Zigor’s new small ups is big on power protection

That is the bold statement from leading UPS manufacturer, Zigor, who boast the unit is the best way to safeguard electrical equipment from unseen damage to electrical components in devices such as televisions, DVD players and wireless routers in the event of a power failure. Using line interactive power, the Zigor Ebro 650 looks similar to a big multi-socket extension lead and can support up to 360w (650 version) or 500w (850 version) and offers the user a choice of standard three pin UK plug socket or IEC (kettle type) socket to host a variety of different devices.

The Ebro 650 is easy to install and has a surge protection port for the telephone/data line to make sure all possible areas where harmful power may enter the home are covered. Gavin Banks, sales manager at Zigor (UK), told EP: “Harmful power events can happen in the home on a daily basis but usually go unnoticed. If you have ever wondered why your digital TV box freezes for no reason or why your wireless internet router suddenly stops working, it's more than likely that poor quality power is the route of the problem.”

Banks suggests the demand for power in the UK is increasing rapidly as technology in the home advances and the electrical grid is struggling to cope with the demand. He says this could have a negative effect on the quality of the power supply coming into people's homes. “Poor power can damage your electrical equipment in the home,” he added. “The problems this causes can be apparent very quickly in some cases or occur over longer periods of time in others. The point of the Zigor Ebro 650 is to stop poor quality power damaging devices. It's a small price to pay compared to the cost of replacing your television or PC altogether.”

The Ebro 650 range also boasts two lightning arrester modes and a self-diagnosis function and an internal battery that will continue to supply power to the connected equipment for up to 20 minutes if the power fails completely. It also includes monitoring software, which runs continuously, so if there is a power outage the software allows for an organised shutdown of the connected systems, saving all open files. Zigor state it will only shutdown a connected PC.

“The battery back-up helps you avoid losing un-saved files on your PC when the power suddenly fails meaning you don't have to start your work all over again,” says Banks. “It also prevents programmes on your digital TV box being cut off half way through recording and can even help maintain the temperature in your tropical fish tank when the mains power fails.”