UPS load balancing electrician

Understanding Field Service Reports Part 3: Balancing UPS Loads

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Our 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. Continue reading “Understanding Field Service Reports Part 3: Balancing UPS Loads” »

External Maintenance Bypass

External Maintenance Bypass – What Is It and When Is It Necessary?

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Businesses 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. Continue reading “External Maintenance Bypass – What Is It and When Is It Necessary?” »

Toshiba, Lithium-Ion batteries, Lithium-Ion cells, UPS batteries

Toshiba SCiB Batteries: UPS Lithium-Ion Technology

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Managers 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. Continue reading “Toshiba SCiB Batteries: UPS Lithium-Ion Technology” »

N1 Critical Lithium Ion UPS

QPS Announces New Lithium-Ion Line of UPS Systems

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Quality 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.

Continue reading “QPS Announces New Lithium-Ion Line of UPS Systems” »

DC plant, telecom, cover photo

The Main Components of a DC Power System

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In our connected, high-tech and high-paced world, tolerance for downtime is simply not acceptable. DC Power Plants are often used in many industries, especially telecom and network applications to ensure clean, reliable DC power is supplied to critical equipment. In our previous two articles regarding DC power plants, we discussed typical applications where they are used the most, some of the advantages they provide, and how to best maintain these systems. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at these components to better familiarize ourselves with what is going on inside this system, and their benefits.

Continue reading “The Main Components of a DC Power System” »

Battery testing and inspection

DC Power Plant Maintenance: Keeping Businesses Running

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In our last article, we discussed DC power plants, what they are, and how they are often used. Just like any back-up power system, DC power plants need regular service checks and maintenance performed to work optimally. It is important to state that DC plants, although similar to the function of UPS systems, have many functional differences and require unique training when performing annual maintenance. During a preventative maintenance visit a technician will usually isolate individual rectifiers and charging components to evaluate function and longevity. This practice helps to reduce the risk of a potential failure before it happens. Continue reading “DC Power Plant Maintenance: Keeping Businesses Running” »

generator, open, yellow

It’s Spring Cleaning Time: Tips to Spruce up Your Generator

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For many of us, the arrival of spring means spring cleaning. When dealing with critical power equipment, spring maintenance is especially important to make sure your generator systems are in top working order, and is a great time to see how your unit fared over the winter. Any time of the year has potential for utility outages and the 2017 Eaton Blackout Tracker  has shown that power outages in the US are on the rise. In fact, last year there were over 3,526 noted outages with an average outage duration of 81 minutes. To keep your facility online and  running smoothly, here are a few tips to keep your emergency power in great shape.

Continue reading “It’s Spring Cleaning Time: Tips to Spruce up Your Generator” »

A close up of a person pulling out a UPS module.

Modular UPS: The Building Blocks of a Critical Power System

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For years, data centers have used multiple high capacity UPS systems to obtain “N+1” redundancy and ensure high availability of power for their critical systems. More recently, the trend has been to use smaller modular systems that can scale with load demand. In fact, modular UPS systems are one of the fastest growing product in the 3 phase UPS industry, expecting to reach an estimated $2.5B in sales by 2020.

Using a modular UPS design can also allow for different types of scalability that you may not get from a more conventional UPS. We will explore how this set-up typically works, advantages and key considerations for a modular UPS, and show examples of some of the more common modular UPS systems in the market today. Continue reading “Modular UPS: The Building Blocks of a Critical Power System” »

units, server, modular.

Three Things To Know About UPS Scalability

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Scalability 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” »

Lessons Learned from the CES 2018 Power Outage

Lessons Learned From The CES 2018 Power Outage

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Darkness 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” »