FAQs

What is a 10 years battery?

10 years is the generic term given to high integrity batteries that fully comply with IEC60896-2 in terms of construction, performance and design...

How Do I Size A UPS Correctly?

There are several factors that influence sizing a UPS system, including the combined load of all the equipment the UPS will...

What Is Galvanic Isolation?

Galvanic isolation separates the input and output supplies to a device so that energy flows through a field rather than via...

What Is A Supercapacitor?

A supercapacitor is a high power density energy storage device that can be used in smaller UPS systems (up to 30...

What Is An 'Offline' UPS?

Offline UPS - also referred to as VFD (Voltage and Frequency Dependent) or Standby UPS - offer the most basic level of power...

Do I require a 12 Pulse rectifier or Input filter with the MHT range of UPS?

By selecting a UPS from our MHT range you can rely on the advanced rectifier design to dramatically reduce input current harmonics to <3%,...

What does Autonomy mean?

The battery duration at a specified load level is referred to as the battery “autonomy”. A UPS battery can be sized to support loads...

Why do you need a UPS?

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is used to protect critical loads from utility-supplied power problems, including spikes, brownouts,...

Can I support Air-Conditioning on my UPS?

Air-Conditioning can be considered as a “dirty” load due to continual switching causing voltage and current spikes and surges. The UPS...

What Is Load Shedding And How Can It Extend UPS Battery Runtime?

Load shedding is deliberately reducing the total load placed on a device or network. With uninterruptible power...

What Does An Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) Do In A UPS System?

Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS) are typically used to provide resilience for smaller uninterruptible power supplies (below 10 kVA)...

Why choose 'Transformer-based' or 'Transformer-less' UPS?

Transformer based Traditional technology, typically available from 10 kVA, suitable for industrial applications, galvanic isolation with inverter...

What is the PRTK code?

It is a code inherent to the UPS communication protocol and can be found either on the plate on the back of the UPS itself or, for large UPS,...

What Does An Automatic Voltage Stabiliser Do?

Also known as an Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) or Voltage Regulator (VR), an Automatic Voltage Stabiliser (AVS) stabilises the...

What Does A UPS Parallel Systems Joiner Do?

A Parallel Systems Joiner (PSJ) is an output power coupling switch that enables two independent groups of UPS operating in...

How Does Temperature Affect Batteries?

High ambient temperature is the most important factor that influences UPS battery ageing and can cause premature battery failure. Higher...

What Is Electrical Noise?

In electronics, ‘noise’ is an unwanted high-frequency disturbance or interference with the...

How can I remotely monitor my UPS system?

There are two ways in which you can monitor your UPS remotely. One option is to install a wall mounted Remote Panel (MultiPanel) that connects to...

When Should You Use Emergency Power Off (EPO) With A UPS System?

Emergency Power Off (EPO) functionality enables an uninterruptible power supply and other related equipment such as...

What Are Voltage Spikes And Transients?

Spikes and transients are fast-moving, high-energy bursts lasting for just a few milliseconds that are superimposed onto the normal mains...

What Does Power Factor Mean With A UPS?

Power factor (pf) is the difference between actual energy consumed (Watts) and the apparent power (Volts multiplied by...

What’s The Difference Between Parallel Capacity (N) And Parallel Redundancy (N+) UPS Systems?

Uninterruptible power supplies operating in parallel refers to when the outputs of two or more UPS are connected to supply the load...

What is a Temperature Compensated Charger?

Variations in ambient temperature presents the greatest threat to battery installations. Special circuitry can be incorporated in the UPS to...

What’s In An Onsite UPS Crash Kit?

Crash kits are handy collections of the spare parts and consumables in a UPS system that require repairing or replacing the...

What Role Do Fans Play In A UPS?

Uninterruptible power supply fans play a crucial role in keeping electronic components such as the inverter and rectifier...

What Is UPS Efficiency And How Is It Calculated?

UPS efficiency is based on how much of the original incoming power is needed to operate the UPS. For example,...

Input filters or 12 pulse rectifiers?

With current recommendations demanding lower levels of input harmonics (THDi) it is more common for larger systems to require some form of input...

What Is Battery Impedance Testing?

Impedance testing for batteries is a non-intrusive way of preventing battery failure by identifying early signs of weakness...

What Does A Power Conditioner Do?

A power conditioner is a device used to protect sensitive loads by smoothing out voltage fluctuations such as spikes,...

How Is UPS Resilience Measured (MTBF, MTTR, Availability)?

There are two key concepts to measuring the resilience of an uninterruptible power supply: Reliability covers the ability of...

Can I add more UPS modules to the system when my load increases?

Yes, the MST, MPS and MHT ranges employ a plug and play parallel system that allows additional units to be added to an existing system at a later...

Considerations when choosing a UPS and Generator combination?

It is usually beneficial to deal with one supplier for both items as this eliminates the potential conflict if the equipment does not work well...

What is a Brownout?

A brownout, sometimes also called a ‘sag’, is a "dip" in the voltage level of the electrical line. When a brownout occurs,...

What is a Blackout?

A blackout is when the power totally fails. The damage that a blackout causes to your system depends a great deal on its timing. If the system is...

What Is A UPS Factory Witness Test?

Witness testing for UPS systems takes place prior to full site installation and commissioning. It simulates real-life...

What Do The Different Emergency Response Times For UPS Repairs Mean?

Emergency Response Times when there’s a fault or failure with an uninterruptible power supply should be clearly spelled out in the...

What’s The Difference Between A Voltage Sag And A Surge?

Sags and surges both relate to short-term fluctuations in the mains power supply voltage. A Sag is a dip below the...

What is a Bypass Switch?

Static Bypass switches are used to bypass the UPS normal operation, in cases of high inrush or fault conditions. Manual bypass switches are an...

Cascade or Parallel redundancy?

UPS systems can be designed to operate in parallel to increase reliability (redundant systems) or to increase load handling capability (full...

When would I need a Generator?

Generators are usually used where there is likelihood that the load cannot be off for any length of time or in areas where the mains supply is...

What is ECO mode?

ECO mode is often referred to as 'Active Standby' and is mainly used on sites where the general mains supply is relatively stable or the...

What are the differences between 'Online' and 'Offline'?

Off-line (VFD) systems are usually low cost products designed for a simple one or two user PC installations, they offer little or no protection...

What should be considered when buying a UPS system?

Existing Installations Consider a central back-up system to eliminate expensive re-cabling. Wise to involve a company specialising in power...

What are the benefits of an external maintenance bypass switch?

Capability for total isolation for UPS maintenance, with no disturbance to the load. Greatly reduced cost and size when compared to other...

What are the main components of a UPS system?

Rectifier Converts AC voltage to DC voltage, recharges the batteries and maintains float voltage, handles overloads and buffers surges, can...

What should be considered when selecting a battery?

Type of enclosure - Sealed or Vented - Design life 5, 8 to 10 or 10+ years - Standard or BS6290 part 4 compliant - Battery Autonomy - Floor...

Why Do I Need A UPS Site Survey?

Site surveys are essential to help customers get the best UPS system to meet their specific circumstances and budget. They...

What’s The Difference Between A Critical And Non-Critical Load?

Critical loads directly affect an organisation’s ability to maintain key operations and must be kept running during a mains power...

Why install a Bypass Isolation Transformer?

When generators are installed, it is common to use four pole changeover switchgear or contactors when transferring from mains to generator,...

What Are The Different Types Of UPS Battery Testing?

Battery maintenance and testing is crucial to the continued performance of a UPS system. There are a variety of...

What does the 'Design Life' of a battery mean?

Battery quality can be determined by the ‘design life’, typically between 5-12 years for VRLA batteries. The ‘design...

What is a Static Inverter?

A static inverter is virtually the same as a UPS system except they are configured to operate in 'active standby' mode with the bypass...

Different Types Of UPS Batteries

There are three main types of batteries used in uninterruptible power supplies: Nickel-Cadmium, Lead-Acid, and Lithium-Ion. There...

What Should A UPS Preventive Maintenance Visit (PMV) Include?

Preventive Maintenance Visits (PMVs) are one of the key services included in an ongoing UPS maintenance plan. It is recommended that a...

What Does A UPS Group Synchroniser Do?

A UPS Group Synchroniser (UGS) is a device that harmonises the outputs from two separate groups of UPS systems operating in parallel,...

Single or Three phase UPS?

There are many aspects which affect the choice of module. Totally single phase units are rarely available beyond 20 kVA, above this size it is...

What’s The Role Of Capacitors In A UPS System?

Capacitors in an uninterruptible power supply help to smooth, filter and store energy. A UPS includes dozens of different capacitors in both...

What’s The Difference Between A Central Power Supply System And A UPS?

Central Power Supply Systems (CPSS) are a specific type of standby power solution used with emergency and...

What is a 'Line Interactive' UPS?

Line interactive technology sits between offline and online. The load is fed from mains during normal operation, however unlike...

What’s The Difference Between Linear And Non-Linear Loads?

AC electrical loads are referred to either as linear or non-linear depending on how they draw current from the mains power supply...

What is ECO mode?

What does Autonomy mean?

What should be considered when selecting a battery?

What does the 'Design Life' of a battery mean?

What does the 'Design Life' of a battery mean?

What should be considered when buying a UPS system?

Why choose 'Transformer-based' or 'Transformer-less' UPS?