DIY UPS: Need some Help

Hey Folks. I'm new to the board and I figured what better way to introduce my self than with a question =-)

I'm living in an Old house and the Power Fluxuations are reaking havoc on my computer. I want to build my self a continuous uninteruptable power supply but I need some things clearified.

What I want to to do I have a large Cap 12V Wet Lead Acid or SLA (Haven't decided yet), Have it Continuously Charging and have the computer running off of it at the same time. I Don't want to screw around with an Inverter because the computer power supply is Rectifing the 120VAC anyway and that seems like a big waste.

So.. Question 1: Do I need an actual Battery Charger or can I use something that produces 12-14VDC?

2: Can i run the computer directly off of the battery or is the power supply preforming some other function I'm not aware of?

3: If you were going to do this how would you do it?

I'm not completly Electricly incompetant so you don't need to restate the givens, I'll be putting in some fuses and switches and all that jazz, all I really need to know is the nitty gritty of the charging process and about the power supply.

Let me know what you think, I'm open to Ideas and guidance.

Thanks Mike

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