The Day the Lights Went Out in Bear Valley Springs

I had not planned a post on this topic for today, but yesterday afternoon some priorities took a profound shift. At three o’clock yesterday afternoon, we experienced yet another power failure and were without power until midnight. This time the failure came with the sun out, no wind (that, in itself, was a bit of a marvel), and no precipitation or lightning—just a lovely day full of promise. Then click, the power was gone. Since it had been 17 degrees yesterday morning and our furnace depends on electricity, it wasn't a welcome adventure.

This one made a believer out of me. Last night was not a night for a deep and peaceful sleep. When I turned on my computer this morning, I held my breath until it booted, then I checked for files, first, on the hard drive, and then the three external drives that I call into use throughout each day. As soon I verified that everything was intact, I took a deep breath and resolved that, along with all the catch up that needed to be addressed today, I would prepare to purchase a UPS. I know that there are no guarantees in life; still, I would like to know that the next time the power goes off (I don’t think that’s pessimistic—just being a realist, I’m afraid) I will have a few minutes during which I can safely shut down my system.

By the time I had read a few entries during my on-line research, I realized that I was accumulating more questions than answers. It's clear that I will need some help. Since I make no bones about my lack of technical expertise in multiple areas, I will readily admit that I have not previously had a UPS and would appreciate any tips that any of my readers would care to pass on. Anyone got any tips? Devices to avoid? Specifications to consider? Relative ease of setup and implementation? (Please remember who you are dealing with here. Not only is budget a concern, we need to think UPS for dummies.)