Built my first TrueNAS system, and looking for a solid UPS for it, that’s:
pure sin wave
reliable / capable
affordable (if possible)
I hear Eaton is the best, but quite expensive.
I also know things change a lot, that APC used to be the best, but quality fell off after APC got acquired by Schneider, and now supposedly CyberPower is better(?)
I actually bought a GoldenMate but heard they fail (immediate shutdown) when there’s any fluctuation in power (source).
So I wanted to know:
In 2026, is there a solid UPS choice that really stands above the rest?
Pure sinewave is going to be expensive. I use APC products. Specifically rack mount commercial ups systems with network cards installed. They are expensive though but I had lightening take out one without any damage to the rack components and APC replaced it free. They also work good with Truenas. The desktops each use a Smartups. I have two UPS systems in the rack. Each UPS can run the entire rack if necessary until the generator kicks in or until orderly shutdown of the servers. Each server has a redundant power supply system and each power supply plugs into one of the two ups so each server is served by both ups. If a power supply fails or if an ups fails there is still a very good chance the server will remain running. We also use APC at work on the floor for various localized devices that need to keep running or need better power quality.
I would recommend to stay with known proven suppliers of ups systems. In the long run you will have a better quality system, less worries, and better compatability. If you buy a cheap ups, that is what you have a cheap ups that will likely fail when it is actually needed to do it’s job.
The first question is: Offline/Line-interactive or online?
Offline means bypassing the inverter in normal operation and using it only when power is down. Means: cheaper device and less power consumption for the UPS itself, but noise and shot spikes still come through
Online means the inverter is running always - the device always receives clean power. More expensive but better protection. Might be necessary if your power is dirty (many high-power industrial machines in the neighborhood)
Then:
Batteries need regular service every 3 to 5 years
I strongly advise you to use redundant dual power supplies. One input goes to the UPS, one directly to the power outlet. Saves you against UPS problems - which are not that uncommon. But many rackmount servers already have redundant power supplies.
I recommend a network card for the UPS for better maintanence. Of course the switch also needs to be on the UPS.
AT my current job wie only use rackmount APC UPSses with the appropriate network cards.
…and specifically, with the version of nut that ships with TrueNAS–which is pretty old as I recall. But the usbhid driver covers an awful lot of what’s on the market any more.
I’m pretty happy with my BluePower VI 2200 RLE. 2200 VA / 1320W Pure Sine Wave, works with truenas via the usbhid-ups driver and i believe i bought it for under 200€ (in 2022)
Others have pointed out great examples of what you should look for, but to answer this one, I say try looking on eBay for used.
You can find “enterprise” UPS used for a fraction of the original cost. Often these will come without batteries, but those can be had for 30% or so of the new purchase price of the entire UPS. So, you end up spending about 50% of the original new price for something that still works well.
If your overall power needs are low enough (e.g., single server), pretty much anything will do the job. Once you are below the 1500VA requirement, prices fall dramatically. I have some 500VA LiFePO APC units (SCL500RM1U) that I bought new/open box on eBay for around $250.
Why do you need perfect sine wave?
(unless you plan to run on UPS for an entire day, not needed for brief power outages, or just to shutdown systems).
I’m using simulated sine wave on almost all my setups:
Use a small 500-800 VA simulated sine wave, WITH USB port, that the system monitors.
That small UPS (and others like it), is then connected to a bigger 1500 VA pure sine wave UPS.
In this way, I have long battery time, plus individual USB system shutdown.
That sounds potentially relevant to my interests, but it seems most of those I see on eBay are missing batteries. Have you found a good aftermarket source for those? And are you sure they’re LiFePO4 rather than a more generic Li-Ion?
New units have a 5 year warranty with a 10 year warranty on the battery. I don’t think plain Li-Ion would have that, but I could be wrong. The battery model number is APC 911-7010 and there are a lot available on eBay.
All these units I bought are still under warranty (some for 4 more years). My thought is that the around $850 I spent on 3 units (which all had batteries) plus one spare battery gives me about 6-7 years without spending another penny on them. That turns into less than $50/year for 3 UPS.
What’s throwing me is that they’re universally described as “Li-Ion,” not “LiFePO4.” The latter is certainly a subset of the former, at least chemically speaking, but they tend to be treated as distinct in marketing. OTOH, according to https://www.camfmshop.com/products/apc-schneider-electric-battery-9117010, that’s a 4S1P pack with a nominal voltage of 13.2, which is pretty low for Li-Ion, but about right for LiFePO4.
But still, attractive enough that I picked up one of the -NC variants, which have a network interface that apparently isn’t limited to APC’s cloud service. Should be good for my network rack, even if far too low in energy budget for my NAS.
I went the cheaper route on UPS… So far, it has worked very well. APC XS1500 (consumer). If power drops, the power company will make 2 attempts to restore power. This is within the first 15 seconds of the power outage. I have the UPS service configured to safely shut the server down after 30 seconds of being on battery. I also have my internet access ONT, router(s), and switches setup on another UPS APC XS1000. This allows the email alert for the UPS to make it out and keeps the internet connection live which buys me enough time to get my home backup generator fired up. I live in a rural area, and power outages are frequent…. unfortunately.
To underscore that point, the amount of times a UPS saved me vs. the amount of times a UPS bricked is for me personally over the last 10 years a 3:3 draw.
I use the CyberPower 1500VA SineWave (CP1500PFCLCD). It works fine with NUT and everything else. Nice LCD and keeps two servers going for a good hour. I paid about $180 for it refurbished from Cyberpower on eBay. It was brand new sealed in the box when they sent it.
