UPS Basics
The following UPS Basics should help every new-comer to the UPS-World to better understand the whys and how’s of the UPS. Here you can find general UPS questions that could help you decide what kind of UPS you need!
Brand Information
What is the difference between BlueWalker and PowerWalker?
BlueWalker GmbH is a german company with more than 15 years of experience in the EMEA market. The name has been popularized in the german speaking countries.
PowerWalker is BlueWalker´s brand for professional solutions in uninterruptable power supplies. In all other countries, the brand PowerWalker has made its own name.
What is the meaning of the PowerWalker logo?
The PowerWalker logo is a flywheel. A device used to convert kinetic energy into a standby supply of DC power, usually used in huge industry facilities. The phylosophy behind it is to always stay in motion, always keep walking.
How do we compare to other UPS providers?
Our PowerWalker brand is focused on the reliability and quality of the UPS products at an excellent price-performance for our customers.
Due to our size, we are much closer to our customers and therefore better able to provide individual and targeted solutions. We offer a wide range of products, and we attend and support are customers with an in-house service hotline.
We continuously update our existing models and improve what we have to grow and develop with the market and our customers
General UPS Information
What are the pros and cons of Off-Line UPS (VFD)?
For the technical explanation please visit our Lexicon. Off-Line UPS are designed for small load uses.
Pros:
• Installation is easy and quick
• Low costs for less critical loads
• Silent (no fans for cooling)
• Small own power consumption
• Compact UPS
Cons:
• Usually they produce a simulated sine wave
• Transfer times are not seamless
• Loads will receive unfiltered voltage
Application scope: Home, Office and Stores.
What are the pros and cons of Line-Interactive UPS (VI)?
For the technical explanation please visit our Lexicon. Line-Interactive UPS are designed for medium cost application with moderate load levels.
Pros:
• Higher protection with more functions
• Cost-effective solution
• Mostly silent. Fans work when not in Normal Mode
• Pure Sine Wave is an option (depends on the model)
• Some accessories are available (depends on the model)
• Protection against voltage fluctuations
Cons:
• There are still some small transfer times
• There is no protection against transients
• There is no frequency correction or adjustment
Application scope: Home, Office, Stores and IT & Data Solutions.
What are the pros and cons of On-Line UPS (VFI)?
For the technical explanation please visit our Lexicon. On-Line UPS are designed for mission-critical loads.
Pros:
• Double-conversion, always a clean output
• For high-power demand and for sensitive equipment
• Pure Sine Wave under all conditions
• Frequency can be adjusted if desired
• Zero transfer times in standard operations
• Many accessories are available (depends on the model)
Cons:
• Fans are always on
• This products require space and technical knowledge
• High own power consumption
• High investment
Application scope: Stores, IT & Data Solutions, Medical Equipment, Entertainment, Emergency Situations, and Industrie & Construction.
What are the most common electrical disturbances?
Interruptions: Also known as a blackout, a complete interruption of the electrical supply. Depending on the duration, an interruption can be instantaneous, momentary, temporary, or sustained.
Voltage fluctuations: Overvoltage and undervoltage are the most commonly known. They are both a prolonged sag and swell respectively. Sags and undervoltage are both a reduction of the AC voltage in a given time. Swells and overvoltage are both an increase of the AC voltage in the circuit.
Transients: The most damaging electrical disturbances. An impusilve transient is a sudden peak, commonly known as surge or spike. An oscillatory transient, just like the name, will swell and shrink in a oscillatory form (like a lie-detector).
What consequences could electrical disturbances have?
Common consequences are damage to electrical components, system halt or shutdown, reduced product-life, overheating, flickering, communication interference, or complete loss of data and hardware.
How do I choose the right UPS?
To get the ideal UPS product we recommend the customer to answer the following questions:
• What kind of electrical disturbances do you want to prevent? What kind of electrical disturbances do you want to protect your devices from? Depending on this, we will recommend different UPS technologies. Each technology supresses diferrent disturbances in the incoming power supply (see electrical disturbances).
• Where is the UPS going to be? In a household, at the office, in a closed-server room or at a building site? This also helps when deciding the correct technology.
• Which electrical components do you want to protect? Do you know the approximate load size in kVA? This will define how small or big the UPS capacity should be. Please also consider in-rush currents and the characteristic of the load (inductive or capacitive).
• Do you require back-up time? If you require long back-up times, a UPS with the possibility of battery packs or EBM should be important. This will help to define how much extra back-up time the UPS should provide the critical loads.
• And last but no least. Do you require extra or specific features? Special communication, monitoring or managing.
What is the lifespan (design life) of the UPS?
• UPS’s electronics are designed to work for many years. Correct preventive maintenance and optimal operating condition will additionally extend this time.
• If UPS is equipped with fans, please consider that the design life of this rotating component is 5 years.
• If UPS is equipped with dust filter, please consider to check and replace it as soon as it is blocked with “schmutz”.
What are the optimal operating conditions for the UPS?
Please make sure that UPS is operating in allowed environment. Limits may very depending on model, but safe conditions include:
• 0°C – 40°C (for long battery life, keep the UPS at an ambient temperature of 25°C)
• 20% – 80% relative humidity without condensation
• No standing or running water in the vicinity
• No exposure to direct sunshine or heating equipment
• Appropriate electrical input TN-S 230V grounded
• Secure enough space for air circulation; never cover the cooling vents or fans
• Equipment is exlusively for indoor use! IP rating of 20!
Does the UPS require maintenance?
UPS is designed to operate maintenance free. Nevertheless, certain steps will extend its life time! We recommend the following:
• Regularly check if the unit’s operating environment is still within the recommended conditions
• For the best preventive maintenance, keep the area around the UPS clean and dust-free. If the atmosphere is very dusty, clean the outside of the UPS with a vacuum cleaner
• Unplug the UPS prior to cleaning and do not use liquid or spray detergent
• Use dry soft clothes to clean the front panel and plastic parts. Take special care for the air inlets for the fans proper funcitioning
Battery Information
What is the lifespan (design life) of a battery?
The typical lifespan of a UPS battery is 3-5 years from the start of production. However battery life can vary greatly depending on environmental conditions and amount of discharge cycles. For instance, battery life decreases if the UPS is operated under a high temperature environment or is frequently discharged.
Please remember that the life of the battery starts at the time of production (not at the time of first usage).
How should I store the batteries?
A battery must be recharged every 3 months in storage (20°C), otherwise it will deplete its capacity. Cold and dry would be the optimal storage environment (<20°C). In a very hot and humid environment (20°C-40°C), it is recommended to recharge them every 1-2 months. [/av_toggle] [av_toggle title='Should I buy a UPS with BP or a bigger UPS for the same Back-up Time?' tags='' av_uid='av-h937m'] When a client is looking for a UPS to safeguard his load with a determined back-up time, it always comes to the an end decision, to buy a small UPS with an additional Battery Pack or to just buy a bigger UPS. Because of the price difference (UPS + BP > Bigger UPS) the customer normally decides to pay less for a bigger UPS then to pay more and have the ideal solution of a UPS with an additional BP.
The UPS with a Battery Pack may look like the expensive option, but bigger UPS have a higher power consumption, meaning that over its lifetime having a bigger UPS will result in a higher electric bill.
Why is it recommended to often do a battery test?
One of the most critical rules in UPS maintenance and safety is performing a regular battery test. Our software offers a scheduling function for this task. If batteries are not checked regularly following situations may happen:
• Battery capacity will decrease over time and reach a point where it cannot support the load long enough. It might even render the UPS unusable.
• Continuous charging of faulty batteries may lead to leaks, swelling or even burning of the battery.
Basic Battery Test
The software will perform a 10 second battery test. Please note that the test only proves that the battery will hold the connected load for 10 seconds. Hence, the test will only determine if the battery is not depleted. We recommend the basic test at least once a month.
Real Life Test
Since the typical expected backup time is much longer than 10 seconds, we recommend a real life test to ensure the proper functionality of the UPS system.
Please cut off the input (i.e. by switching the input breaker or unplugging the input cable) and measure how long the UPS can backup the load. Knowing the load in watts (you can read it in the monitoring software), you can compare it with the real performance. Feel free to contact our support team if you need a recommendation. This will give you the best overview of the batteries condition.
You can also monitor the backup time changing over the lifespan of the batteries. If it drops below your requirement, please change the batteries. We recommend to perform the real life test with the following schedule:
At the very beginning of any operation
Every 6 months in the first 2 years
Every 3 months after 2 years