Uninterruptible Power Supplies
An uninterruptible power supply, commonly known as "UPS Power Supply" is a device that is designed to supply power to your computers, servers and data centres in case of main power failure, electrical surge or unexpected power cut off. These devices contain a battery that guarantees power to your computer system for a certain period of time, creating a time period long enough for saving the current task and shutting off the computer. For further reading, see our complete guide to uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).
UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply Types?
There are several types of UPS systems available on the market:
- Online UPS - A system of supplying power by converting AC input (utility power) to DC and reconverting it to stable AC by the inverter while constantly charging the batteries. Supplies power without momentary power breaks in the event of a power outage.
- Standby UPS - A system where, normally AC input (utility power) is output as is to connected devices and when a power outage or abnormal voltage is detected, inverter starts feeding using power from the batteries. In the event of a power outage, a few milliseconds of momentary break occurs in AC output.
- Parallel processing UPS - While power from AC input (utility power) is supplied, the bidirectional inverter connected in parallel corrects voltage and absorbs noise. Because this is the online inverter (parallel) system, it has both high efficiency and high reliability.
- Hybrid UPS - This system consists of three modes: double conversion mode, economy mode, and active filter mode. The UPS automatically selects the power feeding mode to best suit the power situation and load conditions. It is possible to shift between the respective modes with no momentary break in output voltage. Double conversion mode is selected when the power situation is poor and economy mode is selected when the power situation is good.
How to choose the right UPS device
A UPS power supply may vary in the backup time, size, numbers and type of communication ports. Some more expensive models are equipped with an intelligent system that automatically shut down connected devices to ensure that no data is lost and the device shutdown is safe. All of these aspects need to be considered before making the final decision on buying one model or another.
