Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
External Hard Drives work perfectly fine with 'Pure Sine Wave' UPS, right?
- Thread starter doxavita
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
They would work as well as other UPSs.
UPS inverters use a similar frequency [range] to that which is used by the switching DC supply used by the external drive. Both are possible noise sources for their output (AC in the case of the inverter; DC for the HD supply), but are sufficiently filtered (smoothed). I would bet, without seeing actual waveforms from the different UPSs, that either type's noise level is much less than what would have an effect on equipment's power supplies. (If I had the energy, I'd go get my 'scope and take a snapshot of the APC output. In fact, someone out there has probably already done that.)
I wouldn't worry too much about buying a "Pure Sine Wave" type over other UPSs. I'm running several models of APC UPSs in house, both the smaller "consumer" models and the more "pro" model for my Mac server. The smaller, consumer model, runs my "farm" of five external drives without any problem. I have another one running my sat receiver and its external drive.
UPS inverters use a similar frequency [range] to that which is used by the switching DC supply used by the external drive. Both are possible noise sources for their output (AC in the case of the inverter; DC for the HD supply), but are sufficiently filtered (smoothed). I would bet, without seeing actual waveforms from the different UPSs, that either type's noise level is much less than what would have an effect on equipment's power supplies. (If I had the energy, I'd go get my 'scope and take a snapshot of the APC output. In fact, someone out there has probably already done that.)
I wouldn't worry too much about buying a "Pure Sine Wave" type over other UPSs. I'm running several models of APC UPSs in house, both the smaller "consumer" models and the more "pro" model for my Mac server. The smaller, consumer model, runs my "farm" of five external drives without any problem. I have another one running my sat receiver and its external drive.
It would be this one: CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD 1500VA/900W
http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/pr...D.html?selectedTabId=overview&imageI=#tab-box
http://www.amazon.com/CyberPower-CP...atible/dp/B00429N19W/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
So I would be using a 27" 2011 iMac, and a USB 2.0 500GB Western Digital External Hard Drive ("My Book")
http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/pr...D.html?selectedTabId=overview&imageI=#tab-box
http://www.amazon.com/CyberPower-CP...atible/dp/B00429N19W/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
So I would be using a 27" 2011 iMac, and a USB 2.0 500GB Western Digital External Hard Drive ("My Book")
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Pure Sine Wave is only needed for devices such as the newer iMacs and Mac Pros. Their modern power supplies are fussy with the wave form of the power when the UPS is on battery.
Read some for and against reviews of the Cyberpower UPS here - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1024208/
I personally am using an APC SMT1000I for the Mac Pro in my sig and would recommend it as reliable (and cost effective since I traded in my old UPS under the APC TradeUPS programme.
Read some for and against reviews of the Cyberpower UPS here - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1024208/
I personally am using an APC SMT1000I for the Mac Pro in my sig and would recommend it as reliable (and cost effective since I traded in my old UPS under the APC TradeUPS programme.
Yes, I've read good things about the CP1500PFCLCD. I would be using it with a 27" 2011 iMac and one external hard drive.