Customer Reviews

Energizer USB Battery Backup (ER-HM450) (ER-HM450)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is a total piece of crap and a total waste of money. I bought this thing on sale for $30 at Staples, but it is a total piece of crap and doesn't do what it is intended to do.

Everytime there has been a storm in which the power flickered even for a moment, this thing doesn't do what its supposed to do -- battery backup. Instead, it just shuts off. What's even more screwed up is that my girlfriend's computer, which is on the same circuit as mine, but plugged into a regular $10 surge protector doesn't have any problems. When the power flickers, her surge protector just absorbs the spike and is fine.

Whats the point of a battery backup that cant handle a teeny surge and doens't go to battery backup? Screw this. I'm getting a cyber power like I've got at work. Cyber power is great.

Original review: I agree with the previous reviewer. Everytime there is a "brownout" or "power flicker" the battery backup does not engage and the computer just resets. The included software does save whatever files you were working on, but the point of a UPS is to allow a proper computer shutdown. This UPS unit just doesn't work like it's supposed to.
New data: I have now found, Feb. 2006, that if you disconnect the usb cable then the power supply works fine and actually keeps the computer running with a power outage. So it does work, it just doesn't work if you want the extra feature of monitoring from the included software.

I own this Energizer UPS unit I've used for 2 years (which apparently is actually a Technuity product that's branded Energizer). During several incidents where power flicked off and back on, the Energizer failed to even preserve power. This morning a lightning storm knocked out my Samsung SyncMaster 170MP even though the Energizer was supposed to be covering it! After this, the unit still responds to USB monitoring and passes power through fine, it just doesn't protect anything. Energizer wants me to ship their unit to them, AT MY EXPENSE, before they'll even respond to the claim. You can be sure I won't buy as much as a watch battery from this company again.

I have an APC UPS unit covering my server, and it has never failed for a second during any incident, and I bought it the same day I bought the Energizer for my PC.

Have had two of these for 2-1/2 years. No problems since it only powers a couple of network switches and do not use the USB or software for anything. One issue is that one of them has shut off for no reason twice in the past two weeks. Pushing the ON button started it again. Calling tech support I learned that it means the battery life is nearly depleted. I asked them to add that to their literature. It makes the little red light that is marked "replace battery" in the literature useless since it won't come on until the battery is completely dead. They use the "it turns off for no reason" as their warning that the battery need replacement soon. Either that or the tech was blowing smoke.

I purchased it from staples (...). When I tested it to see if it worked my computer always lost power and restarted. The product didn't work as advertised. I might as well have plugged it into a simple surge protector.

I own 4 of these and they all work as advertised. I have XP on all of the machines. This price is very good compared to other vendors sales prices. (...) It can get very inexpensive at that time.

I always fine it confusing when somebody thinks a product is awful and someone else says it is great. All I can do is report my own results. Some are near two years old the rest are running for one year.