Sola UPS 325 7500 and Sola UPS 325 1000
We received two Sola UPS 325 UPSs. One was rated at 750VA while the second was rated at 1000VA. They both measure 213 x 163 x 363 (HWD in mm) but the 750 weighs in at 14kg while the 1000 weighs 16kg. The 1000VA UPS uses three 6V/12AH batteries and the 750VA two 12V/7AH batteries.They are both quite small compared to many of the other UPSs we had tested. On the front panel there is a line/buck boost LED, which blinks when the Sola 325 is bucking or boosting. There is also an LED that indicates the 325 is operating on batteries. An additional four LEDs indicate how much of the battery is charged and the load the UPS is under. The 325 beeps whenever it is running on battery power or when there is an alarm present. Some of the alarms that can go off include line loss, low battery, replace battery, and output overload.
One of the differences between the Sola UPSs and the others reviewed is that the output plugs on the back are of the female type. They are typical of the types used in Australia. The other UPSs feature American and European type plugs (female IEC-320). On the back you will also find an RS-232C serial port and two surge protection jacks that will protect network equipment that uses RJ-45 connectors. You have to plug the 10Base-T network connection into the jack labelled "IN" and network equipment must be plugged into the "OUT" jack.
Once we moved the 325 into place we were ready to install the 325 software. The software CD includes NetWatch for BestLink. NetWatch allows you to monitor UPS activity through your SNMP/ Web Adaptor and configure clients computers for shutdown. The 325 also ships with CheckUPS II which can be used with any Best Power UPS. CheckUPS II includes power management and shutdown features. The software was very easy to use. All the control information was well laid out and easy to understand. The information displayed included voltage in and out, runtime remaining, and UPS load. The CheckUPS II will allow you to schedule events like shutdowns and restarts. When we tested the 325 UPS, we changed the shutdown time to 60 minutes. This time is well outside its capability and it ensured the battery would be completely depleted in the run-down test. The 1000VA Sola UPS managed 31:09 (min:sec) in our run-down test while the 750VA Sola UPS managed 23:16. In both cases, that works out to a $28/minute operation cost. We obtained this by dividing the price of the unit by the minutes it was operated before the battery was depleted. Using this as a benchmark, the Powerware (750VA and 1000VA) units performed slighter better and cost a little less than the Sola units.
The manual supplied with the Sola 325 UPS is quite thin but it does outline all the unit's features and explains what all the symbols, LEDs, and audible alarms mean. There is a troubleshooting section and step-by-step instructions on how to replace the battery. The Sola 325 UPSs ship with great software, are very easy to setup and use, and have strong batteries. Overall they are both excellent UPSs. If you need the extra run time then the 1000VA Sola 325 would be the way to go.
Company: Sola Australia.
Ph: 03 9706 5662
Price: AU$650/$859
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