If the current load on a single 750 VA UPS is 89%, then you would get about 4 minutes of backup power — that is 4 minutes if the unit is not defective. 

What is the significance of a UPS?

A UPS, battery backup, provide an uninterrupted source of power to your most important devices.  The most sensitive devices within your organization are your Server, Infrastructure, Firewall, Network Switches, and your desktops.

If you do not have this protection, it allows for company-wide interruption, downtime and loss of employee productivity until power is restored.

What if I run everything on a single UPS?

When a company runs everything on a single UPS, it provides a single point of failure.

If the current load on a single 750 VA UPS is 89%, then you would get about 4 minutes of backup power — that is 4 minutes if the unit is not defective.    If the unit is defective and unmonitored, you will get 0 minutes of backup power.  This is a catastrophic way to run a business.

How can I increase run-time?

In the example above, increasing the size of the UPS to a 1500 VA would increase the runtime as follows:

  • 1 unit:  increases your total runtime to ~12 minutes
  • 2 units increases your total runtime to ~27 minutes
  • 3 units increases your total runtime to ~50 minutes.

Increasing the size of the UPS to 3000 VA would increase your current runtime:

  • 1 unit:  increases your total runtime to ~34 minutes
  • 2 units increases your total runtime to ~47 minutes
  • 3 units increases your total runtime to ~60 minutes.

Battery runtimes are approximate and may vary with equipment, configuration, battery age, temperature, etc. Actual runtime may vary from +/- 15% around these typical values

When should I replace my UPS?

We recommend replacing the batteries in a UPS every 3 years but maximum every 4 years.  This will keep the system running at its optimal level and provide you the backup protection you expect.

Conclusion

Businesses today invest large sums of money in their IT infrastructure, as well as the power required to keep it functioning. They count on this investment to keep them productive and competitive. Leaving that infrastructure defenseless against electrical dips, spikes and interruptions, therefore, is a bad idea.  A well-built power protection solution, featuring high-quality, highly efficient UPS hardware, can help keep your business applications available, your power costs manageable and your data safe. By familiarizing themselves with the basics of what a UPS does and how to choose the right one for their needs, data center operators can ensure that mission-critical systems always have the clean, reliable electricity they need to drive long-term success.

UPS installations must be properly sized, maintained, monitored., and managed as part of a long-term I.T. disaster plan.

More information on the Importance of a UPS click here