Need help on choosing a battery backup

[Janesdf]

Hi,

On Monday, I start working from home (2 weeks sooner than expected) and would like suggestions on a battery backup for my modem/router (ARRIS SURFboard SBG6580 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem/ Wi-Fi N600 Router) during power outages. Preferably, 8 hours of power for internet access. My provider is Time Warner Cable which also provides my phone service, so I need a battery backup for continued phone service as well.

I can purchase a phone backup from TWC, but I would like to do some price comparisons as first. Thank you. Jane

 

[fireberd]

You will need a backup AC power generator (runs on gas or some other fuel). A UPS won't last that long. I was a Network Manager (until Retirement) and had a large UPS for my computer room. It would run for an hour. The size of that UPS would fill an 12X15' room and cost was over $500,000.

I have Bright House, which is the same as Time Warner and both were bought by Charter. My Internet modem has a built in battery that will last for 10 mins or so. Same way with the voice telephone modem (I have separate modems, some customers only have one modem for both).

I have a recording studio and have all my recording studio equipment and the internet and voice modems on a Cyberpower 1500PFCLCD UPS. It will power everything for at least 10 minutes. That is long enough to finish a recording and do an "orderly" shutdown of the PC/Recording Equipment and still have additional power time for the modems. That is the usual use for a UPS.

The Federal Government agency that I worked for has a large computer complex and they have UPS and generators for AC power. The UPS lasts 15 minutes and if longer the AC power generators. Most AC power outages are the "momentary" type and the UPS will take care of those.

 

[OvenMaster]

Unless I miss my guess, Fireberd, Jane is looking for a UPS just to power her modem/router, not her whole PC system.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

@OvenMaster Unless Jane is using a laptop that has eight hours battery life, having internet access only during an outage isn't going to help her any.

@Janesdf We need more information.

1. Are you going to use a laptop that has its own 8 hour battery or will the UPS need to also power the computer? If the UPS will need to power the computer, then, as firebird said, you will need a backup generator as well as the UPS. Even if using a laptop, if you have frequent outages, you may still need the generator because it can take up to 24 hours or more to recharge the batteries in a UPS.

Unless you have frequent outages that assure you will always have fresh fuel, a backup generator would best be powered natural gas or propane since gasoline or diesel will go bad over time.

2. Assuming you will be using a laptop with its own 8 hour battery, how much power do your modems—computer and phone— and router, assuming you use one, use? The easiest way to determine that for determining the size of the UPS is to see how many AC watts the power supplies for each component is rated for.

 

[UsernameIssues]

My provider is Time Warner Cable which also provides my phone service,

This recent TWC thread might interest you:
https://forums.timewarnercable.com/t5/Connectivity/Power-outage-affected-TWC-s-side-too/td-p/106191

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I got this about a year ago
These things are discontinued faster than anything I've ever seen
Did get the 3 year free replacement too at MicroCenter
https://www.amazon.com/POWER-SAVING-BACK-UPS-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B002UUTCNE