Sleep and UPS/Backup issues

Hello again Brian;
Your UPS should have the running specs on the box, it will tell you for how long it will power a specified machine. I think I posted the APC home site the last time we had this discussion, but here is is again http://www.apcc.com/products/. You can look up the exact APC model for your iMac, with relevant run times and then
transfer those numbers to the Energy Saver prefs and schedule shut down just before the batteries run out.

Hope this helps and that you are enjoying your iMac,
Cheers,
Miriam

Yes, but unless that page has changed (I confess I didn't check) it gives the run time for a computer that is awake and in use, not for a sleeping computer, which lasts much, much longer before the battery runs down. Likewise, other devices, such as printers, plugged into the battery side of the UPS will cause a faster drain than just the CPU itself, which is why they recommend not plugging them in there, but you don't always have a choice if you have a lot of stuff.

Brian, when you go to energy saver, you can specify that the computer should shut down when there are X number of minutes left in the battery. When you choose that, you automatically stay asleep/awake till the battery is drained to the number you choose.
I would think that this solution is the answer to your question,
Miriam

A good surge protector or UPS cannot prevent a power surge from getting through to your computer, but it can reduce the likelihood. If there is a particularly bad storm coming, I do shut down my computers and unplug them from the wall, leaving no chance that a surge will get to them.

I also unplug my computers when I am going away for even a few days, otherwise, they remain plugged in and powered on 24/7.

Yes. I always shut down and unplug my computers during a storm. I have had the plug of a surge protector get blown right out of the wall during a lightning strike before now. I'm not willing to take the risk.

Also, although I don't worry too much about my computers running out of juice if there's a power failure and I'm not around, I do wake them up and shut them down as soon as I get home if there's a power failure. You're right that it usually comes back on well before the battery runs down, but I don't want to take the chance of having an extended outage and forgetting about the computer till it's too late. Also, it takes a while to charge that battery back up again, and the computer won't run even with power if the battery is all the way down.

Brian, you don't need software, just connect the UPS to your iMac with a USB cable and you're good to go.
Miriam

When the UPS is connected to your Mac, have you gone to Energy Saver, then to "Settings for" and selected UPS instead of Power Adaptor? Your UPS should be recognised if the USB cable is connecting it to your Mac.
Let me know what happens when you do this,

Miriam

And, as stated earlier, you can skip the USB cable and just shut down manually instead. I do this because I don't want to give up a USB port just for this, when IMHO, it's not necessary unless you leave your computer awake when you aren't around.

Barbara, if he has the cable connected, he can specify the shutdown time. With no cable, the Mac doesn't recognise the fact that he has a UPC plugged in and one can never tell when there will be a power outage.
I guess we have to agree to disagree, it's really a matter of taste, I like belts and braces, and the security of having a specified shutdown time. Actually, I have a whole-house generator, and am not on the UPS for more than 50 seconds at any time, even so, I have it programmed to shut down when the UPS battery is at 50%.
Take care,
Miriam

Does that CyberPower unit have a USB port to connect to the iMac? The ones I have seen - not recently - were serial only.

Just curious.

Miriam, I can only say that I live in an area with almost daily outages at some seasons of the year and I've never had a problem doing it this way.