacturer cautions never to plug a laser printer or scanner to the backup outlets with other computer equipment. A laser printer or scanner may overload the UPS unit since they draw so much power. Also, do not plug any surge protectors or power strips into the battery back-up outlets.) Once the equipment is plugged into the outlets, it’s time to connect the phone/fax/modem lines. To gain full advantage of the Bulldog Shutdown software, connect the UPS unit to the computer via serial cable.
Installing the Bulldog Shutdown Software
The UPS must have charged at least four hours before installing the Bulldog software. Make sure the serial cable is connected between the UPS unit and the computer. Turn on the UPS unit and then restart the computer. After the computer has restarted, place the Bulldog Shutdown CD into the CD-ROM drive. Follow the installation instructions.
The Bulldog Shutdown software monitors the UPS and computer, managing power events. Bulldog senses power fluctuations and will initiate shutdown of the computer should a power outage or interruption occur. The software can be customized and runs unnoticed in the background. A Bulldog icon is visible in the System Tray to indicate the UPS status. There are many configurations possible to customize the software. Should you need additional guidance, Bulldog has included a help feature. Here are some features of the software:
* A countdown so that the user knows how much time is remaining until Bulldog (in the event of a power interruption) will shutdown the computer.
* When a power interruption occurs, a broadcast dialog box appears to inform the user what is happening.
* Choose the type of alarm: Buzzer or Audio Message (customizable using .wav files).
* The main Bulldog screen shows in large print the Power Status and Battery Level.
* Bulldog keeps an Event Log.
* Bulldog keeps track of battery replacement dates.
Summary
I highly recommend the Belkin Home Office UPS Emergency Battery Backup (model F6H650-SER). Without warning, the area I live in lost power. There wasn’t even a storm. Immediately my UPS transferred from AC to battery backup, giving me time to finish what I was working on, save my work, close down the programs before the computer shutdown. It’s wonderful knowing this security is shielding my computer. This is a terrific product.
Update -- August 21, 2005
A few months ago this UPS unit started to fail. We've been experiencing alot of brownouts in my area, and this UPS faithfully protected my computer until it just couldn't cope with the constant power dips. I replaced this unit with Belkin UPS Model F6C750-AVR. You can read my review of the new UPS by clicking on this link. The new UPS has better protective capabilities than the old unit.
I hope you have found this review helpful.
Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Warranty
This is what the manufacturer says on the box:
"Data Recovery Warranty: Your computer’s hard drive is protected against malfunction caused by power failure. Should such malfunction occur due to failure of the UPS to protect your PC while it is properly connected to the UPS, Belkin will provide professional data recovery services at no cost to you. The service to salvage remaining data and recover lost data will be performed by ActionFront Data Recovery Labs. (See complete warranty for full details). Connected Equipment Warranty: The Belkin UPS is also backed with a Connected Equipment Warranty. This warranty specifies that Belkin will repair or replace, up to the value specified on the box, any properly connected equipment if it is damaged by a surge, including surges due to lightning strikes. (See warranty for details.) Three-Year Product Warranty: The product is also backed with a three-year product warranty against manufacturing defects. (See warranty for details.)"
The Belkin Home Office UPS Emergency Battery Backup (model F6H650-SER) box says there is a $100,000 Connected Equipment Warranty - 3 Year Product Warranty.
Specifications
AC Wave Type * Simulated SinewaveAlarm Included
Certifications IEC * 1000-4-4
UL Certifications
Certifications IEC * 1000-4-5
Certifications IEC * 1000-4-2
Certifications * FCC Class B
Certifications * UL 1778
Frequency 60 Hz
Input Voltage 120 VAC
LED's
8 Receptacles
Output Voltage 120 VAC
Port Type * DB9
Port Type * RS-232
Port Type * RJ11
8 Hour Recharge Time
Bulldog Software Included
Surge Supression 510 Joules
Test Switch
Serial Interface
VA Rating * 650 VA Watts
Rating * 360 Watts
(Unit is not rack mountable)
According to the manufacturer, the The Belkin Home Office UPS Emergency Battery Backup (model F6H650-SER) is compatible with Windows XP, ME, 2000, 95, 98, NT and is ideal for 15" and 17" monitors and 15" and 17" flat panel screens -- Entry Level Computers up to 1 GHZ: Intel, AMD, Cyrix -- Mid-level Computers up to 1.3 GHZ: Intel, AMD, Cyrix -- Advanced Computers up to 2 GHZ and faster: Intel, AMD, Cyrix. It is not recommended for servers, network management. Bulldog Shutdown Software is compatible with Windows XP, ME, 2000, 95, 98, 98SE, NT 4.0 and Linux.
This product can be purchased online at Amazon.com and Buy.com -- just to name two stores.
Please read my other reviews:
Sony MicroVault 512mb USB 2.0 Flash Drive
Dazzle 6-in-1 Card Reader
Logitech MouseMan Dual Optical Mouse
Fellowes Gel Mouse Pad with Wrist Rest
Ott True Color Flex-Arm Plus Lamp
Ott True Color Floor Lamp
Ott True Color Bedside/Desk Lamp
LiteOn LVW-5005 DVD Player/Recorder
Concord Eye-Q Digital Camera
Canon PowerShot A400 Digital Camera
Curtis Radio/CD Portable Boom Box
Pogo.com (Online Games)
Copyright Dawn L. Stewart 2003
Recommended:
Yes
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