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Choosing the right UPS can be daunting. Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) are designed to provide an alternative source of power to electrical equipment in the event of a failure of the mains.

Types of UPS

Off line UPS monitor the power supply and provide temporary battery power if the quality of the supply moves outside an acceptable level, or if there is a power cut.

Line interactive UPS correct power inequalities within a suppression range as well as providing temporary battery back-up if power fails.

Online UPS are very reliable and are amongst the most advanced UPS’s available. They condition and regenerate the power supply at all times, correcting all irregularities, including enabling longer-term battery power if the supply fails.

Choosing the correct size of UPS

If the power demand of the equipment to be protected is expressed in Watts, the VA rating of the required UPS can be calculated by dividing the number of Watts by 0.7.

Alternatively, the VA rating of the required UPS can be calculated by multiplying the power input requirement of the equipment expressed in amps by 230. The amps input is shown on the equipment’s CE Mark plate.

Battery Life

Battery autonomy or back up run times of approximately 10 minutes are typical of most user requirements, however in some applications, such as telephone switch boards, longer run times are often required. These longer run times can be achieved by adding additional battery cabinets to the existing battery sets inside the UPS.

UPS battery testing is critical to ensure the UPS battery is functioning correctly. A battery will generally start to get tired after three or four years of normal use. Heavy usage, or failure to fully charge a battery at least three or four times a year, can shorten battery life. UPS battery testing should be undertaken at least every 2 years.