If you're like many who grew up in the eighties, the first thing that hit your mind when you read the title to this blog post was that terribly infectious song by Snap. And we, being eager to please, want to ensure that you have the opportunity to relive the eighties with this brief musical interlude featuring that very song. Click if you dare...

Now that we've all got that out of our systems... I'd like to post briefly about the importance of proper hookup of battery backups. I have been to many businesses who have their computers, monitors, and various equipment plugged into a decent battery backup. They're typically sure to plug important items like the computer and monitor into the battery side, while lesser items such as lamps, fans, or radios get plugged into the surge only side. However, the most important part of the battery backup is often overlooked...

Battery backups come with a CD containing software that is designed to interact with your computer while plugged into the battery backup. This cable tells the computer when it is running on battery power. The software then receives a signal that begins keeping track of how long the computer is running on battery power. If power is restored before a certain threshold is reached, the counter is reset and the computer resumes normal operation. However, if the computer runs on battery power past that threshold, the software then sends a signal to the computer to proceed with proper shutdown, bringing the computer down gracefully. If this cable and software are not present, an entirely different procedure takes place. 

Without the cable, once the computer is running on battery power, it has absolutely no idea that it is on battery power. The power cord from the computer is incapable of detecting what is happening, and the computer is still receiving somewhere close to the 120 volts it needs to operate. This is what the battery is designed to do, provide a limited supply of power to the computer in case of a power outage. Since the cable is not present, the software cannot tell the computer that it is on battery, nor can it send the shutdown signal. Once the battery power is depleted, the computer will simply power off instantly as if the power had been cut off. This defeats the whole purpose of the battery backup and increases the chance of data loss due to improper shutdown.

I said all that to say this... When installing a battery backup, please ensure to follow the manufacturers recommended setup procedure and properly install both the included (or downloadable) software and data cable. Without them, your computer may have adequately protection against spikes and surges, but is completely defenseless when it comes to low or no voltage.

God bless,
-myk robinson