Crysis Killed my UPS!!!

[newtekie1]

So I am playing Crysis yesterday, and I'm at the last level, and suddenly my computer just turns off. I took of my headphones and hear this loud screach(like a computer POST code beep, but continuous). I tracked it down to my UPS, the display on the UPS says it was overloaded and it cut off juice to the computer.

At that time I had my computer(in specs) connected to the UPS, with the monitor, and all my networking gear(8-port Gigabit Linksys switch, Linksys WRT54GL Router, DSL Modem). I didn't think all of this would overload the UPS, so I powered the UPS down and back up again, and rebooted my PC figuring it was just some kind of fluke. I also unplugged my Monitor, and networking gear from the UPS just in case to lighten the load on it.

I started playing Crysis again, and about 5 minutes into play, the damn thing starts the continuous beep again! I quickly exit Crysis, and the beep goes away. Damn, my UPS can't handle the strain from Crysis' last level!!!

I've run 24 hour loops of 3Dmark06 on this machine with the UPS and it does perfectly fine, but the last level of Crysis killed the damn thing. So I have done some testing, and every time I try to play Crysis, the amount of time before the beep starts gets shorter and shorter. I ran 3Dmark06 on a loop for 10 hours and the beep never started. Then I played Crysis a few more times, and now it beeps whenever a 3D app is started. It can't even make it through a single run of 3Dmark06 without the beep starting. So Crysis' last level has officially killed my UPS. The UPS was the last thing I thought Crysis would kill.

 

[ghost101]

Run furmark and orthos (cpu test) at the same time to get max load.

 

[alexp999]

What was the rating of your UPS then?

 

[PuMA]

dam, i knew crysis was demanding game,but hell dude, maybe u should leave it alone before u destroy a transformer nearby

 

[[I.R.A]_FBi]

crysis killed my mouse

 

[newtekie1]

Run furmark and orthos (cpu test) at the same time to get max load.

How would that get max load? Furmark only utilizes 1 GPU, and Orthos only stresses 2 cores.

What was the rating of your UPS then?

600w, though when I watch the screen on the UPS the output load never goes above 515w(85%), yet the beep still starts after just a few minutes. I think the UPS just might be defective, it is under a year old, so I'm just going to RMA it.

 

[Wingo101]

600w, though when I watch the screen on the UPS the output load never goes above 515w(85%), yet the beep still starts after just a few minutes. I think the UPS just might be defective, it is under a year old, so I'm just going to RMA it.

Don't you mean 600VA?

It's your UPS, get a new one preferably 800VA or higher.

 

[newtekie1]

Don't you mean 600VA?

It's your UPS, get a new one preferably 800VA or higher.

No, I mean 600W. It is a 1000VA UPS, which means the wattage output is only 600W. With UPS's the general rule of thumb is to take the VA rating and multiple by 0.6 to get the output wattage. I know in most applications VA and W are the same thing, but in the UPS world they are not.

Either way, I've already started the RMA process for this UPS, but I have ordered a 1500VA(900W) UPS to replace it, I will use the smaller UPS on my Core 2 Duo machine.

 

[Gam'ster]

Send the bill for the new one to crytek . When people said crysis was a " pc killer " i didnt think it would actually kill it or a part of it. Either way thats some bum news newtekie i hate it when shit breaks.

 

[newtekie1]

Send the bill for the new one to crytek . When people said crysis was a " pc killer " i didnt think it would actually kill it or a part of it. Either way thats some bum news newtekie i hate it when shit breaks.

I should send them the bill.

I hate it when stuff breaks to, at least it was just a UPS though, my computer itself is still functional.

 

[Aceman.au]

Get a new power supply... Bill Crytek as already said... Nice GFX setup btw

 

[newtekie1]

Get a new power supply... Bill Crytek as already said... Nice GFX setup btw

My power supply(s) are fine, it was just the UPS(battery backup) that died. Since I am getting a new one for free, minus shipping, I'm not really worried about it.

 

[Woody112]

No, I mean 600W. It is a 1000VA UPS, which means the wattage output is only 600W. With UPS's the general rule of thumb is to take the VA rating and multiple by 0.6 to get the output wattage. I know in most applications VA and W are the same thing, but in the UPS world they are not.

Either way, I've already started the RMA process for this UPS, but I have ordered a 1500VA(900W) UPS to replace it, I will use the smaller UPS on my Core 2 Duo machine.

I thought it was a .8 power factor not .6

 

[Woody112]

I didn't want to try and explain it so I found a better source.

Power factor is the ratio of true power or watts to apparent power or volt amps. They are identical only when current and voltage are in phase than the power factor is 1.0. The power in an ac circuit is very seldom equal to the direct product of the volts and amperes. In order to find the power of a single phase ac circuit the product of volts and amperes must be multiplied by the power factor. Ampmeters and voltmeters indicate the effective value of amps and volts. True power or watts can be measured with a wattmeter. If the true power is 1870 watts and the volt amp reading is 2200. Than the power factor is 0.85 or 85 percent. True power divided by apparent power. The power factor is expressed in decimal or percentage. Thus power factors of 0.8 are the same as 80 percent. Low power factor is usually associated with motors and transformers. An incandescent bulb would have a power factor of close to 1.0. A one hp motor about 0.80. With low power factor loads, the current flowing through electrical system components is higher than necessary to do the required work. This results in excess heating, which can damage or shorten the life of equipment, A low power factor can also cause low-voltage conditions, resulting in dimming of lights and sluggish motor operation.
Low power factor is usually not that much of a problem in residential homes. It does however become a problem in industry where multiple large motors are used. Power Factor Correction Capacitors are normally used to try to correct this problem.

 

[newtekie1]

I thought it was a .8 power factor not .6

It varies from application to application, and even from UPS to UPS. Generally with UPSes I have always been told to use 0.6 just to be safe, though it can be as high as 0.85. According to my UPS's manufacturer(Cyberpower), it is 0.6 on my UPS.

Thanks for expanding on the issue and giving some useful information that many might not have known.

 

[Woody112]

Good to know. I always assumed it was .8 on all UPSes figured it was an industry standard. Have been thinking about getting one.

 

[Easy Rhino]

hrm. that would mean your PSU is drawing more power than your UPS is put out, right? I thought that as long as you have power from your wall then it wouldnt give you any issues. this makes me wonder. i have an APC UPS 1200VA 780W that every once in a while will flash the overload button and beep a couple of times. nothing happens though and it has nothing to do with how much power is being drawn.

 

[ty_ger]

No, I mean 600W. It is a 1000VA UPS, which means the wattage output is only 600W. With UPS's the general rule of thumb is to take the VA rating and multiple by 0.6 to get the output wattage. I know in most applications VA and W are the same thing, but in the UPS world they are not.

Either way, I've already started the RMA process for this UPS, but I have ordered a 1500VA(900W) UPS to replace it, I will use the smaller UPS on my Core 2 Duo machine.

^It's all about the power factor; inductive reactance and heat inefficiency makes the actual wattage lower than the expect wattage that you would think you would achieve from the VA rating; and there is no unified power factor you can apply to all units -- they are all designed and constructed differently.

It is quite unlikely that Crysis is to blame for the destruction of your UPS. It certainly may have helped to shorten its lifetime; but likely the UPS would have failed soon anyways. They don't last forever you know.

 

[Polarman]

Maybe it's just your battery that's failing. Your pretty close to your wattage limit.

I used to have a APC LS500 and i had to change it when i got my current system because it did not have enough power.

I'm using a APC Smart-UPS 1500VA. At 980 Watts... I'll never run out of juice.

So many users have high end systems and most fail to protect their investment with a decent UPS. :shadedshu

 

[Woody112]

I've been looking at this one. Seems like it would do the job..
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842102048

 

[newtekie1]

hrm. that would mean your PSU is drawing more power than your UPS is put out, right? I thought that as long as you have power from your wall then it wouldnt give you any issues. this makes me wonder. i have an APC UPS 1200VA 780W that every once in a while will flash the overload button and beep a couple of times. nothing happens though and it has nothing to do with how much power is being drawn.

This is another thing that varys from UPS to UPS. Some will continue to work without issue, you just won't have battery protection, others will cut the power if the overload condition continues for a length of time.

^It's all about the power factor; inductive reactance and heat inefficiency makes the actual wattage lower than the expect wattage that you would think you would achieve from the VA rating; and there is no unified power factor you can apply to all units -- they are all designed and constructed differently.

It is quite unlikely that Crysis is to blame for the destruction of your UPS. It certainly may have helped to shorten its lifetime; but likely the UPS would have failed soon anyways. They don't last forever you know.

Correct, every UPS is different. I just use the 0.6 as a rule of thumb, it is just what I was always taught.

I know they don't last forever, but this UPS was under a year old, I'm sure it wasn't Crysis' fault, other than the fact that Crysis maxed out my rig like nothing else did, and that maxing out caused the overload to trigger. Though with the fact that the UPS now triggers the overload with just minor load applied to the computer, I'm sure it was actually nothing to do with Crysis at all, and more to do with the UPS failing on it's own.

I've been looking at this one. Seems like it would do the job..
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842102048

That is actually the UPS I ordered to replace my current one. My current one is the 1000VA model, which is being RMA'd as we speak, and will be put to use on a less powerful rig when it comes back.