~ryanlowe/blog: Breaker Breaker One Nine

Breaker Breaker One Nine

The power has gone out in my room a few times already. We have a space heater (1500W) on the first floor that is apparently on the same breaker as half the house. When someone turns the microwave on *poof* that trips the breaker and my computers lose power.

So I'm considering getting a uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for my computer so that when the breaker trips (by accident, of course *rolls eyes*) I have some time to reset it. Most of the UPSes I've seen give about 15 minutes of power. While I'm at it, I'm might as well put all of my important stuff on it too:

1. My main machine and monitor
2. AudioMan dev machine
3. High speed modem
4. Wireless router

So that's five outlets. My iBook notebook doesn't need to be on the UPS, it has its own battery. Has anyone ever looked into buying one of these and can recommend one? Thanks.

Posted at January 10, 2004 at 04:46 PM EST
Last updated January 10, 2004 at 04:46 PM EST

Comments

Is there anyway you could move the microwave to a different circuit?

We used to have the same problem here in my apartment (ie if you plugged the vaccuum into certain outlets you'd take out the lights/computers). My solution was simply to move the computers around so that one circuit has a high but sustainable load and the other has a low but highly variant (ie vaccuum, air conditioner etc) load. It works out pretty well..

» Posted by: peter at January 10, 2004 07:56 PM

We've already moved the TV and space heater to a different circuit so hopefully that will help reduce the fragility. I think I'll still go for the UPS anyway ... we'll see.

» Posted by: Ryan at January 10, 2004 10:48 PM

Hey,

So I'm a bad friend... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

It was your birthday and you didn't even remind people on your blog, shame on you!

Cheers dude,

» Posted by: Travis at January 11, 2004 10:31 PM

Yep, my birthday was on Friday. Cheers! (b) Some other people that share that birthday: Richard Nixon, Dave Matthews and Jimmy Page.

» Posted by: Ryan at January 12, 2004 02:11 AM

Jerk!

So, okay I have a birfday present for you (and i just happened to have lost your christmas present... teehee).

Okay, so I was going to mail it - but i'm lazy about the mail... are you downtown at all these days?

Perhaps for some thai lunch?

» Posted by: aforward at January 12, 2004 10:29 PM

HA! I'm always up for thai lunch. Let me know if you're free this week on Messenger.

» Posted by: Ryan at January 13, 2004 01:10 AM

What you'll probably want to do to alleviate the power surges is get one of those space heater / CPU combo units. Also known as an Athlon. This works quite well, especially if you have a couple machines. You might even be able to rig a thermometer up to enable/disable Folding@home in order to keep the temperature just right.

» Posted by: Kibbee at January 13, 2004 01:29 AM

Thai! Mmmmm....

» Posted by: roy at January 13, 2004 01:47 AM