While an integral part of many electrical and IT installations, uninterruptible power supplies still remain something of an underappreciated mystery to many in the channel. Here I will separate some of the UPS fact from fiction.
Myth 1: UPS are so complicated that it’s difficult to choose the right one for my customers
Its undeniable that a UPS is a complex piece of electrical equipment in its own right. And yes, there are so many manufacturers and models on the market that at first glance the choice can appear rather daunting.
But in practice, picking the right UPS basically comes down to just two fundamental questions. Firstly, how big is the load you need to protect? And secondly, what runtime does the customer need? (i.e. how long must the battery last if there’s a power failure).
Obviously, there are other points to consider, such as whether a load is critical or not. Take a call centre. They’d need their servers, computers and telephone systems to always be online, so there’s your critical loads. But other equipment like printers or desk fans aren’t as business critical to operations.
You also need to take into account the installation environment, for example, will the UPS be mounted in server racks or be freestanding. And you might need to factor in future-planning and whether any system expansion is likely.
But once you’ve established the initial load and runtime requirements, it’s relatively simple to tackle all the other issues and narrow your choice down.
Myth 2: UPS systems are big, bulky, and inefficient
This might have been true 10 or 20 years ago, but UPS technology has come on in leaps and bounds in recent times. Many modern UPS are transformer-free and can deliver high efficiency of around 97%. That’s around 5% more efficient than older transformer-based solutions, so that’s a massive cut in power consumption.
Then there’s the evolution of modular UPS, which give customers the scalability to ‘pay as you grow’ by adding in extra power modules as and when their load requirements change.
Looking to the future, the increasing use of silicon carbide components in UPS manufacturing is likely to see ultra-high efficiency models delivering even higher power density in a smaller footprint.
Myth 3: A UPS doesn’t need any maintenance
This mindset doesn’t apply to other essential electrical infrastructure so why should it to your UPS? An uninterruptible power supply is an intricate device – parts like fans or capacitors will degrade over time and require replacing. Batteries have a natural lifespan too, and there’s always the chance of an unexpected component failure.
How you maintain your UPS has a knock-on effect on how it performs, and as the old saying goes, ‘prevention is better than cure’. Regular UPS maintenance means your customers are less likely to experience a critical failure, while it ensures systems operate at peak efficiency, cutting the energy it takes to run them.
Preventive maintenance has even been proven to increase the lifespan of some components by 25-50%. And if the worst ever happens, ongoing maintenance contracts with guaranteed response times offers far greater peace of mind than the ‘best endeavours’ you get with a warranty.
Myth 4: You only need a UPS during a power cut
It’s far too simplistic these days to suggest a UPS’s only job is to provide emergency power during a blackout. Apart from the most basic, entry-level models, modern UPSs all feature technology that cleans up any issues on the mains supply by smoothing out sags, dips, surges or harmonics, ensuring clean and consistent power.
And many larger-scale solutions today are compatible with smart electricity grids. This has potential to transform your UPS and batteries from a purely reactive and perhaps underutilised asset into a dynamic ‘virtual power plant’ that feeds surplus energy back into the network to help balance supply with demand.
As well as the obvious societal benefit of far more secure power supplies, using a UPS in this way potentially helps customers reduce electricity bills and grid tariff charges too, all whilst enhancing overall system resilience – talk about a win-win situation!
Last week, Ryan Jones explained what resellers should look for when they’re choosing an uninterruptible power supply partner and offers advice on putting together the most compelling power protection offer. Find out more about Riello UPS here.