How Long Does an Uninterruptible Power Supply Last?

How long can UPS equipment supply power? UPS manufacturers have industrial UPS with 10 minutes, 30 minutes and other types. Is the UPS time longer the better? In fact, it is better to control the UPS time within 8 hours. Why is this?

Some users only pursue backup power supply time when they choose UPS, requiring 4 hours, 8 hours or even ten hours, but ignore the reliability and economy of the entire power supply system. This is because:

• Once the high-power UPS has a long backup time, it is necessary to use hundreds of batteries to form a series and parallel connection of multiple groups of batteries. Each battery is a unit of failure to the entire system. Once a battery is damaged, a group of batteries is quickly damaged. The longer the time, the more faulty units, and the lower the system reliability. According to statistics, 80% of UPS system failures come from batteries.
• The longer the backup time, the more money it takes to buy the battery. Taking a 60kVA UPS as an example, the 8-hour battery costs 50% of the entire equipment, and the battery is a consumable item that must be replaced every 3-5 years, which will cause a waste of money.

The UPS consists of two parts: the host computer and the battery. The length of the delayed power supply depends on the capacity of the battery and the lightness of the load. The standard configuration of the battery can only be used for about 5 minutes after the mains is interrupted. If a long delay is required, the merchant will calculate it according to the specific time to be delayed. Determining how much time to extend refers to how long the battery can supply power when fully loaded. For example, it can supply power for 2 hours at full load and 4 hours at half load.

Is the power supply time of UPS equipment longer better? The answer is no. The UPS equipment that needs to supply power for a long time consumes a lot of batteries, has a high cost, and has high system instability. Therefore, customers should consider the cost and stability of the power supply when purchasing a UPS.

How to extend the UPS power supply time?

• First of all, we can connect a large-capacity battery pack outside the UPS, which is very important for extending the power supply time. But we must note that although this method is effective, it is likely to cause a relative increase in the charging time of the battery pack. Human and monetary costs will increase, so a comprehensive evaluation is required when choosing.
• Secondly, if we want to extend the power supply time, we need to keep the UPS environment at a suitable temperature. Generally speaking, the best ambient temperature is between 20 and 25°C, which can greatly increase its service life. This advantage is more important.
• Finally, we can also purchase a UPS system with a larger capacity, which can not only reduce the maintenance cost but also can operate immediately if the load equipment is expanded, which greatly facilitates our operation. Therefore, many people will choose this way.

An uninterruptible power supply that supports a long-term power supply can be purchased from ATO.com. Online interactive UPS from 600VA to 10kVA are available. They are ideal for battery backup, providing reliable power protection for critical equipment at home or work in the event of a power outage, preserving your files and avoiding data loss.