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UPS Technologies
UPS Technologies
Main technologies and applications of UPS systems
With this technical summary we help you to get the proper answers arisen at the selection of UPS systems. We check the m...
With this technical summary we help you to get the proper answers arisen at the selection of UPS systems. We check the main arguments, point of views, the field of usage and the source of supply of UPS technologies.
We also discuss which of our products are belonging to those categories, as the knowledge, the ability and the price highly depend on the applied technologies built in and that requires more advanced technologies if requires more safety, reliability and flexibility.
In our short summary we describe the most common UPS technologies like:
There is a comparison chart for these main technologies at "Downloads" below.
Standby / Off-Line
The cheapest and simplest UPS technology is the Off-Line or called Standby which includes a standby (not continuously running) inverter what runs shortly, only at the event of an outage or at serious problem on mains. This technology runs shortly even at long time problem on mains as its battery capacity generally very low and discharging soon on nominal power, and no possibility for battery extensions.
The cheapest and simplest UPS technology is the Off-Line or called Standby which includes a standby (not continuously running) inverter what runs shortly, only at the event of an outage or at serious problem on mains. This technology runs shortly even at long time problem on mains as its battery capacity generally very low and discharging soon on nominal power, and no possibility for battery extensions.
These units can provide only minimal protection in power supply.
Main features:
- Indications are very simple LED/sound
- Due to the cheap parts, the output of the inverter is not pure/clear sine wave but rather trapezoid and that called as : simulated sine wave, that means a torsioned shape and due to this different shape, there are losses and disturbances in the power network to the protected load.
- Its battery charger generally has bad quality and low power so the bad quality charging reduces the lifetime of the battery and not able to charge more batteries than that minimal one that has. The "home made" extensions of these units with more batteries frequently leads to damage in UPS electronics.
- At the output there is a 4-8ms long transfer time with a power transient effect what causes disturbance and not all the sensitive electronics can able to tolerate this.
- Neither the power nor the backup time (batteries) are extendable.
- That generally has only 1-2 pcs of low capacity batteries.
- Small size and power and low price.
- Offline UPS units are switching to inverter at the event of outage or serious power problems.
- Maximum some minutes of backup time at nominal power.
- That forward all the fluctuations and disturbances of the mains to the load.
- Always has single phase Inverter and that designed to only few minutes of operation at nominal load.
- No spare parts available as the cheap electronics are not economical to service. Many times even the battery replacement has bigger cost than the whole UPS.
- That only has local communication.
Usage: home, home-office, for non critical and low power IT, simple multimedia
Purchase: at several retail IT and multimedia stores, and online shops
Our company is not a distributor of such Off-Line UPS-s
Line Interactive
There are a larger variety of Line Interactive UPSs and are produced in several versions with several options. Their common feature that all of them has an in built Automatic Voltage Regulator, which can increase or decrease the output voltage in some steps of the UPS to be closer to the nominal one, in case of mains voltage fluctuation. Any way the other operation of the unit is identical with the standby units although among this type there are many more sophisticated units equipped with several options and higher reliable parts. At selection you always should go into the details whether that unit can meet the demand or not.
These units due to the AVR and the possible options and reliable parts are generally gives higher protection level and more reliability than the Off-Line ones.
Main features:
- Indications can be simple (LED/sound) or more advanced like parallel communication, remote manageability in different networks an/or detailed LCD display with control buttons.
- The output of the unit can be clear/pure sine wave, but you should check the cheaper versions, whether that only trapesoid (simulated sine wave) that means an aborted shape and due to this deviation, there are losses and disturbances in the power network to the protected load.
- The battery charger still can be weak but there are stronger units at those, where the models has extended battery options.
- At the output there is a 4-8ms long transfer time with a power transient effect what causes disturbance and not all the sensitive electronics can able to tolerate this.
- Power capabilities of the unit is not extendable.
- Line Interactive units switching to inverter at the event of outage or serious power problem. (the inverter is still not design to continues operation)
- Always single phase and relatively low output power (max. 6kVA).
- Size and shapes are various. There are tower, rack and rack/tower versions too. But generally they are also among the smaller sized UPS units.
- Price can be very different according to the quality of the parts, the features and the options, but generally cheaper than the Online Double Conversion units.
- The simpler units has only 1-2 pcs of low capacity batteries but there are extendable units too, where you can connect more battery cabinets too. Here the 30-60 minutes of backup time can be available at some units.
- That still pass through the majority of the mains disturbances although protects somehow form voltage fluctuations due to AVR.
- The Inverter of the Line Interactive units generally designed to short (some minutes) operation at nominal load but there are here good quality units too, generally where there are battery extension options.
- Spare parts only for advanced units.
- The communication capabilities are depends on types, and so there are more advanced units, but always need to check.
Usage: home, non critical IT, simple or advanced multimedia, workstations, servers, network units depends on types and features.
Purchase: at several suppliers, multimedia or IT retails, webshops, online stores or from specialized companies
Line Interactive units among our portfolio: PC615, LP120, TP130N
Double Conversion Online units
Most of the UPS systems, used server rooms and data centers are using Double Conversion Online technology which provides the highest level of protection for important IT.
Most of the UPS systems, used server rooms and data centers are using Double Conversion Online technology which provides the highest level of protection for important IT.
There are many versions of these units from 1kVA to the huge (even MVAs) systems with wide range of options.
The most important features of them the continuously operating inverter which feeds the load independently from the existence of the mains apart from some special operating modes. This feature has many advantage in view of safety and reliability of the protected load.
Main features:
- The output of the units are always clear/pure sine wave even at the cheaper ones.
- The communication options are different according to the type of the units, but at the majority of this technology has remote communication, and many of them has multi channel multi protocol possibilities.
- The chargers generally for larger battery packs and there are extra charging options too.
- The power of the units are extendable at many types for higher load or for higher reliability reasons with parallelization of other units. The modular units are always from this technology.
- No power transient effect at starting battery mode or back to mains due to Online inverter technology and so applicable for any sensitive electronic device.
- Single and three phase systems.
- Size and form factors are vary. There are tower, rack and rack/tower versions too. The single phase units generally demands small space but the high power units demands large space.
- Prices are vary on power, forms and options but generally higher than the same equipped Line Interactive units due to the more advanced technologies.
- The simpler units has only 1-3 pcs small capacity batteries but usually they can be extended with more batteries to extend the backup time and longer demands for 30-60-120 minutes autonomies are not too rare.
- Double Conversion Online technology protects the sensitive IT from most of the disturbances coming from the mains and their output practically independent from their input. This technology eliminates the frequency and voltage fluctuations completely. Some types can work as a frequency converter too.
- The spare parts replacements are solved usually for all types.
- Indications are generally good for all types but depends on the suppliers and models like LED/voice, + advanced like parallel communication, remote manageability in different networks an/or detailed LCD display with control buttons and sometimes with touch panel.
Usage: home office, all IT, simple or advanced multimedia, workstations, servers, network units, server rooms, data centers, security systems, industrial applications or as whole building UPS depends on types and features.
Purchase: usually at specialized companies
Double Conversion Online units among our portfolio: ZY120, AP160N, ZP120N, ZS110, MiniMUST, NS3000, SATURN, Libra PRO, Power CPS, MUST900, MUST400, MUST30-120
Other UPS technologies:
Some producers are using special hybrid or other technology units, but the penetration of them at the market is on very low level with limited support in Hungary.
Some producers are using special hybrid or other technology units, but the penetration of them at the market is on very low level with limited support in Hungary.
