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nanofrog

macrumors G4
May 6, 2008
11,719
3
There are plenty of things in life to be worried about ................. and this is not one of them. :p
Actually, it can be. I've had a stepped model damage a PSU recently. I started with a BR1500LCD (stepped output) for personal use to save on funds, and I paid for it. :( So re-learning my lesson (happened in years past, but I foolishly thought that it may not be a problem with the newer models), I picked up a refurbished SURTA1500XL.
 

Bubbalicious

macrumors newbie
Jul 26, 2010
29
0
Hey guys, just a quick heads up.. I tested my UPS again today Model Cyber Power 1350AVR , and i DID notice a buzzing sound coming from my power supply, is this bad? Can anyone explain it? it's working fine, just that buzzing sound kind of worries me..

:) Welcome to the the non sine wave UPS with a Mac club!
 

Ravich

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 20, 2009
773
0
Portland, OR
Well, I made the decision to keep my TLV. I put it on the other side of my Mac Pro and I can never hear anything coming from it.
 

ycookmd

macrumors newbie
Sep 12, 2010
13
0
I have been testing the 2 TLVs and everything seems to be working OK. The second unit is as quiet as the first when sitting idle.

One thing I do notice is that there is a "popping" sound that comes from the Altec Lansing speakers connected to the Mac Pro when I turn the ceiling fan in the room on. Both the Mac Pro and the speakers are connected to the UPS.

Questions:

1. I assume this occurs because it is a "standby" and not an "online" unit, correct?

2. Am I supposed to adjust the voltage sensitivity to correct this? Or is it just the way it's supposed to work?

Thanks in advance for any help.
 

w00tini

macrumors 6502a
Feb 28, 2008
661
62
Cyberpower seems to be pushing this model (CP1500PFCLCD) in the Newegg comments section of the CP1500AVRLCD model where users are mentioning the non-sine wave form of the AVRLCD units.

I'm going to give one of the CP1500PFCLCD units a shot and report back here for you. Should be here in a couple of days.
 

Icaras

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2008
6,343
3,380
Cyberpower seems to be pushing this model (CP1500PFCLCD) in the Newegg comments section of the CP1500AVRLCD model where users are mentioning the non-sine wave form of the AVRLCD units.

I'm going to give one of the CP1500PFCLCD units a shot and report back here for you. Should be here in a couple of days.

Nice find. I've always wondered why no one really mentioned the PFC models. Please do chime in when you get this model. I'm very curious.
 

johnnymg

macrumors 65816
Nov 16, 2008
1,318
7

Icaras

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2008
6,343
3,380
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

By the way, could anyone confirm if the Mac Pro uses an active PFC power supply? Unfortunately it doesn't mention this in the online manual.
 

johnnymg

macrumors 65816
Nov 16, 2008
1,318
7
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

By the way, could anyone confirm if the Mac Pro uses an active PFC power supply? Unfortunately it doesn't mention this in the online manual.

Confirmed! :)
 

nanofrog

macrumors G4
May 6, 2008
11,719
3
I'm going to give one of the CP1500PFCLCD units a shot and report back here for you. Should be here in a couple of days.
Looking forward to it. :)

Nice find. I've always wondered why no one really mentioned the PFC models. Please do chime in when you get this model. I'm very curious.
  1. No track record.
  2. For the same MSRP level of funds, you can get a refurbished pure sine wave model (still the better way to go).
 

w00tini

macrumors 6502a
Feb 28, 2008
661
62
FWIW, this CP unit is the same price but pure sine wave (pro series), has bigger batteries, and much more surge protection:
http://www.provantage.com/cyberpower-systems-pp1100sw~7CYPR034.htm

Since my CP AVR1500 is ~5 YO, I'll probably go this route when I retire the 1500 to backup status.

cheers
JohnG

that's also one I looked at, and it does have nice specs but it seems aimed more at the professionals out there (of which i am not one).

the LCD model seems smaller and probably a bit quieter (i hope). also, i'm not planning on running my system on battery for any extended amount of time. i just want enough time to have the computer shut down on its own. this is my personal computer, not anything i need running for business purposes.

i will definitely post once i've got it up and running and have tested it accordingly. i was let down by the CP850ARVLCD because it couldn't handle the load of the 27" ACD and my MacPro. upon trying to test it, the system just did a hard shutdown. i'm hoping the model i ordered will work better.
 

Icaras

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2008
6,343
3,380
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8B117 Safari/6531.22.7)

w00tini said:
FWIW, this CP unit is the same price but pure sine wave (pro series), has bigger batteries, and much more surge protection:
http://www.provantage.com/cyberpower-systems-pp1100sw~7CYPR034.htm

Since my CP AVR1500 is ~5 YO, I'll probably go this route when I retire the 1500 to backup status.

cheers
JohnG

that's also one I looked at, and it does have nice specs but it seems aimed more at the professionals out there (of which i am not one).

the LCD model seems smaller and probably a bit quieter (i hope). also, i'm not planning on running my system on battery for any extended amount of time. i just want enough time to have the computer shut down on its own. this is my personal computer, not anything i need running for business purposes.

i will definitely post once i've got it up and running and have tested it accordingly. i was let down by the CP850ARVLCD because it couldn't handle the load of the 27" ACD and my MacPro. upon trying to test it, the system just did a hard shutdown. i'm hoping the model i ordered will work better.

Wait, so are you going for the CP1500PFCD or the smart-UPS model?
 

vogelhausdesign

macrumors regular
Jan 7, 2009
227
0
Columbus, Ohio
Unfortunately, this is likely IMO (going by your "buzzing" comment when on the inverter). :(


If the inverter or batteries go, you'll lose power during an outage or brownout that goes low enough to trigger the inverter (typically switches at ~90VAC on the wall).

Where is the proof? I respect your comments nano but half the users here say it's nothing and half are saying it can damage your machine.

It's a humming sound, no added heat, shuts down fine and boots up fine, testing hardware shows nothing failed. After 2 full battery cycles it performs as it should.

But you say it can damage my machine, so I ask first how, then any proof? And also wouldn't that be covered by cyber power insurance?

Thanks I appreciate it
 

nanofrog

macrumors G4
May 6, 2008
11,719
3
Where is the proof? I respect your comments nano but half the users here say it's nothing and half are saying it can damage your machine.

It's a humming sound, no added heat, shuts down fine and boots up fine, testing hardware shows nothing failed. After 2 full battery cycles it performs as it should.

But you say it can damage my machine, so I ask first how, then any proof? And also wouldn't that be covered by cyber power insurance?

Thanks I appreciate it
The buzzing is caused by the primary capacitor operating at a very odd frequency as it's actually switching continously rather than fixed at 60Hz (freqency standard in the US/Can) when you operate it on a stepped wave UPS (square wave). All caps make noise, but they are generally outside our human hearing range. But when the frequency is shifting around, you will hear it.

Now what you have to keep in mind, it's taxing on the other components in the PSU. This adds up just like brownout damage, and causes the PSU to fail at some point.

Non PFC (active type) equipped PSU's don't have this problem when connected to a stepped wave UPS. But to keep things "green", APFC's are being implemented in more PSU's.
 

johnnymg

macrumors 65816
Nov 16, 2008
1,318
7
that's also one I looked at, and it does have nice specs but it seems aimed more at the professionals out there (of which i am not one).

the LCD model seems smaller and probably a bit quieter (i hope). also, i'm not planning on running my system on battery for any extended amount of time. i just want enough time to have the computer shut down on its own. this is my personal computer, not anything i need running for business purposes.

i will definitely post once i've got it up and running and have tested it accordingly. i was let down by the CP850ARVLCD because it couldn't handle the load of the 27" ACD and my MacPro. upon trying to test it, the system just did a hard shutdown. i'm hoping the model i ordered will work better.

The Pro unit will be silent as it only runs the fans when on bats.

cheers and good luck with whatever you get.
JohnG
 

Icaras

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2008
6,343
3,380
looks like wed-thurs next week. can't wait, it will complete by build!

Sounds good :) If the Mac Pro power supply is PFC (which i've read from other forum ramblings that it is, but could not get a straight answer from AppleCare support), and this PFC model from CP was made specifically designed for these types of power supplies, then I really can't wait to hear some results.

It also seems that CP is the first company to come up with this type of technology for consumer use ("adaptive sinewave"), which is interesting. I hope it plays nicely with the Mac Pro and hopefully can eliminate the buzzing noise.
 

w00tini

macrumors 6502a
Feb 28, 2008
661
62
Sounds good :) If the Mac Pro power supply is PFC (which i've read from other forum ramblings that it is, but could not get a straight answer from AppleCare support), and this PFC model from CP was made specifically designed for these types of power supplies, then I really can't wait to hear some results.

It also seems that CP is the first company to come up with this type of technology for consumer use ("adaptive sinewave"), which is interesting. I hope it plays nicely with the Mac Pro and hopefully can eliminate the buzzing noise.
i am hopeful as well. it would seem that is the case given how CP is active in promoting these products to work with our power supplies over on Newegg.
 
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