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I'm not sure this will do what you want...

First, based on a comment (from Mark as I remember, but I may be wrong about that) the PicoPSU 160-XT is supposed to be better sounding than the formerly more popular 120. So there, a good choice.

But then on your question about using the battery backup system... I assume you mean the PicoUPS. If I read this right, it is designed to switch between two DC sources of 13-18 volts. So far so good. And it also says it has a built-in charger for the battery side. Also so good.

But the 160-XT is mean for regulated 12v source. I didn't see a specific voltage range in the specs, but it does say it tops out at 13.5v... and I doubt it goes any more than 1.5v lower than 12v. And as I also remember, Rick McI fried a standard PicoPSU 120 running it from a 12v battery. So I doubt that a direct battery input is the best source for the 160-XT. It MIGHT work... and it MIGHT fry.

There are wide-input Pico's that work ok with batteries, but I also remember that someone who used one said it didn't offer any improvement over their standard computer supply where the standard Pico's did.

One possible solution is to use a stout 12v regulator after the PicoUPS and run it with a good 16v linear supply and on the battery side use a 5-cell LiFePo4 pack. But the PicoUPS won't charge this correctly, so you'd have to charge it separately (and figure out how to disconnect the PicoUPS charger). Or you could find an 8-cell SLA pack that would provide 16v into your regulator... but the PicoUPS wouldn't charge this either.

In summary...

1. The PicoPSU 160-XT is not good for use with a direct battery input.

2. You could use the 160-XT with the PicoUPS if you used a 16v source and a 16v battery with a regulator to drop it to 12v afterwards, but the built-in charger in the PicoUPS won't charge a 16v battery so you'd have to charge it seperately.

3. You could use the PicoUPS with a 12v source and a 12v battery and one of the wide-input PicoPSUs, but it has been reported that the wide-input Pico's are reported to offer little or no SQ improvement compared to the standard PicoPSU.

I don't see a good path to what you're trying to achieve with these components, but it gets you close... there might be a good compromise solution if we can get creative.

Later!

Greg in Mississippi
Everything matters!


Edits: 09/07/11
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