Eaton 3S 700VA UPS with 6 Outlets + EcoControl - Priced to Clear at Dick Smith for $39 (Instore)
This was posted 8 months 30 days ago, and might be an out-dated deal
Stumbled across this while trawling through the Clearance stuff on the Dick Smith site. I don't own or need one myself but it looks good for a small cheap UPS and the 'EcoControl' feature is an added bonus too. Short video of one here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeWLNMPQF3M
Instore only. Looks like quite a few stores around the country still have good stock (including Tassie!) but many have low stock and some are out of stock completely so best to call to avoid disappointment. Doesn't look like there's any in WA tho, sorry guys.
Comments (Closed)
- +4 votesSteveAndBelle on 22/08/2012 - 20:40 ¶
Not really its purpose but I suppose you could use it for this however I'm pretty sure the inefficiencies of the inbuilt inverter would make it kinda pointless for low current activities such as USB charging. You're wasting a lot of energy converting 12V DC from the internal SLA battery up to 240V AC and then wasting even more still converting the 240V AC back down to 5V DC to charge a USB device.
Better to spend your $39 on one of those 'Emergency' chargers as it's just a simple DC-DC conversion.
firstpost bekind on 22/08/2012 - 20:55 ¶Ok just wondering because the batteries on these are so big and the price is about the same. But I guess you are right all that converting outweighs the benefits of having the bigger battery
+5 votesTrance N Dance on 22/08/2012 - 20:57 ¶I think the 10 pound weight kinda kills the idea of portable…
-1 voteSo, prepare to take -just- the battery along when you need extra operating Life for your devices:
ie, assuming the battery is 12 V DC, make-up a cable from the battery to a female car lighter socket.
Plug-in one of those light-plug to USB chargers into the female car lighter socket on your cable.You can see how long a charged battery will last, experimentally.
The above lets you use the UPS as a de facto battery SLA charger, but you might find a smaller &
more portable one than to the UPS.Q.E.D. :-)
+1 votegraph of runtime vs load here: http://powerware.eaton.com/3S700AU.aspx?CX=22
+1 voteOr you could just get this :D
http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/78038
+2 votesclandestino on 23/08/2012 - 09:05 ¶ditch the ipad and get a device with a removable battery.
My Two Cents on 22/08/2012 - 20:59 ¶would this be a good idea to get for double protection on computers during a power outage?
like hook this up to a surge protector then to the psu?
greenpossum on 22/08/2012 - 21:06 ¶I don't really see the point of this unless you have frequent short outages in your area and you want to avoid having to recover each time. Think about it: During an outage, you won't have lighting or Internet anyway. What a UPS does is give you grace time to power down the computer, but you have to set up the monitoring software correctly. But modern filesystems recover fine from an ungraceful shutdown.
For that you are paying more for power normally due to the conversion inefficiency. And the batteries die after a while and have to be disposed of properly.
- greenpossum on 22/08/2012 - 21:18 ¶
Stop using FAT. :)
But honestly if power outages in your area are rare, is it worth it for a slightly better chance of not losing the file you were working on?
- greenpossum on 22/08/2012 - 23:20 ¶
Not a problem in my area, but maybe your area is different. I get maybe 3 or 4 outages a year. Not just my workhorse but also my NAS is powered up 24/7 and I've never lost a file or a PSU or motherboard for that matter.
justtoreply on 23/08/2012 - 10:36 ¶NTFS doesnt shut down gracefully either.
Try running checkdisk on an ntfs drive… there will be filesystem errors.
Microsoft simply stopped disk check software running on NTFS filesystems to make people THINK ntfs wouldn't break from a bad shutdown. Liars.
Edit: Not talking linux, because those filesystems dont represent the majority of people. Also, most your media (etc) files are safe in a bad shutdown, it's more or less the operating system files that get borked. Not all the time, just occasionally. But when they do, it's a format job.
-1 voteYou don't have to set up any monitoring software at all for UPS to work. I've been using these type of small UPS units for about 10 years now and they've saved me many times from mini power glitches that would have otherwise resulted in data loss and/or Windows corruption. :)
After you've lost data a couple of times or had to do a reinstall because off power glitch, youu'll soon appreciate having a UPS.
- greenpossum on 22/08/2012 - 21:27 ¶
Reinstall? What's that? :) Oh you mean to upgrade my OS version. :)
Seriously you need the monitoring software to shutdown the computer when the outage is within a few minutes of running the battery flat, otherwise you'll just have another ungraceful shutdown when that happens.
- -1 vote
Ummm, no seriously, you DON'T need monitoring software, or its extra unneeded USB monitor cable to add to the rats nest of existing cabling. :)
If power isn't back within 2min, then you shut down manually. If your batteries don't last at least 2 minutes, get new ones and take the old battery/batteries to the recycling "green room" at your local shopping centre.
- +1 votegreenpossum on 22/08/2012 - 21:46 ¶
Ah I see you don't leave the computer running 24/7 like I do (it does lots of scheduled audio-visual tasks for me).
- greenpossum on 22/08/2012 - 22:21 ¶
Ok, I didn't know it was that type. I still think it's a waste of money and battery for most people who have good electricity supply. If you are in a bad area, maybe it's for you.
- greenpossum on 22/08/2012 - 22:36 ¶
Who needs the desktop and monitor to be on UPS when you can use the smartphone if you really have to do something urgent on the Internet. But I actually think the rare outage here is a good chance to forget about the computer and enjoy a warm shower in the dark (storage tank heater, not instantaneous of course). Even better if you can shower with another. ;) But you might miss an OzBargain. :(
I have frequent outages (at least 6-8 per year) in my area in a heavily populated suburb of Sydney, and have the older version of this UPS and it is great. During that time we are running on the various LED lanterns and headlamps around the house. :)
I have my wireless router, NAS, and VoIP plugged into it and it all runs for around 1.5-2 hours. My household uses laptops and tablets to connect so these have their own power supply. Internet stays connected and so does VoIP.
I haven't managed to get it to interact to cleanly shutdown the NAS when it is on the last remaining 5% of the battery, but most of our blackouts are around 30-60 minutes. This is a great price!
- greenpossum on 22/08/2012 - 22:48 ¶
AFAIK Eaton supplies software for their UPSes. But maybe your issue is installing their software on the NAS. I've set up their software on servers plugged into bigger Eaton models in a server room.
- greenpossum on 22/08/2012 - 23:51 ¶
It depends on where the bad sector is. Usually it's in an inconsequential file, but even if you lose the data that's what RAID and backups are for. You can get bad sectors for other reasons than power failures, just old age will do it. You may or may not also know that modern drives have automatic bad sector remapping and you can monitor the number of remaps with SMART and replace the drive when the count gets high. You guys are just too scared of power failures. In the IT industry losing a sector is something that happens regularly and there are ways to deal with it.
- greenpossum on 22/08/2012 - 23:55 ¶
I have several levels of backup: RAID, backup HD, DVD, cloud, offsite DVDs. I am actually more concerned about something like a fire which would mess up lots of other things in my life. Power outage, bah.
Actually, if you plug your modem into this then you WILL have internet during a blackout and is an extremely good reason to get one if you have a laptop ready to use. Exchanges back their own backup power to keep telephone lines active for emergencies. Many people use voip and loose their ability to use their land line in a blackout. This UPS should be sufficient to power a modem for at least an hour.
Before you make references to smart phones again, not everybody has them or can justify the cost of data usage and there are also those that don't have mobile coverage in their homes. For someone living in areas that has regular power failures (i do, sometimes multiple times a day), this is a great investment to keep the internet going. There are also other worth while legitimate uses for these but I think I've made my point.
As for the lights, most people have the ability to get around their house with the lights off and those that don't could probably also benefit from a cheap torch.
+1 voteSorry mate, but this is really bad advice. To say that "modern filesystems recover fine from an ungraceful shutdown" is naive. A modern filesystem may be more repairable, but they aren't bulletproof. Also, what if you're working on an important document and the power gives way? Not only would you lose some data but it may render your document unusable. Also, I have seen ungraceful shutdowns kill equipment such as hard disks.
I saw this a while back and I went to DSE store in Top Ryde to inquire about it. (It was few weeks ago)
Be advised that the battery is "expired" on these. They should still work but I was told from Dick Smith guys that you buy it knowing that there isn't any warranty on the battery upon purchase. That's why these are cheap I was told. Also, they told me this is classified as "off shelf" product so you have to go to a DSE store and tell them to order one from their warehouse then pick it up when it arrives.
This product is actually really good though. Someone tested it on a blog with his iMac and it powered it up blasting music for like nearly 30mins or something just on battery. (forgot the blog name)
When I asked about the Warranty at West Lakes SA, I was told that it applied.
Nothing was said about it NOT applying to the [old, not recharged (in time)] battery.
Perhaps there is a Warranty disclaimer for UPS batteries in DSE's T&C page (on-line or in-store)?
PS Oh, -only- at West Lakes (of the several shops I visited today for these UPS's) did their day's "Click & Collect" guy say they weren't selling these, due to out-of-date batteries…
I had to inform him about the on-line DSE deal on them, before I could collect the 2 I'd reserved the night before… and - since [if true, that] they weren't selling them all day - I also found one more (in the back, not on the shelf - you gotta ask), so I got 3 during that visit. :-)
I just opened mine and it looks like a standard 12V SLA.
The manual http://lit.powerware.com/ll_download.asp?file=Eaton%203S%20U... indicates 12V 9Ah for the US 750VA model.Eaton's Brochure on this says:
"3-year warranty on electronics, 2-year warranty on battery, $25,000 load protection guarantee" …I say: The Maker is always right :-)
Replacement battery vendor's site offers 12v 9Ah (as in burglar alarms?)
How likely is the fact, that DSE didn't bother to recharge them in May 2012 (per sticker on box), will seriously damage the SLA battery in each of these UPS's?
Is it just a reduced capacity to hold charge (meaning: they'll poop out sooner)?
Of could their voltage levels drop, eg, so they couldn't hold the output voltage as (the rated) 240 V AC?
+2 votesRun time vs Power Demand:
eXtremist on 22/08/2012 - 22:26 Comment score below threshold (-13).- +2 votes
I got the last and only one at Stafford, Qld at 9:05 on 23/8/2012.
They checked their stock for me, and the computer (updated daily, apparently) listed one each at Brookside, Chermside, Toombul, Strathpine, Queen Street. Stafford is now showing Out Of Stock on the web site so maybe that is updated live?
They don't think they will get any more as they are marked as discontinued.The staff warned me they were cheap because they have passed their best before date. The box I got is marked "Recharge by May 2012".
Which means at least another $40 for replacement battery (http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SB2487)
Not a great bargain.- +2 votesSteveAndBelle on 23/08/2012 - 11:01 ¶
It's a 'best before' date, not a 'use by' date. Big difference.
I've purchased 2nd-hand UPSs in the past for an absolute bargain (nearly giveaway) and I'm not talking small domestic ones like this either, I'm talking very large rack mount units complete with multiple external battery banks but the SLAs inside are very similar to the one in this small Eaton unit, there's just a lot more of them! The main reason it was being sold was because the batteries had passed their 'use by' date and thanks to manufacturing costs it was cheaper for the company to replace the entire UPS instead of replacing the batteries. Granted I'm only drawing about 10% of its rated output but I run the batteries flat during tests each quarter and they're still running very strong (around 90% capacity) and the UPS is now over 6 years old! I have even used 8 of the batteries to power a home made electric bike and although I sold it last Christmas I know the new owner and it's still running strong.
I agree the reason these are cheap is because of the 'best before' date but that in no way means the batteries are dead and need replacing.
- greenpossum on 23/08/2012 - 11:08 ¶
Yes, but don't you have to keep batteries topped up for longevity? If these batteries have been sitting discharged, they might not be in the best condition. Most convincing would be a report from someone who actually bought one of these and started using it.
- +1 voteSteveAndBelle on 23/08/2012 - 11:15 ¶
Yep, all depends how long they've been sitting around and what voltage they've dropped to so yes I agree the best report would be from someone who bought one with the oldest 'best before' date on the box.
Nevertheless, at $39 I personally consider it's worth the low risk especially if this is the type of device you're in the market for.
PS. Love your sneaky edit AxelF :P
Jabba the Hutt on 23/08/2012 - 10:51 ¶I just picked up a manufactured July 2011 / recharge by Jan 2012 one. Didn't notice until after I'd left the store.
Don't recall the Belkin equivalents having a "best before" date despite being fundamentally the same, or similar concerns being raised in deals for those even though there must've been a lot of old stock among them. Bit of an out of sight, out of mind issue perhaps.
thewinchester on 23/08/2012 - 11:52 ¶Great deal, just a shame none of the WA stores have stock.
(And yes, Belmont despite indicating low stock is definitely out of this item - have called just to double check)
LIKEMIKE55 on 23/08/2012 - 13:29 ¶Great Deal!, I bought one of these about 2 years ago for $120. In a recent black out I used it to power our WiFi router. It lasted about 4 hours powering the router which also included charging a laptop for 10 minutes.
Shame I can't seem to find any stock in Perth, would really like another one.
Great little UPS,I only bought it a month ago, so kinda missed out on this deal. You can get the Eaton 3S UPS Brochure, which includes some Technical Specifications
from here: http://upsplace.com.au/index.php?route=product/product/downl...Also, if anyone is interested, you can purchase the replacement batteries for Eaton 3S 700VA from here:
http://upsplace.com.au/Accessories/ups-replacement-batteries...
+4 votesAnother useful feature for this device is when you have a power outage and you have a new instant on gas hot water service (that requires 240volts to start the flame) you can use this to have a hot shower. Guy at work has used this a few times with his UPS hehe.
REASON for DEAL: "Recharge [Battery] by May 2012"
…but DSE's 12 mon Warranty applies
(It is NOT possible to the EXTEND Warranty Period…
so, if there's -any- Battery issue noticed
- in the first 12 months - get Battery replaced.)
The (possibly aftermarket) replacement SAL battery seems to be rated at 9 Ah. Not bad if it works, this long after its "Recharge By May 2012" date.
And saving $60 below previous DSE price of $99, means DSE is paying you twice the $30 it might cost (minus shipping) to replace the unit's battery.
For this - although they DIDN'T give a hint as to WHY they price was low, AFAIK, on the web site -
I have to say: DSE is deserving of -some- praise.
PS By visiting shops around SA, we were able to find 7 available (even where we -handn't- "Clicked [to] Collect" any).
So, I'd say: if you're interested in these, ASK at your nearby DSE shops.
Don't believe DSE's on-line "No Stock" indicators…
If you ran a DSE shop wouldn't you want to be in a position to help a hobbyist or your frequent buyers, eg, by "hiding" a few behind a "No Stock" indicator?
(Well, you might have, ie, BEFORE all the DSE's got bought back from previous Franchisees… ;-)
Anyone else tried theirs out yet? I pulled the plug on my computer and it looks like it will run my Imac and two external hard drives for about 15 mins. I didn't let it get to zero though. Just worked it out from the fact that it was falling 1% every 10 seconds. Hope i got the math right
Sounds like the battery might be a bit out of sorts. What is everyone else getting?
From mattgirl above;
15mins = ~130W load, sounds about right for an iMac + 2 external drives.
-
Trance N Dance on 22/08/2012 - 20:57
-
SteveAndBelle on 22/08/2012 - 20:40
-
drunifex on 23/08/2012 - 17:09
-
clandestino on 23/08/2012 - 09:05
-
fastdude on 22/08/2012 - 22:11
- Login or Register to Join The Conversation
- Top Comments
716
Other than the cluncky size, if you used this as a portable charger for an ipad, would it last long enough?