American Power Conversion introduced some new products that will reduce energy consumption while providing surge protection and or battery backup for equipment and computers.
American Power Conversion introduced some new products that will reduce energy consumption while providing surge protection and or battery backup for equipment and computers.The BE750G is a small UPS (750VA/450Watts) that has one Master controlled outlet that the computer plugs into. There are three dedicated outlets (Controlled by Master) for printers, scanners and other gear connected to the user computer. When the master outlet senses the computer being turned off - the 3 dedicated outlets are shutdown. The power reduction is accomplished by turning off the gear controlled by Master outlets. APC offers two models or brick sized UPSs with this power saving feature. The phantom load benefit, they state, reduces electrical costs $12-40 annually for each model. APC also is offering a standalone power strip with surge protection. The P7GT also has Master/Controlled outlets and just like the UPSs, power is shut off to peripherals connected to the controlled receptacles. APC estimates $25 annual electrical savings.
I think this is very cool and know that a great way to knock down electric waste is to knock down phantom loads. Many older UPSes of similar sizes can consume about 30 WATTS hourly or 262.8 KWH (kilowatts yearly), and remember that the larger the UPS the greater consumption of electricity to keep the batteries fully charged. This is a cost of having a UPS --the UPS does consume power constantly to charge batteries and this too is a cost usually hidden or out of sight.
So follow my thinking here - you buy one BE750G and connect it to your computer and other wares. Your phantom loads are reduced. When I contacted Mark Kaloudis, Product Manager of APC to verify the accuracy and tech specs of the BE750G, he did respond and state that the unit consumes about 3 WATTS hourly or 26.28 KWH yearly and at .10 per KHW; the cost to operate is just under $3 annually vs. older similar UPSs $26 annually. (BE750G when off, consumes: 0 Watts; during standby Charger On: 1.9 Watts; and when On Line w/ No Load: 3.05 Watts.) Now - the new green UPSs cost about $30 more than previous models. The 3-year warranty is good and like many other UPSs in this size, users can expect a 3-5 year battery life.
The phantom power reduction and costs APC cites are plausible. What's important is the change, and this is coming from a manufacturer that has a lot at stake. UPSs have been on my hit list to watch and I think that the APC UPSs and the P7GT power strip are good examples of greening by improving a known process (trickle charge) and reducing phantom loads that waste energy.
Still, in energy, the constant need for improvement is important, and equally important is the thinking. It's an old myth - "it's just a light bulb" or "trickle charge" but these in reality are so accepted that they lend to status quo. APC is stepping up greening efforts and I'm really glad to see them take the lead. I recently ordered six of the BE750G UPSs-- 3 for our use and 3 for a customer. UPSs have been too long inefficient but very effective. It seems that GREEN in this case means getting efficiency and effectiveness.American Power Conversion introduced some new products that will reduce energy consumption while providing surge protection and or battery backup for equipment and computers.
