Using A Battery Backup Ups Unit For Tube Amps?

[oldgitguy]

Hello all,

 

I live in an area that has numerous spikes and surges, even outages on a regular basis.

Should I run my Dt25 power plug into a battery backup UPS unit to make sure it has conditioned power and will not be hit as hard when the power goes out during play?

 

Does anyone else do this?

[jws1982]

This is always a good idea, if you don't mind carrying the extra weight.   A power conditioner/battery backup is great protection for your amp and any other digital gear.  Also, it'll keep your amp from resetting mid-set if the power drops or spikes.    You never know what you're gonna get when it comes to stage power at different venues.   Bringing your own protection can save quite a bit of money in repair.

[pomor]

If you decide to use a battery UPS make sure to choose one having sinusoidal output waveform and low output harmonics level. It would also be a good idea to insert a separate power conditioner / EMI filter between UPS and the amp. Many UPS'es generate output waveform that is a very rough approximation of true Sin wave because they are designed for computers and computer switching power supplies are very tolerant to input waveform distortion. But not traditional iron transformer power supplies. Non-sinusoidal  power may prove fatal to the power transformer and/or your amp circuitry. Higher frequency harmonics (EMI noise essentially) from non-sinusoidal power may also cause very audible interference and digital circuitry malfunction.

One other thing that may help against brownouts and surges (but not high voltage spikes though) is a good old ferroresonant constant voltage transformer / regulator. Again, look for one with low output harmonics level.

[camilok]

I would use a capacitor reserve isolation transformer closest to the amp, and plug the transformer into the UPS.