I use a fairly beefy UPS in my system for two purposes:

1. To power certain components during a power failure. (Basically never having to "reset" my VCRs or other devices!); and

2. To provide surge protection - and protection during that wobbly period just before and just after the loss of power.

I don't use it to provide UPS power to anything that draws much current. My 8 power amps do however all run through its surge protected outlets.

In essence all 35 or so powered components in my racks all run through this single UPS. (Again, only the low current draws are connceted to UPS outlets.) During the great Hillary Clinton-caused power failure of the summer of 2003, everything came through just fine, even after many hours without any power, and several wobbly minutes when it came back on. Not one VCR clock to reset!

I ordered a bunch of Tripplite products that I believe were delivered to my home earlier today, mostly to replace some of the cheap power bars that I'm currently using. I appreciate BB4TB's cautions regarding using them in series with a UPS. I'll have to give some thought to how best to make use of them. I'll probably run only VCR's and stuff that has volatile settings off the UPS (without Tripplites); continue to run the power amps off the surge protected (non-UPS) outlets on the UPS (without Tripplites); and use the Tripplites for everything else.

Jeff Mackwood