Line Conditioner and UPS 2998

Just what does the "line conditioner" do? If all it is is a surge protector, then you do not need it if you are using an APC UPS.

APC UPSs have surge protection built in. Many models (including the Smart-UPS models) have SmartTrim and SmartBoost features that will reduce the voltage delivered to the load if the line voltage gets too high, and raise the voltage delivered to the load if the line voltage gets too low. If the line voltage gets beyond the range that SmartTrim and SmartBoost can handle, the UPS disconnects from the line and uses the battery. The SmartTrim and SmartBoost prolong the life of the battery when the line voltage is present, but too far out of spec.; they do not maintain a specific line voltage.

Even if you do not have an APC Smart-UPS, other APC UPSs will run from battery when the line voltage is out of spec.

Now if the Tripp-Lite is a real big deal, it could maintain a constant voltage and frequency output by rectifying the line voltage to charge a battery, and always powering the load by inverting the battery to the desired output voltage. Such a thing could be easily designed to maintain +- 1 volt sine wave power if desired. But I do not know if Tripp-Lite do that. Such a thing, if well designed, might remove the need for a separate surge protector.

So if the Tripp-Light is a really good box, you will not need the APC-UPS, and if not, you might be just as well off using only the APC-UPS, and use the Tripp-Light for something else.

-- .~. Jean-David Beyer Registered Linux User 85642. V PGP-Key: 9A2FC99A Registered Machine 241939. ^^-^^ 09:25:00 up 29 days, 17:41, 3 users, load average: 4.11, 4.17, 4.17