Just like any other electrical equipment, a UPS calls for proper maintenance to ascertain optimum functionality. However, a UPS that is kept in harsh conditions can malfunction even when attended to on a regular basis.
With more and more companies become dependent on electronic devices and comms rooms, power failure is a disaster that is hard to mitigate, not just due to the inconvenience but ideally the potential of losing a substantial amount of time and money. Uninterruptible power supply maintenance ascertains greater peace of mind that the device will protect the equipment that it’s needed for. That being said, here are the primary reasons for proper UPS maintenance:
Prevent Failure Induced Downtime
Whether you are dealing with multiple computers in the workplace of machines in a production line, power loss to the vital infrastructure can lead to loss of thousands due to the downtime. If the UPS systems fail to switch over or go offline as well, they could compromise the devices that they are there to protect. Ensuring that your UPS systems are well-maintained can help avoid such a situation.
Ascertain Maximum UPS Efficiency
To ascertain the optimum efficiency of a UPS during its lifetime, the capacitors in the device have to be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines. This means ensuring the recommended temperature, humidity as well as cleanliness. Keeping the systems in a tidy, clean, dry and well-lit environment and also ensuring that all indicators and alarms are recorded and reported properly will help optimise the efficiency.
A maintenance programme that’s carefully structured should include servicing to all the system’s primary parts, the battery, generator and the UPS itself. During the maintenance, a complete inspection of the vital components should be done and checked for optimum operation. Meter readings should ideally be monitored, logged and verified for accuracy. Both the local and remote monitoring panel, indicator lamps and communications channels should ideally be assessed for correct status indication.
Prevent Data Loss
Sensitive loads like confidential and personal data stored in data centres are particularly vulnerable to damage due to sags or lags in power supply. Regular maintenance will help ascertain that the UPS continues to work after power loss and that and switchover from the mains to the UPS is done so instantaneously.
Optimise Battery Health
Valve regulated Lead Acid Batteries or VRLA are often used in UPS systems, and they function in ‘float mode’. This means that they continually trickle charge to ascertain the maintenance of full charge. When the UPS needs battery backup power, either in frequent but short or infrequent but long cycles, a discharge of the batteries occurs. As you may have guessed, numerous discharges will ultimately reduce the lifespan of the batteries. They are designed to be standby batteries and so, cycling them many times will only weaken them.
As such, it is imperative to inspect the batteries every 6 to 12 months so that you can accurately predict their life expectancy. This assessment needs to include impedance and load testing in order to give a full report on the batteries’ health.
Do Emergency Repairs
Regardless of how well you maintain a UPS, unexpected failures can happen, and that’s why it’s imperative to have an emergency service available. There are varying levels of emergency covers at different prices to match all levels of cover and cost. Round the clock phone support is usually available, while the time within which the service team arrives on-site is often negotiated.