Anyone have recommendations for a local source for UPS - battery backup - for computers, etc?

Walmart has them sometimes. Any of the computer shops can order one for you. Amazon Mexico can mail order you one. Make sure you spec it out for your use in other words you must have one big enough to handle the load for a decent period of time.

Yes I have seen them in Wal-Mart right under the laptop section.

A good double one can run $4,000 pesos, a trick is to find someone selling a used one where the batteries are bad and get it for 800 pesos then on Mercadolibre or online buy 2 batteries for 600 pesos then you have a new system for a fraction of the cost

ferret, you are absolutely right, a laptop has it's own UPS backup. However if not a laptop, then a UPS would be a prudent item to have.

I don't know how much difference it really makes but usually a UPS adds a bit of surge protection. too.

Thus there are stand-alone surge protectors.

All the electronics in my house have a quality surge protector plugged into the wall and a voltage regulator plugged into the surge protector.  In 15 years of living here I have not lost a single piece of electronics. UPS doesn't seem worth the money to me unless you need the equipment to stay up during a power fail.  Surge protectors should have a rating of at least 500 joules. Exceptions exist but most UPS only have a very small joule rating like 50. I suggest a good quality surge protector with a good quality voltage regulator and/or UPS if needed in that order. Some people find the clicking of the voltage regulator irritating so be aware. Replacing batteries is a cost associated with using a UPS as Intercasa pointed out in his post.  I have never got a UPS to hold up for more than three years because of the batteries failing. Surge protectors should have a ground light (handy here as many three prong plugs don't have anything hooked up to the ground lug) and a MOV failure light. MOVS in Surge protectors sacrifice themselves but the box still works just no surge protection. These two lights are on better quality surge protection. I have burned out the MOVS on two different surge protector over the years and without the MOV light I would not have known.

By design, UPS gives the best surge protection, strips not as much. The strips have a fuse that degrades over time as they take little micro surges constantly and even more so down in Mexico. Ferret has it right on.

RoyD

RoyD wrote:By design, UPS gives the best surge protection, strips not as much. The strips have a fuse that degrades over time as they take little micro surges constantly and even more so down in Mexico. Ferret has it right on.

RoyD

Most decent surge protectors use MOV (metal oxide varister, more MOVS means higher joule ratings) to absorb surges not fuses. Also decent surge protectors also carry plugs for cable TV and Phone lines. Fiber optic connections don't need anything as Fiber does not conduct electricity. Surge protectors are cheap and I would rather burn up one of these than decent UPS or voltage regulator. This is my thinking. I get what you are saying but I must say the quality of consumer UPS vary in my experience. Much of this is opinion, lots of ways to skin a cat but I do know a 1000watt UPS is a very expensive thing and than you have the periodic cost of replacing the batteries. So if you need a UPS go for it but if the power is off not much reason for me to have one. Your mileage may vary for example some folks have medical equipment which must keep running.. Oh yea if you think these boxes have any hope in a lightning situation think again. Only a proper lightning shunt and ground rod will save you or a whole house system. Actually my number one solution is a whole house surge protector in your electrical panel. Just make sure any surge protector you buy has a joule rating of 500 or higher. Otherwise don't bother, lots of cheap stuff for sale is worthless as Roy points out. I managed four Northern Telecom 1000 line phone switches which have to stay up so I do have some experience with commercial gear and a room full of batteries. You get what you pay for in consumer gear is my parting opinion.

Check your receptacle with this before looking at a power regulator or surge protector.