It’s time to focus on UPS maintenance

It’s time to focus on UPS maintenance 

By Jack Ward, MD of Powermode

Winter in South Africa goes hand in hand with a series of power crises. Load shedding – or as Eskom prefers “rotational load reduction” – is a constant threat. How to counter the power company’s severely-constrained power system and poorly resourced grid? Generators and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems are the go-to options.

Are your back-up, emergency power systems ready to fire at a moment’s notice? Are they in peak condition? Is their servicing schedule up to date?

In winter, a programme of diligent and committed planned maintenance and upkeep is worth its weight in gold. Make no mistake, UPS infrastructures can be complicated, so the services of trained professionals are often necessary to supplement your own activities.

Good preventive maintenance will address the complete UPS assembly from the battery and semi-conductors down to the wiring, resistors, breakers, capacitors and fans. Remember, all UPS components require regular attention to run at maximum efficiency.

Importantly, a well-maintained UPS system will minimise or more likely eliminate costly emergency service call-outs, and could extend the operational life of your UPS systems and their components by 25% to 50%.

Preventive maintenance shouldn’t be something you’ll “get around to,” particularly given the potential costs of downtime to your business – not to mention the inconvenience. Schedule regular maintenance activities and stick with the programme. This includes keeping a detailed record, listing upcoming maintenance activities and the dates on which past maintenance was performed.

In this light, a checklist of tasks, such as inspecting batteries for corrosion, looking for excessive torque on connecting leads and so on, helps maintain a disciplined approach.

Moreover, a well documented history of the UPS infrastructure can be of significant use when planning for equipment upgrades or replacements, or when troubleshooting.

For many UPSs some basic tasks can, and should be performed regularly by assigned staff members - who ideally should become familiar with at least the basics of UPS operation.

A few important DIY UPS maintenance tips are: 

* Regularly inspect of the area around UPS and battery for obstructions and proper cooling.

* Ensure no operating abnormalities or warnings have registered on the UPS panel, such as an overload or a battery near discharge.

* Check batteries for signs of corrosion or other defects.

* Identify a responsible person (or persons) whose job it is to oversee emergency power provisioning and regular UPS maintenance scheduling.

* Know whom to call when you need emergency service or unscheduled maintenance. 

Finally, recognize that UPS components will fail. It may seem obvious, but anything with a finite probability of failure will break down eventually.

Critical UPS components, such as batteries and capacitors, will wear out from normal use. The key is to be ahead of the game and anticipate failures through regular inspections and diligent maintenance.

Find us:

  

www.powermode.co.za