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Standard UPS vs Industrial UPS – What You Want vs What You Need

Standard UPS vs Industrial UPS – What You Want vs What You Need

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Introduction

Choosing a UPS power supply system that is affordable, durable, accessible, long-lasting and works perfectly with your existing power infrastructure can be a bit of an overwhelming endeavour to start with. There are so many different types of power supplies available and plenty of technical specifications that can go over the head of even the most experienced tech professionals. One of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make when choosing a UPS (uninterruptible power supply), is whether to choose a standard UPS or industrial UPS.

Ensuring high-quality, reliable power supply is vital when picking, installing and maintaining your UPS system, so you have to be confident that the model you choose is compatible with your existing infrastructure and has the power capabilities and durability needed for your business. Of course, the needs of every sector are wildly different, and every organisation will have a different existing infrastructure to work with, but the most important things you should consider when choosing between standard UPS and industrial UPS are the physical conditions your UPS power supply will have to withstand, the costs involved with each, the level of reliance you have on the UPS battery and the longevity of the equipment.

What is a Standard UPS Power Supply?

Standard UPS systems, sometimes known as commercial UPS systems, are most commonly found in IT applications, such as data centres, network hubs and computer rooms. Standard UPS systems are generally less durable than industrial UPS systems but are much lighter, easier to install and maintain, and are more affordable than industrial UPS power supply systems.

Standard or commercial UPS systems are most commonly found in industries and applications where the interruption of mains power may cause difficulties for the organization, however, there is no risk of injury or damage to either people or property. In a data centre, for example, the interruption of AC power may well have a big impact on data processing, but the risks involved are much lower than, for example, healthcare systems or nuclear/oil power plants.

This is not to say that commercial UPS systems are not effective, but that they are specifically designed for use with lower-risk applications. One of the most important considerations to make when choosing a standard UPS is the physical conditions it will withstand. The average commercial UPS for computer applications should be kept in an ambient temperature range of 23-35 degrees celsius and with an air humidity of 10-55% for optimum performance. In technological and IT applications, such as data centres, these conditions are kept consistently, not just for optimum UPS performance but for optimum performance of servers and other vital hardware. This makes commercial or standard UPS power supply systems perfect for use in these kinds of environments.

Standard UPS systems are much simpler to install, implement and maintain than their industrial counterparts, as performance testing usually isn’t typically required for this kind of UPS model, and they also use a circuit breaker only, making them much easier to bypass manually if needed. Most commercial UPS systems have a support range of 15-30 minutes, allowing staff at data centres to carefully shut down to prevent loss of data, and will be able to sustain continuous power supply during small power outages. With around 80% of all UPS power supplies made today now going towards IT applications, commercial generators are by far the most popular choice.

What is an Industrial UPS Power Supply?

Industrial UPS systems, sometimes known as battery chargers, environmental UPS systems or WIMES (Water Industry Mechanical and Electrical Specifications), are more durable than their commercial counterparts. They are designed specifically for use in high-intensity, high-impact environments, and in environments where loss of power can have a considerable impact on the physical safety of people, or severe damage may be caused to structures and buildings, making them unsafe.

Industrial UPS power supply systems are designed to function well in temperatures anywhere from 15-55 degrees celsius, in humidity levels of 10-95% and in areas with a lot of dust and contaminants in the air, some of which may be corrosive. They also last for considerably longer than commercial systems, with an average design life of 20+ years, and offer battery support from 60 to 480 minutes (1 to 8 hours), so can survive more significant power outages without any interruption to infrastructure. Adverse conditions like these can naturally reduce the lifespan of the separate parts in a standard UPS, as well as the device as a whole, which is why it is so important for organisations whose power infrastructure will be battling the elements to have an industrial or environmental UPS power supply.

As well as this, many industrial UPS systems can be adapted and designed around your own space and infrastructure needs. Standard and commercial UPS power supply systems come with several different options to ensure optimum performance for your application, while an industrial UPS can be customised entirely to your specifications and infrastructure needs, including containerised solutions. This will come with in-depth design documentation, and often in these applications, you can find that each component will have quality documentation of its own.

Which is the Right UPS Power Supply for Your Business?

There are several very important differentiations to be made between standard and industrial UPS power supplies. Which you choose for your business will depend on several different factors relating to your sector. These include:

Summary

Choosing the right UPS can be tricky and it is therefore important to have expert help and advice. Our team work with you to ensure you have a high-quality and reliable power supply - suited to your own organisation's specific requirements.

To find out more about the different UPS systems and models we have available, simply get in touch with the team at Dale today. We will be able to help you choose, implement and maintain your UPS system to ensure safe, continuous power supply.

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