What maintenance is required on UPS Systems? Blackouts and power crises aside, installing a UPS is not a guarantee of continuous power without compromise. Performing comprehensive maintenance and testing is the best way to guarantee the continued performance of a UPS. The power range of a UPS module will dictate what type of testing and maintenance is appropriate. Test procedures for smaller, single-phase UPS modules (under 12 kVA) are often limited to assessing the integrity of the battery bank, and performing a functional test of the device. For larger, three-phase UPSs (above 10 kVA), testing and diagnostics can be more extensive, with internal maintenance best carried out by dedicated factory service engineers. While UPS quality and design integrity can differ radically from one manufacturer to another, the number one cause of UPS failure during power outages is the battery. In the case of small, single-phase UPS modules, battery life will range from three to six years, with a recommended replacement of batteries every three years. Battery life is dictated by operating temperature (batteries will lose roughly half their life for every five degrees above 77 degrees Fahrenheit), the number of times the battery has been discharged and recharged, and the quality of the battery charger. Since UPSs last longer than the batteries, selecting a model that has user-replaceable batteries is important. Performing a load test is the best method to check the integrity of the batteries, accomplished by removing utility power when the UPS is carrying a load similar in power to the critical load. The UPS should effectively power the load close to the manufacturer’s rated backup time. PROQuip Corp. technicians can attend your site and test all of your UPS / batteries, we would then issue detailed report clarifying the health and status of your existing UPS Batteries, to arrange a survey simply send your details to info@proquipcorp
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 18:44:18 +0000