Can I Hook A UPS To A Surge Protector?

by Isaac Prakash November 24, 2021

Power outages can have a devastating effect on sensitive electronic equipment such as computers and servers, especially for businesses. Fortunately, there are many different ways that you can protect your equipment and data against unforeseen power surges and blackouts.

Power strips, surge protectors and uninterruptible power sources (UPS) are all viable options. And, as each option functions slightly differently, people often wonder if you can plug a surge protector into a UPS to double the protection against power blackouts?

The UPS Solutions team is here with the answers! Read this blog to learn more about what a UPS surge protector is and why hooking it up to your traditional surge protector isn’t the best idea.

What is a UPS surge protector?

To start, let’s look at the difference between an uninterruptible power source and a surge protector. As you’ll learn, while both are designed to protect against power anomalies, they do so in different ways.

Think of surge protectors as upgraded power strips — they offer additional sockets to plug devices into and also use a specialised circuit that protects those devices from electrical spikes. What is a UPS surge protector? Well, you can think of it like an upgraded surge protector that:

Provides additional sockets for devices,
Uses elaborate circuitry to protect against electrical spikes,
Functions as a backup power source if the main source of power is lost.

The last bullet is the most important element of a UPS surge protector. A UPS is often used by businesses, data centres and other industries to help protect really sensitive equipment from shutting down the wrong way. Thanks to its backup battery power, a UPS will allow you the few minutes you need to close down your electronics properly and avoid corrupted or lost data. We offer a more in-depth explanation of how a UPS works on our FAQs page.

The million-dollar question: can you plug a surge protector into a UPS?

So, if surge protectors and uninterrupted power devices can both help protect your equipment, why not use them together? The truth is there is nothing wrong with doing so in your home or office — if you combine them the right way.

However, we strongly recommend against plugging a surge protector into a UPS (or plugging a UPS into a surge protector) for several reasons:

The surge protector may not be able to provide adequate power if plugged into a UPS.
The UPS may use only battery power when plugged into a surge protector, thus limiting its ability and wearing out the battery.
The UPS may be overloaded by the current from a power strip.
Connecting a UPS to a surge protector may void your warranty.

Perhaps most importantly is this: daisy-chaining surge protectors isn’t a good idea, and a UPS is essentially a more advanced surge protector. You should always plug your external power devices directly into the wall socket to ensure that they function safely, efficiently and effectively.

Safeguard your equipment with a UPS surge protector from UPS Solutions

A UPS is a powerful device, but only if used properly and made correctly. At UPS Solutions, we’ve recognised the need for high-quality UPS systems and strive to provide the best commercial UPS power protection solutions throughout Australia, including areas such as Victoria, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Darwin and more. We’re proud to be one of the most trusted power solutions providers in the country.

View our recent successful projects today to see how we can help your company, or utilise our online battery finder function to start your UPS search. Have any questions or concerns? Reach out and our expert team will lend a hand.