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UPS in Alarm: What Happens Next.
/1 Comment/in Downtime, Service Agreements, UPS, UPS Alarms, UPS System Failure /by Karyn SchairerWe ran an article on “What Your UPS Alarm is trying to Tell You” to help explain some of the basic alarms you might experience. In this article, we will go into more depth about how your service provider should respond, triage, and resolve your issue, from when you first contact them to completion. We will also discuss the importance of understanding the provisions your provider makes for response time and resources. This gives you an expectation of what happens “behind the scenes,” so you better understand the process involved in supporting your UPS.
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QPS Blog Year in Review: Lessons from Critical Power Discussions
/0 Comments/in Field Service Reports, UPS /by Karyn SchairerAt Quality Power Solutions, it’s important to us to build a knowledge base with our readers and customers, so we can create a meaningful shared dialogue on educational topics related to the critical power industry. We went through quite a few topics this year, so it’s always interesting to go back over what we shared. Here, then, is our QPS “blog year” in review summarizing our 2018 discussions. Read more
5 Takeaways from Eaton’s 2017 Blackout Tracker Report
/0 Comments/in Downtime, Power Failure, Safety Awareness /by Karyn SchairerSince 2008, power equipment provider Eaton has collated and released an annual report called the Eaton Blackout Tracker. This report compiles annual power outage causes and associated impacts in the United States. The report’s purpose is to provide greater awareness of the vulnerability of the U.S. power grid, the types of losses outages can cause, and the importance of managing risks associated with outages. The most-recent 2017 Blackout Tracker Report compiles data from more than 3,500 outages across all 50 states. This report is based on reported power outages from various news services, newspaper reports, websites and personal accounts. The 2017 report marks the 10th and final year that Eaton will provide this report. Here are the 5 main takeaways to pay attention to when reviewing this year’s report. Read more
Understanding Field Service Reports Part 4: Thermal Image Scanning
/3 Comments/in Field Service Reports, Preventative Maintenance, UPS, UPS Efficiency, UPS Maintenance /by Karyn SchairerOur fourth and final entry in our series on understanding field service reports looks at deciphering the results of thermal image scanning. The thermal image scan is important enough that QPS believes that every preventative maintenance check should have one performed. Thermal image scanning is one of the most reliable ways to predict impending UPS component failure, and if components, or the entire UPS, needs to be replaced.
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Understanding Field Service Reports Part 3: Balancing UPS Loads
/2 Comments/in Critical Power System, Field Service Reports, UPS, UPS Maintenance /by Karyn SchairerOur third entry in our series on field service reports concentrates on understanding balancing UPS loads. Before we dive in, let’s start by defining what it means to balance UPS loads. The definition of balancing UPS loads means to distribute loads evenly across the total output of the UPS.
Balancing UPS loads is normally recommended in order to avoid overuse on any one phase of the UPS equipment. In an example with a 3-phase UPS, the UPS puts out a certain amount of amperage, which can be separated into thirds of the total kVA rating across the three phases. When properly executed, balancing UPS loads avoids overuse and increases the useful life of the UPS by maximizing its output. Read more
Understanding Field Service Reports Part 2: Capacitors and Fans
/7 Comments/in capacitors, Field Service Reports, Preventative Maintenance, Safety Awareness, UPS Capacitor Failure, UPS Capacitors, UPS fans, UPS Maintenance /by Karyn SchairerIn part 2 of our blog series on field service reports we will cover capacitors, what they do, and what to look for. The capacitor in a UPS is used to store an electric charge, as well as smoothing out and filtering voltage fluctuations. UPS systems vary significantly in design and technology, and as a result, the quantity and size of capacitors changes as well. In addition, because a capacitor replacement typically requires a shutdown of the UPS system for replacement, your UPS service provider likely will recommend and replace the cooling fans in the system at the same time. Both capacitors and fans are critical to keeping the UPS running, and both are just as susceptible to failure as the other components of a UPS. It is critical to understand how each component can be damaged, and what to look for in your field service report (FSR) regarding the health of your capacitors and fans. Read more
Understanding Field Service Reports Part 1: UPS Batteries
/4 Comments/in Battery Maintenance, Field Service Reports, Preventative Maintenance, Safety Awareness, UPS, UPS Batteries, UPS Battery Monitoring, UPS Service Provider /by Karyn SchairerWe are all familiar with going to the doctor to get a check up on our health. At the end of our visit, we typically receive a summary of what the doctor discussed with us, any tests they did, and recommendations they have for us related to those test results. A field service report (FSR) for your UPS system maintenance is similar to a health check for the unit, giving information on the condition and reliability of the UPS. Most UPS field service reports should include the unit information and location, a job description of what is being inspected, what actions were performed and their results, and the recommendations as the result of the job. In the coming weeks, we will break down a UPS service report and cover some of the main items that you should look for.
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External Maintenance Bypass – What Is It and When Is It Necessary?
/1 Comment/in Bypass, Critical Power System, Downtime, External Maintenance Bypass, Facility Management, Preventative Maintenance /by Karyn SchairerBusinesses use emergency back-up power systems to ensure availability of their most critical applications. What happens then, when the critical power system needs maintenance done, or if the UPS system has an issue itself? Like a vehicle, back-up power equipment needs regular maintenance or “tune-ups” to ensure it continues running correctly. However, there are times when back-up power equipment is so critical that it cannot be taken offline, even for maintenance. Having an External Maintenance Bypass is a way to allow critical power systems to have more flexibility while maintenance is done, keeping equipment online without interruption to loads. Read more
Toshiba SCiB Batteries: UPS Lithium-Ion Technology
/3 Comments/in Critical Power System, Energy Efficiency, UPS, UPS Batteries, UPS Battery Monitoring, UPS Efficiency, UPS Options /by Karyn SchairerManagers responsible for critical IT loads or other high demand applications want to make sure that their equipment is protected by the most reliable, efficient technology possible. This is especially true when it comes to UPS battery back-up technology. There has been great interest recently in Lithium-Ion battery technology and the UPS Lithium-Ion Battery market is rapidly expanding. Toshiba launched their own battery technology called SCiB (Super Charge Ion Battery) back in 2008. While this technology has been available for many years, it’s introduction into the UPS system has been fairly recent. The newest iteration of this battery is showcased in the Toshiba G9000 series UPS unit. We will discuss the make-up of the SCiB and also some of it’s main advantages compared to similar battery technologies. Read more
QPS Announces New Lithium-Ion Line of UPS Systems
/0 Comments/in Annoucements, Critical Power System, UPS, UPS Batteries /by Karyn SchairerQuality Power Solutions is excited to announce a new line of Lithium-Ion UPS systems from N1 Critical Technologies! N1 Critical is a Wisconsin-based company focused on the research and production of Lithium-Ion UPS systems and battery solutions. N1C Lithium-Ion UPS systems are rugged and long-lasting, able to withstand up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and are one of the first UPS systems to offer a lifetime warranty.
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