In today’s electronics-driven world, it is of utmost importance to protect your computer and stored data. The first thing that comes to your mind is probably uninvited intruders. But no, we are not talking about locking your computer in a hidden-behind-the wall art safe. What we refer to is protecting and preventing the loss of computer data in a case of a earthquake, fire and other electrical power problems. How do you protect your computer in a case of a power outage? Simple – invest in a backup power supply. You can choose between two backup power supply devices – you can either buy Ups (also known as uninterruptible power supply) or a generator.
Both generator and an uninterruptible power supply serve the same purpose – provide backup power supply to electronic devices. And not only a backup power supply. Generator and an uninterruptible power supply also prevent:
- minor or more serious damage to electronics
- loss of stored data
- loss of a hard drive
- early breakdown of more delicate electronic device and accessories
If both backup power supply devices bring same benefits, you may wonder which one is better. Should you buy Ups or the generator. To help you decide whether to buy Ups or the generator, we will go over few major differences between the two backup power supply systems.
For starters, uninterruptible power supply works like a battery backup power supply. It converts the electrical AC (alternating current) into DC (direct current), stores the energy which is used to backup power supply when the power shuts off. Put in plain English, uninterruptible power supply charges when the power is on and uses stored energy to support electronic devices the instant the power is out. However, even though uninterruptible power supply system delivers instant backup power supply, it does not last long. Other beneficial features of the uninterruptible power supply are:
- Immediate backup power supply
- Makes no noise;
- Cheaper than the generator;
- Eco-friendly (does not create any emissions harmful to the environment);
- Portable;
- Requires no maintenance.
On the other hand, the generator provides hours of backup power supply, but has slower start up time. It needs about 10 or more seconds to start up which is more than enough to lose data you’ve been working on. Also, backup power supply depends on the size of the generator. Unlike uninterruptible power supply, the generator:
- Is a more expensive backup power supply system;
- Creates more noise and harmful emissions;
- Can either be portable or standby;
- Can be turned on/off either manually or automatically;
- Requires some sort of maintenance;
- Costs more