Introduction to UPS Systems

What is a UPS System?

An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is a vital device that safeguards critical equipment from power fluctuations or failures by being installed between the raw mains power supply and the equipment. It acts as a backup system by providing power from batteries in case of a mains power failure or an unacceptable voltage level. These systems are available in single phase and three phase systems. A UPS unit can also act as a bridge whilst your generator gets up to speed to provide power to your business. 

The Benefits of a UPS System

The benefits a UPS system will give you are undeniably critical to your business, from protecting devices from damage caused by voltage spikes, allowing the safe shutdown of important equipment, preventing data loss, to giving your business power during a power outage.

UPS System Sizing

Small UPS systems are typically designed to plug into the nearest power socket and provide back-up power for a few minutes from integral batteries, sufficient to power down a computer in an orderly manner. Longer back-up times can be achieved by using additional battery enclosures. Larger UPS systems, depending on the power rating, can have internal batteries and/or additional battery enclosures. Batteries can be housed in matching enclosures or cladded battery stands, and open battery racks are also available.

UPS Batteries

For extended battery back-up times, a generator can provide the input power to the UPS system and support air conditioning or lighting. This may provide a more cost-effective alternative to batteries.

UPS systems can be equipped with features such as the ability to alert fileservers to shut down in an orderly manner when an outage has occurred, or notify users by text or email. Building Management Systems (BMS) can also be notified.