APC makes good UPS products, but I wouldn't buy this particular model. What isn't clear from the description is that this PARTICULAR model doesn't support connection to your computer via a USB cable like most of the other APC models so that you can monitor its status. Why do you need this feature you ask? I bought this to provide a graceful shutdown for my RAID NAS after the battery ran-out so that I didn't have to have a long startup every time the power went out. I had to return this when I realized it didn't have that feature. Buy the 450G or 550G ($69 on this site) instead which both support this. Apparently the older version of this model (350R) DID support it. They should make this clearer on this web site. APC Back-UPS ES, 6 outlet 350VA, 120V, without auto shutdown software UPS-BE350G
1. Amazon shipping was very fast (arrived the next day, PA-> NJ)
2. The 6 outlet is actually 3. That is, 3 with UPS, the other 3 is just
serge protection. My usage is for computer work station protection during
summer time's short power outage (like 2 seconds). So, the computer work
statation needs 1 UPS outlet. The computer monitor plugs into the
serge protection outlet so that not to overload the system. So far,
there have been about half a dozen short power outages and the unit is functional.
3. this unit, unlike my prior one, features a removable battery.
That may help in recycling, even though the stated purpose is
for easy battery replacement.
4. All lead acid batteries will eventually die. My prior unit lasted for
about 5 years. I don't know how long this one can last.
A severe storm came through and damaged the hard drive in our DVR as the electricity went off then on several times in the space of a minute. I called the manufacturer of the DVR and asked what I should do to prevent future storm damage, and was told that I should get a UPS which will act as a parachute to gently allow the DVR to shut down normally. A small unit was recommended, since only a few minutes of backup are needed to protect the DVR. The APC 350VA unit is well suited to this duty, and is reasonably priced.
Great product with one execption. A light tap on the flush-mounted power button is all it takes to turn this device off. That being said, my cat turned this device off several times. Initially, I thought the UPS was defective or I was experiencing some sort of overload. Fortunately, I caught my cat standing on the unit one day. If you have pets or children you may want to do what I did; place a small piece of rigid cardboard over the on/off switch and tape it in place to protect against curious fingers and paws. I have my DVR plugged into this power unit. My cat was a little less loved on days when my favorite TV shows didn't record.
I bought this unit because my neighborhood has noisy power and short power outages (only a few seconds to a few minutes long). I leave my computer (MacPro1,1) on all of the time with projects open that I am constantly working on, so I needed a back up unit. I have the computer and my monitor attached to the battery back up side. The first time we had an outage, the unit shut down, emitted a continuous tone, and no light was present (which is not in the troubleshooting section). This ended up happening several times, so I contacted customer support through email. After going back and forth with them a few times, they decided that the battery was bad (they had me hold down the power button with the unit turned off for 10 seconds and I saw red and green flashing LEDs). They sent me a new one and this one is doing the exact same thing. They are pieces of junk and I would suggest to buy a Panamax or Tripp-Lite unit. I have both of those as well and they work very well. Based on this experience, our work has decided to trash all APC units and buy Panamax units.
I'm using this APC UPS for only 1 device, my electric ignition tankless gas water heater. Since my water heater only ignites upon demand, the UPS does not provide a constant flow of backup power; for the most part it is in standby during power outages. Since "most" of us feel (or felt) the 2010/2011 winter storms, we had our share as well. We had a power outage for about 6hrs (yea, I know, fairly short) and we continued to have whole house (shower, bath, shaving) hot water throughout the outage. My guess is that unused, this UPS should standby for at least 12+hrs. Maybe more. For the price, it's good insurance for those outages on small stuff. Not recommended for larger wattage items.
This is the unit our IS guy recommends for our office computers. I have had one on my machine for over 5 years without problems. I bought this unit for home use to hookup to my TV, DVD, and especially DirecTV unit, so when the Florida thunderstorms hit and we have momentary power outages, I won't have to wait 5-10 minutes for my DirecTV receiver to boot up again. Works fine so far and provides an extra layer of surge protection for valuable electronic equipment. - Ups - Battery Backup - Battery Back Up - Apc Battery Backup'
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