Many people buy a uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect electronics. Before I get started, I should clarify what a UPS is:

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) maintains a continuous supply of power to connected devices. If you want a simple explanation, it is pretty much like a surge bar with a battery attached. If the power goes out, the battery supplies the needed power until power is restored or the battery’s charge is used up.

Traditionally, a UPS is used primarily for computers, but there are other instances where you might use a UPS. Check out the list below for five uses (some are uncommon) for a UPS.

Like I said earlier, a very common place to find a UPS is with a computer. It protects the data on the computer from being lost if the power goes out. If you have a UPS with voltage regulation (power cleaning), it also ensures that the computer has a consistent voltage supplied to it – extending the life of the computer.

The new Plasma and LCD televisions are sensitive to the voltage supplied to them. A UPS with voltage regulation is recommended to protect the sensitive electronics from variations in the voltage supplied to them. They are susceptible to burnouts (when the voltage drops suddenly) and a UPS can protect them from it.

Now, this might be the weirdest thing on the list, but hear me out. On most aquarium pumps, if the power goes out, they are not able to filter the water until some water is poured into them. If you fail to notice that the pump is not circulating the water for a few hours, you can expect your fish tank to be green and dirty. Having a UPS connected to the fish aquarium pump can save you from the task of cleaning the tank.

You probably have an alarm clock at home that has battery backup. Now, I applaud this as a great idea, though there is one problem: every time the power has gone out for me, the 9V battery in the alarm clock has been dead. No matter how many times I change the battery, the result is always the same. So, I have plugged in a UPS to my alarm clock – the power can be off for days and I still know the right time.

Many people today have cordless phones in their home. The biggest problem with them though is that when the power goes off, they just don’t work. They need power to the base to operate. Having the base plugged into the UPS gives you enough time to call if there is an emergency, or order a pizza.