Hello. What is an appropriate UPS for a G-Tech drive (GDREG6EB40001BDB). This drive does not run on my laptop's battery but is connected to the mains with its own AC adapter. I've been navigating both G-Tech and APC websites for an hour now and can't seem to get an answer.

Thanks for any assistance. The load shedding in South Africa these days is a bad joke.

I've attached a photo of the ports for the G-tech model I'm using.

deleted as I misread question

How much is the charger of it? 12V, 2A?
You want to connect both the laptop and the hard drive? And for how long?

For instance, a 1000VA UPS should give maybe 30 min...

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My question concerns whether or not there is a UPS system that does link up to this particular brand of HDD. I'm asking about connectivity. What UPS connects to this drive. Perhaps many of them? What is the cable I need? This basic information hasn't presented itself on any of the support websites.

I'm just asking about connectivity. What UPS is compatible to run straight through this type of external hard drive, given its inlets?

I don't understand your question. Why can't you just plug the power adapter that powers the G-tech drive into the UPS regulated output (110/220v)? The adapter powers the drive.

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Sabo Computer Repairs & Data Recovery

That's what I was thinking. The drive would draw no more than about 20W, so the requirements for a UPS would be very low.

To the OP, when selecting a UPS, take note of its backup time at its rated output. Let's say the spec is 9 minutes at 600W. Then the expected operating time at 20W would be ...

600W / 20W x 9 minutes = 270 minutes

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

To be clearer, UPS is usually designed for whatever devices you want to plug into it. Not specific UPS for a specific hard drive for example.

S you would buy a UPS either with your socket type (Type D or M I believe, in SA )directly on the UPS and you plug in your standard HDD adapter to it, or buy a UPS with IEC plugs and add a "pigtail" or adapter cable:

UPS:


IEC to Figure 8



or your equivalent to what I would use in Australia:



Your UPS supplier should be able to help you.

Thank you all so much for your answers! Especially you, HaQue! For people who've never used a UPS before such basic things are not immediately made clear in online searches - I couldn't even get the fellas at APC to understand what the heck I was asking; but for those who've never used these systems not all is obvious. Thanks for explaining it! Makes perfect sense now. Cheerio!

Unfortunately APC just confused me again with their response today.

Hey recommended this unit because, I quote, the USB from my drive is supposed to link to it... Is it the USB or the AC adapter? Because the one USB port on my drive obviously has to connect to my laptop.

https://www.apc.com/shop/uk/en/products ... BE850G2-UK

You plug the power supply of the hard drive into the UPS Instead of plugging it into a wall socket. (not the USB)

wall->UPS>Hard drive

if the power from the wall dies, the UPS battery keeps powering hard drive, with the advantage of "cleaner" power as well.

The suggested UPS should be fine. As long as your hard drive power supply plug suits, and the apprx 230v is ok.

The USB on the UPS can be used to charge things like phones I would assume

Thanks. I got clarification today the USB link is so the UPS can communicate with an attached laptop or drive to allow for an automated "graceful shutdown" in the event of a power cut.

Since my laptop and drive may very well be in the process of writing information to each other (rendering video, etc) when a power cut comes, I'm guessing having the UPS try to auto shut down my system - however graceful the process may be - is an accident waiting to happen.

230V is the standard for many African countries so looks good. Thanks again. If anyone who works with hard drives and video editing and regularly employs a UPS has any final advice for me that would be stunning.

Usually, an UPS can provide power for e.g. 20 minutes, and the "graceful shutdown" is usually timed for something like 5 minutes before the battery gets too low (e.g. 25% battery left). So when you have a power outage that's less than 15 minutes, the UPS will provide power throughout the 15 minutes, and everything will be fine. If the power outage lasts longer, the UPS will tell the computer that it's out of power, and the computer will shutdown. E.g. laptops also do that automatically when they are running out of battery. The "graceful" means that it behaves similar to the shutdown button, which initiates the shutdown of the computer, but it still provides power as long as possible.