UPS Battery Service
UPS backup batteries keep systems online during power surges and outages. This saves data and prevents expensive equipment repairs or replacements, loss of revenue and decreased productivity.
Battery testing and maintenance is essential to maximize UPS system availability. UPS battery service can be costly, time-consuming and even dangerous if not done properly.
Cost-Effective
UPS battery service is often less costly than you might think. In addition to reducing the risk of unplanned downtime, it can also save money in other areas.
Many newer UPS systems use lithium batteries, which have a lifespan two to three times longer than lead-acid batteries. A service company can test your UPS battery to determine if the internal resistance is increasing and will replace only the necessary cells, reducing maintenance costs and downtime.
In a power-outage situation, the UPS taps into its battery for backup and feeds power to the equipment plugged into it. This can be enough to keep computers and devices running for the duration of the outage or even longer.
The most common type of UPS battery is the lead-acid unit, but there are several other types that can be used. Some are lightweight and require little upkeep, such as the lithium-ion battery or nickel cadmium batteries. Some are more durable, such as the valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery, which is sealed in polypropylene plastic and cannot be tampered with.
Regardless of the UPS battery type, it is best to have them inspected and tested by a trained field technician. This will allow for a precise UPS battery service determination of the remaining battery life, as well as an accurate assessment of the capacity and redundancy of your system.
Time-Saving
UPS batteries offer a variety of benefits for homes and businesses. They provide backup power during power outages or fluctuations, protect expensive equipment, save energy costs and minimize downtime. However, they need to be serviced in order to continue offering these benefits. UPS battery maintenance includes removing loose connections, cleaning the chassis and performing run-time tests.
UPS devices have various alarms that suggest it is time to change the batteries. Depending on the model, these can include audible alarms, LED indicators, LCD displays and management software. However, it is important to note that these are only indicative and can cause a significant reduction in battery performance if not attended to quickly.
Taking a proactive approach to UPS battery maintenance is one of the most cost-effective and effective ways to ensure your emergency power system continues to operate at peak performance. Whether you’re replacing a single internal battery in a larger UPS or an entire string of batteries within a smaller unit, this type of maintenance has been UPS battery service shown to significantly reduce the risk of unexpected downtime and associated repair or replacement costs.
In addition, a trained technician can also identify and test each battery in a string down to the cell level. This helps avoid putting unnecessary strain on the remaining healthy batteries, which can shorten their life expectancy. This is particularly important for VRLA batteries, where a failing battery can affect the health of the entire string.
Environment-Friendly
UPS batteries are electrochemical devices that have a limited operating capacity. Even if the best possible storage, use and maintenance guidelines are followed, their operational life will eventually run out. When this happens, they must be replaced in order to ensure maximum reliability.
UPS battery recycling is a highly regulated activity and requires expert knowledge of the relevant environmental regulations. As a result, it’s essential to work with a UPS battery service provider that can provide all of the services necessary for proper disposal of old batteries. This includes arranging for the delivery of disposal bins, ensuring that all batteries are removed from site intact (as opposed to being split) and transporting them for recycling.
Battery disposal is especially important in data centers where the risk of acid leakage poses a major health and safety hazard for staff members. A leaking battery will ruin other critical IT equipment and in extreme cases may cause the UPS system to combust, which could lead to significant business interruptions.
Newer UPS batteries with lithium ion technology provide longer run times and more power in the same footprint compared to older VRLA based solutions. This translates to reduced cooling requirements and a reduction in overall weight, further contributing to the environmentally friendly benefits of UPS battery systems. As data centre owners look to reduce their carbon footprint, it’s important that they continue to focus on improving the energy efficiency of their infrastructure and minimizing power consumption. UPS battery systems play a key role in this effort and offer the opportunity to achieve greater sustainability by delivering clean, consistent power that helps offset data centre energy demand.
Convenient
With UPS power backup solutions, you can have a constant and steady electricity supply for your devices. They can protect them from varying power conditions such as flickering lights, surges and drops in voltage and provide high-quality power to sensitive equipment like computers and servers.
Aside from protecting equipment during power surges and outages, UPS battery systems can also help you adhere to industry norms and regulations. Unlike other power backup systems that take hours to turn on, UPS batteries can instantly supply backup power to keep your critical IT equipment working in the event of a power outage.
You can choose from a variety of UPS types depending on your needs. Standby UPSs wait until a problem occurs and then switch on, while line-interactive UPSs regulate incoming power so it’s cleaner and more efficient. Lastly, double conversion UPSs offer continuous power, making them better for data centers and protecting high-end servers.
Regardless of the type of UPS you use, every battery has a specific lifespan that you should be aware of. You should check the date code of your battery and look for signs that it’s reaching its end-of-life. Generally, it’s recommended to replace your UPS battery in the 3-to-5-year range.
