The winter weakening of the ruble went like a skating rink on the possibilities of the IT budgets of Russian companies in terms of purchasing foreign equipment. Nevertheless, the production plans for many remain in force, and no one canceled possible blackouts in the power grids. Below is a helpful checklist for buying and operating an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) efficiently. There are no revelations here, but it does systematize the factors that will help CTOs, purchasers, and operations engineers maximize savings for their organizations' IT budgets.
Savings at the purchase stage
The main rules for saving at the purchase stage are to purchase the best models, not spend money on excess capacity and study the market for profitable offers. However, before looking for discounts and promotions, you should be more precise with the choice of models. Therefore, the first points are just about that.
Choose UPS models without excess power... There are many materials on this topic on the Internet, including quite convenient online calculators for calculating the power of a UPS. At the stage of choosing UPS models, it is advisable to avoid buying power "in reserve". If the rated capacity only slightly exceeds the capacity of the nearest UPS in the lineup, in order to save money, give preference to the model that is closest to the rated capacity of the UPS. The author most often works with Eaton equipment, so an example will be appropriate. So, if you are focusing on the 5th series of Eaton UPSs and the calculation showed that an 866 VA UPS is required, then you can purchase the 5P 850 model (average price $ 240) instead of the next 5P 1150 ($ 350) model in the line. The difference in price of the nearest models can reach about 40%, and similar figures will be in almost any line of UPS.To convert the values of volt-amperes (VA) to watts (W), you can use the calculation calculators from the UPS manufacturers mentioned earlier.
Give preference to models with a battery life extension function. The service life of widespread lead acid batteries (and this is the most expensive part in a UPS) is affected by the rate of plate corrosion and electrolyte drying out. Some manufacturers are developing and implementing technologies to slow down these processes. For example, ABM (Advanced Battery Management) technology, which allows you to increase battery life by up to 50% due to three-stage charging. In addition, with the help of ABM, the user can continuously monitor the condition of the batteries and receive a warning about the end of their service life in advance (60 days in advance). ABM also optimizes charging time, which is important in case of frequent power outages.
Try to keep the same type of UPS fleet in the organization.UPSs of the same type are easier to maintain, plus it is more convenient to remotely monitor such a fleet of equipment using proprietary or third-party software. You can also purchase batteries in batches, which is always more profitable in comparison with the purchase of individual pieces of equipment.
Estimate the real need for a rack-mounted UPS. With the same characteristics in terms of power output and runtime under full load, such UPSs are more expensive than traditional "tower" models by $ 100 or more.
Consider purchasing a UPS with lithium-ion batteries.The average lifespan of lithium-ion batteries in a UPS is up to 8 years, which is about double that of lead acid batteries. Although UPSs with lithium-ion batteries are more expensive to purchase, significant savings are achieved during the operational phase. Of course, not all businesses look so far into the future, for many it is important to “stand for a day and hold out for a night”. But if we are talking about an organization with state participation or a fairly stable medium and large business, then buying a UPS with lithium-ion batteries can be a reasonable way to save money.
Review the quotes from all suppliers.Since UPSs and batteries are standard products, this simplifies supplier selection. Different suppliers may have markedly different pricing policies, including currency conversion rates, volume discounts, and so on. Someone changes prices in real time, tracking the exchange rate, with other suppliers the price changes sporadically. Suppliers may also have marketing campaigns to stimulate demand in the form of extended warranties, discounts on re-purchase, etc. Therefore, before choosing a UPS, we advise you to study the offers of all suppliers in the UPS market and find equipment that is suitable for the budget, but not inferior in quality.
Savings at the stage of ownership
The most common UPS lead-acid batteries are consumables and last about 3-5 years. To achieve battery longevity, it is advisable to follow a few simple principles related to UPS operation.
Provide the correct temperature for the batteries.UPS batteries love to be cool, and this is true both for those batteries that are inside the operating UPS, and those that are stored in the warehouse of the organization pending installation. It is believed that the optimum storage temperature for unused lead acid batteries is + 5 ° C (but not colder). Every 9 ° C ambient temperature above the rated +25 ° C will approximately halve the battery life. Therefore, do not place the UPS next to a radiator or in poorly ventilated or dusty places. Give preference to UPS models that have built-in cooling fans. However, it must be remembered that fans increase the noise level of the UPS.
Monitor the UPS load.Any well-known UPS brand has its own load monitoring software, with which you can remotely monitor loads, including finding overloaded and underloaded UPSs and rearranging them accordingly.
Perform competent maintenance. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations and the regulations described in the instruction manual and on the company's website. When starting up new UPSs or when replacing batteries, ensure that all such units are enabled for Smart Charging, Enable temperature compensated charging, and Enable automatic battery support test. If you do not do this, already existing useful functions may not be used.
Among the additional tips related to saving budgets during the operation phase, you can name recommendations to repair failed UPS (not batteries!) Instead of buying new ones, to avoid UPS models where batteries are replaced not independently, but by specialists from an authorized service center.
For small and micro-businesses (including individual entrepreneurs), who are completely strapped for funds, you can give this advice: ask the price of used UPS from other organizations, including bankruptcy sales. Most likely, the batteries will be there "for replacement", but if the electronics are in working order, then this is one of the options for saving. Especially if the price of a used UPS is correspondingly low. Small businesses and individual entrepreneurs can also get some small funds from decommissioned batteries by handing them over to recycling centers.
Pseudo-economy that costs more
Any desire for savings should be reasonable, and the actions of people who want to achieve savings should be safe both for themselves and for the environment. Therefore, it is better not to do some things.
Do not use vehicle batteries in the UPS. Car batteries emit harmful substances into the air when charged, therefore they should not be used in offices and residential premises. In addition, the design of the plates of automobile batteries is designed to deliver the maximum (starting) current in a short period of time, and not for a long discharge mode.
Do not do homemade battery recovery.On the Internet, you can find publications from UPS users who, according to them, managed to extend the life of lead-acid batteries by injecting them with distilled water. Someone even opened the battery cases and engaged in their artisanal bulkhead. Don't do this! UPS manufacturers will never recommend such actions, since there is a great danger of electrolyte getting on the skin, inhaling acid fumes and getting various kinds of chemical injuries.
We have reviewed the most common ways to save money when buying and operating a UPS. We hope that this checklist will be useful, and we are waiting for comments and additions from readers - what other ways to save "on UPS" they know.