Customer Reviews

Back Ups Ls 700va with usb 7outletxp Compatible

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is my second APC UPS. I previously had the 500va model. If you need a good UPS for protecting a home system, this should suit your needs.

What can I say about it? It works the way it's supposed to, and that's what matters. Well-built, reliable, and effective. In the years I've had my UPSs I've had power outages, brownouts, fluctuations, and my computer has never been affected.

Keep in mind that this (and all UPSs) are heavy, due to the internal battery, which is pretty beefy.

I've had need to contact APC on occasion, and they've been responsive and helpful.

Well made quality equipment. You don't have much work time with it, but it keeps your computer from going down on power blinks. You have time to close all programs on longer outages. If you want more time, buy a larger unit.

Bottom-Line: Final analysis: the "LS 700VA" does what it is supposed to do--protect my computer from harmful electrical events and provide a source of emergency power; it does it well.

APC targets the "Back-UPS LS 700VA" towards advanced home and or small office user. The "Back-UPS LS 700VA" is a 700VA/410W UPS designed to provide short-term emergency (battery) power to a computer, monitor, and essential peripherals in the event of a power outage or noise. According to APC product literature, the "Back-UPS LS 700VA" can provide up to 70 minutes at 50 watts, 31 minutes at 100 watts, 12 minutes at 200 watts, 5 minutes at 300 watts, and 2 minutes at 400 watts, or full load. This is enough time to enable you, or the system itself, to save work and shutdown the computer in an orderly fashion.

The "Back-UPS LS 700VA" has an unusual shape; while it is free standing like traditional UPS systems at the same price point, the "Back-UPS LS 700VA" has the outlets at the top of the unit vice the back. The reason for this unusual design? APC calls it a unique space-saving, ergonomic design, I call it weird, but it works so...

The Back-UPS LS 700VA is equipped with four battery-powered/surge protected outlets and three regular surge protected outlets on the top of the unit, with one of the four outlets on each side spaced to provide room for those ubiquitous transformer blocks.

Like all modern UPS units the "Back-UPS LS 700VA" can provide surge protection for a phone line (RJ-11), but not an Ethernet network connection (RJ-45), and coax cable (DSL). Connection for one input and output is provided and a re-settable circuit breaker and a USB connector (interface with computer) is located on the back of the unit. The control panel on the top front of the unit contains LED status displays indicators, for On-Line, On-Battery, replace Battery, and Overload. The "Back-UPS LS 700VA" also features a long 6-foot cord, an audible alarm, and user-replaceable, hot-swappable battery.

The battery "Back-UPS LS 700VA" in the is a maintenance-free, leak-proof, lead-acid battery with Intelligent Battery Management, that features Micro-processor controlled battery charging and diagnostic testing ensures maximum battery life.

Testing and Use

I have attached the "Back-UPS LS 700VA" with an Pentium 4 3.00GHz PC powered by an Antec 300W power supply. There is nothing else plugged into the UPS, although on occasion I use it when I am building a new workstation or server.

After charging the battery for 6 hours, I put the UPS in place, connected the USB and installed the PowerChute Personal Edition software. Like all APC UPS systems the "Back-UPS LS 700VA" initially indicated that I had more batter back up time then I knew was feasible, in this case about 1:45 minutes of battery backup time. Grated the load was light, but not that light. So in order to get a more accurate estimate of battery backup time, as is my custom, I simulated a power outage by unplugging the unit from the wall outlet, and let the UPS do its thing. The "Back-UPS LS 700VA" can only keep the system on as long as it battery holds out, and through PowerChute Personal Edition it will dynamically update the estimated time remaining on the battery as it starts discharging.

As soon as the "Back-UPS LS 700VA" was unplugged it went to battery power and I received a popup box on my screen that stating, "your battery backup is now supplying battery power to your equipment." An (annoying but effective) audible alarm sounded and produces four beeps every 30 seconds. This alarm can be disabled via the software. After approximately 10:00 minutes, battery power had dropped to 50% and after 15 minutes power drifted below 35% and after 20 minutes, power dropped to below ten percent. I then plugged the UPS back into the wall, and after several hours of recharging the "Back-UPS LS 700VA" was back to full capacity, and the estimated battery time had changed from to a believable 25 minutes.

Conclusion

To me a UPS is a must have, and the "Back-UPS LS 700VA" is a solid investment in my book. The average life of a UPS battery is approximately four years, and my LS 700VA cost me $129.00 retail, which some may think is a little too expensive. Since installing the "Back-UPS LS 700VA", I have suffered through two blackout and one noise events, all of which could have seriously damaged the server, or the components inside. If viewed in that light the Back-UPS LS 700VA has more then paid for itself. How much is your data worth? And I run a small business from my home; my computers are on 24/7. Data production is paramount, and I can't afford the downtime associated with damaged equipment as a result of a power event. Purchasing the Back-UPS LS 700VA just makes good business and personal sense.

In the final analysis the "Back-UPS LS 700VA" does what it is supposed to do--protect my computer from harmful electrical events and provide a stable source of emergency power--and it does it exceedingly well. With enough power to support almost all of today's power-hungry computers, monitors and printers, not to mention the odd peripheral the "Back-UPS LS 700VA" is the idea solution for home and small office users.

Not too much to say, and nothing negative: A UPS needs to supply power when your main line fails. This works, lets you know that it's working, and provides the time needed to gracefully shutdown your system. All the other extras beyond that are wonderful, but this is what it's really for and this UPS has handled that just the way it should.

Bought it a month before I needed it because I am proactive, which is why Beach Audio will not allow me to return it. If I were you I would go with a larger more reputable company or open what you order immediately because you won't get a refund if it doesn't function

The UPS works well and after a power failure the UPS starts up and the PC is configured to start up and boots up with all web, ftp and mail services running.

I have ordered APC units from many other vendors and do loads of shopping on AMAZON. I was a bit surprised today when I looked at the site for getting an RMA on one of the 3 units I ordered for a client in May and discovered I had missed the 30 day window.

Sadly, I do not have the original packaging and one of the units is defective - it ran great until this week - with one pc and one monitor plugged in. Suddenly it started flipping from battery to on-line and back again.

I am thinking I will not be ordering electronics from Amazon in the future - I will stick to books - 30 days with no RMA policy on equipment is not cost effective. There are too many other ways to make these purchases, that allow for easy problem solving, repairs and returns.

Amazon is wonderful for books but I was disappointed to find the return aspect difficult. I should have read fully before ordering, I should have kept the original packaging but 1 out of 3 has me concerned about the other two which will be costly if they fail soon also.

I have read other reviews about the quality of APC going south and am sad to become another in agreement with that assessment, we used to buy APC's exclusively.

Maybe I have misread something but I am kicking myself for not reading all policies before purchasing!