Editorial Standards

Accuracy comes first

• Mechanism before recommendation. We explain why something happens (for example, why runtime is not proportional to load) so that readers can apply the reasoning to their own setup.
• Ranges, not false precision. Power draw, battery life and runtime vary between models and conditions. We give typical ranges and state the conditions behind them instead of single numbers that only fit one product.
• No invented figures. We do not publish statistics, prices, quotes or model specifications we cannot support. When a figure is our own estimate or rule of thumb, we label it as such.
• Brand-specific behavior is hedged. Beep patterns, menu paths and default settings change between models and firmware versions. We describe common behavior and tell you to confirm in the manual.

Sources we rely on

In rough order of weight:

1. Published standards and codes: IEC 62040 (UPS performance and safety), IEEE recommended practices such as IEEE 1100, 1184, 1187 and 1188, UL 1449 and UL 1778, and NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code).
2. Government and nonprofit guidance: ENERGY STAR, the U.S. Department of Energy, the EPA and battery recycling programs.
3. Manufacturer documentation: specification sheets, user manuals, runtime charts and software documentation, including official documentation for open-source tools such as Network UPS Tools.
4. Established engineering and field practice, used to explain and connect the above.

Key sources are listed at the end of each article. Where a claim depends on a specific source, we say so in the text.

How articles are produced

1. Scope the question. We start from what readers are actually trying to do or decide, and what existing answers get wrong or leave out.
2. Research and draft. The draft works through mechanisms, numbers and edge cases, with at least one worked example or decision aid.
3. Technical review. A separate review checks every figure, formula, configuration snippet and safety statement against sources, and checks internal consistency with the rest of the site.
4. Plain-language edit. We cut filler, front-load the answer, and make sure a non-specialist can follow it.
5. Publish with a date. Every article shows its last update date. Material changes update that date.

Calculators and data

Our calculators document their models on the same page: the runtime calculator explains its Peukert-based model and the battery life estimator explains its temperature and cycle assumptions. Data tables such as the device power draw database describe how figures were compiled. When we change a model, we update the explanation alongside it.

Safety

We state hazards plainly and do not publish instructions for work that should be done by a licensed electrician, such as connecting to a building's wiring or panel. We never recommend defeating safety features, removing grounds, or using adapters to bypass plug ratings. Medical guidance is limited to general power planning and always defers to the device maker and clinician.

Independence and product coverage

Coverage is not for sale. Manufacturers do not pay for inclusion, review content before publication, or influence verdicts. We do not claim hands-on lab testing we have not done; product-level statements are based on documented specifications and established behavior of a product class.

Updates and review cycle

We review pages when standards, software or product lines change, when readers report problems, and on a regular schedule for high-traffic guides. Software guides are checked against current documentation because menus and defaults change often.

Corrections

When we get something wrong, we fix it and, for material errors, note the correction. See our corrections policy and log. To report an error, use the contact page.