Table of Contents
What is UPS?
UPS is the abbreviation for the English phrase: Uninterruptible Power Supply which means: system that provides continuous power supply.
Unlike other backup power systems, UPS provides power almost immediately after a power outage by storing electricity in advance in batteries, accumulators, supercapacitors, or flywheels. However, the power reserve time is relatively short (only a few to a few dozen minutes), just enough time to turn off the device safely.
UPS is often used to protect electronic equipment such as computers, data centers, telecommunications equipment, or other electrical equipment where sudden power interruption can cause injury, death, business interruption, or data loss.
UPSs vary widely in size and storage capacity; from small, only protecting one personal computer to large in size and capacity, enough to protect a data center or building. The world’s largest UPS with a capacity of 46 Megawatts is located in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, providing power to an entire city and surrounding areas in case of a power outage.
Not just for saving electricity
Although the main job of a UPS is to provide power for a short time after a power outage, most of them are capable of adjusting grid problems such as:
Voltage drop
Voltage jump
Low voltage for long periods
High voltage for long periods
Electrical interference
Abnormal frequency
Frequency distortion
Usually, the UPS’s ability to adjust to grid problems is clearly stated by the manufacturer in their user manual.
Parameters of a UPS
UPS has many types and different parameters such as topologies (roughly translated: topology), 3-phase or 1-phase UPS, form factor, Redundant deployment architecture, Hot-swap, and Control software,…
However, the scope of the article will only cover the parameters users need to know to choose to buy a UPS for computers and a few devices in the home.
To choose to buy a UPS, you need to pay attention to the following parameters:
VA and capacity index
- VA index, also known as VA Rating, is the capacity that the UPS is designed to load, unit: Volt-Ampere (VA). To determine the VA Rating your UPS needs, follow these steps:
Make a list of devices that the UPS will protect
Determine how many VA each device will draw by multiplying the number of Volts (usually 220V) by the number of Amps.
Add up all the VA of the devices
Multiply that number by 1.2 to ensure UPS longevity
For example: You want to buy a UPS for your computer and want to protect the network modem as well. After looking at the Volts and Amps parameters on the label and multiplying them together, you get:
Machine case: 350VA
Screen: 40VA
Network modem: 10VA
So the UPS rating you need will be: (350+40+10)*1.2 = 480VA
- The unit of UPS capacity is Watt (W). To calculate the UPS capacity you need, you also add the total capacity of the devices together. And the total capacity of the devices connected to the UPS must not exceed the output capacity of the UPS.
Some manufacturers, for some reason, do not publish the capacity of the UPS, then you can multiply the VA index by 0.6 to estimate the capacity of the UPS you need.
Note:
If you connect devices with a total VA and/or capacity greater than the VA and/or capacity of the UPS, your UPS may short circuit, fire, explode, etc.
If you plan to connect a motor-driven device such as an electric fan or printer to the UPS, multiply the VA number and capacity of this device by 1.5 to ensure adequate VA and UPS capacity requirements when the device starts up. In general, you should not connect the UPS to motor-powered devices.
Secondary features
Of course, not every UPS is just a battery, many UPS will have a few additional user support features, below is a list of some of the features that can be found on the UPS.
Secondary connection port
Most UPSs incorporate USB, DB9, and/or other communication ports that allow for power management and automatic shutdown when left unattended if the system loses power.
Multi-function LCD screen
An LCD can allow advanced features of the UPS system to be accessed without the need for a computer. It can display useful information such as input voltage or battery capacity. (Some UPS systems with multiple LEDs also display this information, although less accurately.) LCDs often have a backlight. If you plan to use the UPS system in a dark environment, make sure you can dim the backlight to minimize distractions.
Lithium batteries
Some UPSs have lithium-iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. Compared with lead-acid batteries, lithium iron phosphate batteries have a longer life, more cycles, and charge faster to 100% capacity.
Protected data port
Some UPSs are equipped with switching ports, allowing connections such as LAN to filter out electromagnetic pulses that could damage sensitive equipment.
Some types of UPS sell well
Currently, HNC is selling many types of UPS with VA ranging from 500 to 10,000, and capacity from 300W to 10,000W. However, higher capacity means higher prices, so for certain needs, the following product codes are often chosen by customers.
UPS FSP 600VA Interactive FP600
With a capacity of 360W and a very cheap price, this UPS is the perfect choice to store power for an office computer or network router. UPS is also often chosen by homeowners to store power for the camera system under 4 eyes, in case intruders intentionally cut off power to break in.
UPS Santak 1000VA/600W (TG 1000)
With a load capacity of 1000VA and a capacity of 600W, this is the cheapest UPS capable of storing power for a mid-range gaming computer system or a camera system and network equipment of 8-16 cameras.
UPS Ares 3000VA (AR630)
With an outstanding capacity of 2400W, Ares’s UPS is a bright spot in the price range of $260 and is often chosen by businesses and small offices to store backup power for about 5 computers.