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My UPS is supposed to provide {N} minutes of backup power, but mine cuts out after much less time than that

Explanation: You purchased a UPS that claimed that it would provide a certain amount of time running on the batteries when the power went down, but the batteries last much less time than what the advertisements claim.

Diagnosis: The advertisements often exaggerate. Unfortunately, just like everything in the industry, claims that have numbers in them tend to be based on best-case ideal world conditions that don't always hold up in the real world. In addition, claims of battery life are based on a particular configuration. Every PC is different and has a different power demand.

Recommendation:

• Take all numeric advertising claims with a grain of salt.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for maximizing battery life. This may include routine maintenance for the device.
• Consult the manufacturer's technical support line for feedback on whether the battery life you are experiencing is normal. It is possible that your device may be defective. If battery life was at one point higher and now has decreased, this could be a defect as well.
• Consider removing devices from your PC that you don't need (this rarely makes sense, of course).

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