Nine of the most damaging threats facing your UPS

Nine of the most damaging threats facing your UPS

By Jack Ward, MD of Powermode

 With the frequency of power outages and the critical nature of South Africa’s power grid, it is important that standby power plants, particularly in large enterprises, are inspected, serviced and maintained regularly to the highest standards.

If an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system malfunctions it is almost certainly to be at an inopportune moment. The power has just gone out, the office is in near-darkness and the computer system has shut down. How much data has been lost? How soon can repairs be effected? What is the cost in terms of downtime?

UPS systems are constantly on standby, powering silently in the background. Imperceptibly, they face a number of threats to their wellbeing on a daily basis.

1. Battery failure

Probably the number one cause of UPS failures is the failure of their batteries. Battery life is influenced by many factors including storage conditions, ambient temperature, battery chemistry issues and shelf-life. As a result, battery maintenance should be top of a UPS user’s priority list. A good maintenance regimen will not only help prolong battery life but provide an indication as to when failure is imminent.

2. Transient spikes

Serious damage is likely to be caused to the input side of your UPS – this is the filter/rectifier siting – when a transient spike in the grid-supplied current occurs. Once again, preventative maintenance will help identify the damage and rectify it before catastrophic failure occurs.

3. Lightning

The scourge of Highveld weather, lightning can do serious damage to a UPS system and to the highly sensitive computer systems it is tasked to protect. Don’t be misled into thinking that the UPS constantly protects itself and the equipment load from lightning strikes. It comes down to the amount of energy in the transient. Appropriate repairs can then be initiated.

4. Capacitor failure

As small as a two-rand coin or as large as a Coke can, capacitors, like batteries, degrade over time. Most UPS systems contain as many as a dozen or more of these simple devices that store and release electrical energy. They come in different types and sizes. The effects of time many not be apparent, but a single failure will have a domino effect, leaving the other capacitors to work harder and fail sooner.

5.  Clogged air filters

Dust is the enemy, steadily advancing to block filters and cause progressive overheating of your UPS system. Regular monthly inspections are required to address this problem. The good news is – filters are the least most expensive components of an effective UPS maintenance plan.

6. Contactor failure

Contactors are prime collectors of fine dust and other resistive particles. They require regular inspection and cleaning to ensure optimum performance and guard against premature failures.

7. Power supply malfunctions

Although most UPS systems feature redundant power supplies designed to allow continued operation in the event of grid power outages, it is possible for them to degrade over time. Significantly, input voltage surges result in unexpected stress and overheating. Regular inspections are a ‘must’ if you are to eliminate potential threats of this nature.

8. Sticking or welded relays

The failure-proofing of relays is not usually at the top of the maintenance schedule. However, savvy UPS owners understand that sticking of welded relays may go unnoticed for long periods of time, revealed only when emergency change of state events occur. Appropriate inspection procedures are able to detect problems before they raise their heads.

9. Compromised surge suppression devices

Regular maintenance regimens will most certainly be able to verify that these metal oxide varistor (MOV) devices are fully functional and have not been compromised by excessive transients.

v With unprecedented levels of growth in the backup power market, Powermode boasts a nationwide service footprint in South Africa. We specialise in UPS and generator servicing – performed by trained and skilled technicians - with a focus on distributed enterprises and national retail chains.

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www.powermode.co.za