What is an uninterruptible power supply for a computer?

In any store selling computer equipment, on the windows you can see uninterruptible power supplies for the computer. Only a dozen years ago, such devices were considered the prerogative of serious server and scientific systems. Uninterrupted power supply for the computer was present only in portable models - laptops. But it will not be possible to find it in the instructions. The reason is banal - different names for the same electrical solution are used.

One of the differences between a stationary personal computer and a laptop is that the latter has the ability to work for a certain period of time without having to connect to an external power network - from the built-in battery pack. Actually, this is precisely what explains its portability. But computers in this respect are completely dependent on the presence of voltage in the outlet. Even a momentary violation of its submission leads to a reboot and loss of all unsaved work results. Such operations as flashing the new version of the system BIOS, burning a CD, working with hard drive partitions require the uninterrupted supply of the system with electricity. Violation of this condition is unacceptable.

The output is found ...

The solution, nevertheless, existed - an uninterruptible power supply for the computer, however, as already mentioned above, this device was not implemented through the sales network, but was available only to some. The reason is high cost (the technology of battery manufacturing is imperfect, the capacity is impressive, the computing power is enormous). After a while, these restrictions were overcome, and the market began to offer an uninterruptible power supply for the computer. In fact, it is the same battery pack that is installed in laptops, only external. When the voltage in the network disappears, the controller circuitry automatically switches to battery power. Switching occurs so quickly that the reboot does not happen. Theoretically, an uninterruptible power supply for a computer can provide unlimited system operation time.

Types of uninterruptible power supplies

As always, the simple idea "overgrown" with a lot of nuances over time, therefore, in order to choose the uninterruptible power supply for the computer, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the main varieties.

The most simple solution is OffLine devices. The principle of operation is extremely simple: when the voltage drops below a certain level, the internal circuit disconnects the 220V external line and uses an internal battery with an inverter.

More expensive Line-Interactive devices are the same OffLine with an additional function of the voltage regulator. That is, before switching to the battery, an attempt is made to reduce / increase the incoming voltage to 220.

The most technological solution is the OnLine device. Their internal circuit first converts the incoming variables of 220 V into a constant voltage, which is then inverted again into an alternating variable. At the same time, automatic control of parameters based on feedback is used at each stage. This solution provides the highest stability of power supply and a more rational use of the battery resources (when switching to it).