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Three Things To Know About UPS Scalability
/6 Comments/in Critical Power System, Energy Efficiency, UPS, UPS Efficiency /by Karyn SchairerScalability is a word that often gets highlighted in conversations about growth and expansion. But what does scalability actually mean when talking about UPS systems? As organizations grow, merge or gain efficiencies, UPS scalability becomes a critical discussion point. There are several ways scalability can apply to a UPS. It can apply to scalability within a single unit or multiple systems. For this discussion, we will examine both why scaling your UPS system may become necessary for certain businesses, and the three main ways to scale a UPS. Continue reading “Three Things To Know About UPS Scalability” »
UPS Battery Monitoring Basics
/1 Comment/in UPS, UPS Batteries, UPS Battery Monitoring, UPS Maintenance, UPS System Failure /by Karyn SchairerAs much as 65% of all UPS back-up system power failures are battery related. That’s a staggering number, but is easier to understand when you consider all the potential issues that can affect UPS batteries. Power anomalies, overheating, improper charging or low electrolyte levels for certain types of batteries can all cause serious issues for the UPS.
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Lessons Learned From The CES 2018 Power Outage
/1 Comment/in Critical Power System, Downtime /by Mike BergumDarkness took center stage at the Las Vegas Convention Center for a little over 2 hours during day two of the Consumer Electronics Show this year. Continue reading “Lessons Learned From The CES 2018 Power Outage” »
Getting to Know Your UPS Batteries II- Wet Cell Batteries
/3 Comments/in Battery Maintenance, Installation, Preventative Maintenance, Safety Awareness, UPS, UPS Batteries, UPS Efficiency, UPS Maintenance, UPS Monitoring /by Karyn SchairerThe second battery on our “get to know you” list is the Wet Cell, or Flooded Cell battery. UPS Systems are used in a variety of applications and, as a result, may require a wide variety of run time requirements or discharge characteristics. The battery cell is comprised of a hard plastic enclosure, typically Polycarbonate or Styrene Acrylonitrile (SAN) Plastic, lead plates and an electrolyte that allows the flow of current.
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QPS Welcomes Mark Wellnitz!
/0 Comments/in Bios /by Karyn SchairerQPS welcomes Mark Wellnitz as our new Director of Business Development! Mark joined our team in December 2017. Mark comes to us with a 25-year background working in sales, marketing and operations for companies such as Land’s End, Spectrum Communications and Wind River Financial.
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Getting to Know Your UPS Batteries: VRLA
/7 Comments/in UPS, UPS Batteries, UPS Maintenance, UPS Service Provider /by Karyn SchairerNow that we have a better idea of our UPS battery options from our previous article, we can take a look at these options individually in more depth. We will start with the most popular option currently, the VRLA UPS battery.
VRLA, or Valve Regulated Lead Acid UPS batteries, are also sometimes called “maintenance free” batteries. This term is a misnomer, as VRLA batteries still require cleaning and regular functional testing. The term “maintenance free” comes from the fact that you are not able to add fluid to the battery. The term “valve regulated “means these batteries limit the inflow and outflow of gas to the cell.
In a standard UPS configuration, VRLA batteries are typically set up in internal or external strings that can range from 1 to 40 batteries, depending on the application they are being used for. You may also see either single or multiple strings running in parallel to each other.
VRLA batteries are the most popular UPS battery type currently. Why the popularity? There are four easy reasons: Continue reading “Getting to Know Your UPS Batteries: VRLA” »
Types of UPS Batteries: The Heart of Your UPS System
/3 Comments/in Battery Maintenance, Safety Awareness, UPS, UPS Maintenance, UPS Service Provider /by Karyn SchairerYour UPS system is one of the most crucial components in your critical power infrastructure, and for your UPS, the batteries are really the “heart” of that system. Even though your UPS needs that heart, batteries are often neglected. In the next few weeks we’ll go into more detail about each type of battery that can be used in a UPS system and the advantages and disadvantages for each type. It should be noted though, that regardless of the batteries you choose, all batteries decrease in their ability to store and deliver power over time. However, if you follow all guidelines for storage, maintenance and usage, eventually you will still have to replace UPS batteries on a schedule to get the best usage out of your UPS.
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UPS Maintenance- What to Watch Out For
/0 Comments/in Preventative Maintenance, Safety Awareness, UPS, UPS Maintenance, UPS Service Provider /by Karyn SchairerWe previously discussed what you should look for when reviewing a proper service contract for emergency back-up power systems maintenance. When you hire a qualified firm to perform maintenance inspections on your equipment, you need to have total confidence in that firm’s level of knowledge and level of execution of inspection and testing. But how do you know what is most important to look for when that firm shows up at your office, ready to perform maintenance? We will briefly discuss what you should be looking for, and also what to watch out for with these inspections. Please be aware that this is an abbreviated list and should not be considered comprehensive.
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The Hidden Costs of Your Service Provider
/0 Comments/in Battery Maintenance, Generator Maintenance, Installation, Service Agreements, UPS Maintenance, UPS Service Provider /by Karyn SchairerYou are feeling good about your negotiations with your new service provider. The discussions about your equipment have been excellent, and your rep really seems to understand your needs. You have a service contract in hand and are ready to sign.
WHOA!
Before you put pen to paper sealing the deal, it is very important to review your service contract carefully before moving ahead. While you think you know what your costs will be for services, you need to beware of potential “hidden costs” that can trip you up and cause headaches in the future. Here are some things to look out for when you are doing that review: Continue reading “The Hidden Costs of Your Service Provider” »
The Four Basic Things You Should Understand About UPS Systems
/0 Comments/in Energy Efficiency, UPS, UPS Efficiency, UPS Maintenance /by Karyn SchairerMany of us who deal with emergency back-up power are often asked to manage a number of complicated systems that require specific attention to parts, efficiency and power quality. It’s a lot to deal with, and it always helps to have some guidance for understanding the basics of these systems. Here are four main things that you need to understand about UPS systems as an overview.
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