UPS Specifics and Maintenance Tips
An uninterruptible power supply or uninterruptible power source (UPS) is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power to a load when the input power source fails. A UPS differs from an auxiliary power system or a standby generator with the ability to provide instantaneous protection from input power interruptions, by supplying energy, stored in batteries or flywheels. The on-battery run-time of most uninterruptible power sources is relatively short (only a few minutes) but sufficient to start a standby power source or to properly shut down the protected equipment. It is a type of continual power system.
A UPS is typically used to protect hardware such as IT technologies, data centers or telecommunications equipment or other electrical equipment where an unexpected power disruption could cause serious failures, data loss or domestic applications break down. Those machines may vary in size. There are units designed to protect a single computer without a video monitor (around 200V AH rating) and there are others designed for large units powering entire data centers or buildings. If you would like to prolong the life of your UPS, we would highly recommend you to follow a few simple rules.
1.Unit Storage: When setting up our UPS, we have to decide where to install the unit in order for it to function at its best and to provide protection of our utilities, especially if we plan to use it for our IT gear. It is highly recommended for the place, where we put it, to be a clean environment, with no excessive amounts of dust and corrosive fumes. Also, it should be placed far from moisture, therefore better not to put it near a window. The temperature in the placement room should not be over or under the specified limits, set by the producer. Also, we should make sure that the ventilation openings on the sides are not blocked.
2.Capacity:All batteries have a rated capacity which is determined based on different models’ specifications. However, a simple explanation would be that the rated capacity of a UPS battery is based on an ambient temperature of 25°C (77°F). Having the UPS in working mode under these conditions will increase the life of the UPS and result in optimal performance. While a UPS will continue to operate in varying temperatures, it is important to note that this will likely result in decreasing the performance and sustainability of your battery. An important and simple rule to remember is that for every 8.3°C (15°F) above the ambient temperature of 25°C (77°F), the life of the battery will be cut down by 50 percent. Thus, keeping a UPS at a comfortable temperature is really important when it comes to prolonging its life.
4. Cycling:Actually, the machine’s main task is simply to switch between regimes, in the periods when power disruption occurs. After this switch, the rest of the job is getting done by the powerful battery which is placed inside. Once the electricity is back, the UPS will automatically recharge and will prepare for the net power outage. This whole process is known as the discharge cycle. This is why the quality and condition of the UPS are of extremely high importance, especially when it comes to backing up a powerful server or another IT application.
