We are moving to Chiang Mai this fall with our 3 children. We will only be bringing luggage (10 x 50lbs.) and not shipping any household goods, so we are trying to make decisions about what to bring and what is better to re-purchase when we arrive. We have a U.P.S. hooked up to our computer here, CyperPower brand, 550VA. We definitely will want to use it in Chiang Mai, but it is SO STINKIN' HEAVY!! Is it worth using several pounds of luggage space, or are UPSs widely available and relatively inexpensive to purchase in Thailand?

UPS are widely available... more expensive than USA though. Is your UPS able to work on 220-240? if not, you will be buying new anyways.

We just purchased a UPS , which is a straight forward model, for 1200 bht. There are many different models available in many of the PC stores. ( I suggest PANTIP plaza)

We just purchased a UPS , which is a straight forward model, for 1200 bht. There are many different models available in many of the PC stores. ( I suggest PANTIP plaza)

I agree with peterjb's suggestion you buy here. But if you have any idea that you have the room in your luggage and it is a 220V UPS, do so searches in Thailand for batteries (you will need a new one sooner or later) and, if they have them here, consider just leaving the battery behind when you come over. You could fill the case with socks or something.

We just purchased a UPS , which is a straight forward model, for 1200 bht. There are many different models available in many of the PC stores. ( I suggest PANTIP plaza)

what do you mean by a straight forward model? and how many watts? All the ones i looked at (with at least 550 watts and up) AND with a program built in to auto shut down computer (in case power goes out and you are not at home - the UPS might drain itself otherwise)... these types are running a minimum of 6000 baht. I searched several shops in Pantip... if i get what i really need (750 watts or more)... we are talking 9K and up

yes... i know OP is talking volt amps and i am talking watts... easier for me to think that way cuz i know how many watts my CPU and monitor pull.

Edited July 25, 201213 yr by zippydedodah

To avoid confusion between Watts and VA, always assume the "Watt" rating of your UPS is 60% of it's "VA" rating. In other words a 1kVA UPS can comfortably handle a 600W load. This is a conservative figure but better to err on the safe side. UPS's (generally speaking, for domestic consumption) are designed around supplying loads with a power factor of between 0.5 and 0.7 hence the difference between their VA and W ratings.

Cheap, line-interactive UPS's are available in Thailand and are suitable for most basic needs (price range $40-50) for 5 minutes at 800VA/500W and are suitable for a bog standard computer.

If it's sensitive and/or expensive equipment you're protecting, I'd recommend shelling out $ a few hundred and getting a pure sine wave online (not line interactive) UPS.

Thank you all for your great advice! I am embarrassed to say it did not even occur to me that this type of equipment would not be compatible with any input from 100-240. I just checked and it is 110 only, so I guess that solves that dilemma!