A UPS power supply system comprises of various electronic components, but it’s the battery that makes it uninterruptible. A single bad battery within a UPS battery string creates a risk of downtime for data centres, healthcare facilities and manufacturing plants among other sites; battery failure accounts for more than half of all UPS power supply system failures.
No matter if the battery system is Valve-Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA), Vented Lead Acid (VLA), or Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad), it is by far the most vulnerable and most failure-prone part of your UPS. This is why regular maintenance of these batteries is critical to ensure battery health and backup power is ready when needed. The same applies to generator batteries.
Battery maintenance and battery management help you keep track of your battery life, battery cycling and battery capacity, not to mention energy storage. Testing battery voltage, open circuit voltage, battery load and battery cells, as well as inspecting battery components and connections, are all part of good battery maintenance. Battery management can prepare you for battery failure, ensuring a plan is in place for battery replacement, and that this process will be hassle-free. Battery management is of the utmost importance for key service providers such as hospitals, telecommunications and transport, as well as businesses that function 24/7, such as data centres
There are several good reasons to keep on top of your battery maintenance. Here are our top three:
Reduced Downtime: The best way to avoid costly downtime is to monitor your UPS power supply equipment, generators and all the additional components that comprise them. Systematic battery inspections, battery testing and battery cleaning by trained battery technicians ensure the various mechanical and electronic components are functioning to their maximum potential. Any wear and tear and potential failure can be identified and resolved before a battery failure happens.
Improved Battery Performance: Regular battery maintenance ensures peak performance through scheduled check-ups that guide adjustments to your battery. If any part of your battery, UPS power supply system or generator isn’t working properly, it puts more stress on the rest of the power system, slowing performance and shortening the life of those parts.
Equipment Protection: While the most obvious financial benefit of preventive maintenance is avoiding expensive outages and associated replacement costs, battery management and battery maintenance can also extend the operational life of your power and cooling equipment. Without proper servicing, even the best UPS and generator are significantly more likely to fail when you can least afford it. By monitoring the battery, its load and its rated capacity, available capacity, and keeping them in top condition, you can maximize the life of your critical power equipment.
There are many signs of existing or upcoming battery failure. These battery failure signs include:
Local Action – A slow-paced chemical reaction between a battery’s plates and trace impurities can slowly discharge a standing battery. Manufacturers suggest charging any wet lead batteries shipped three months before installation and any NiCd batteries shipped 12 months beforehand. Battery chargers should most certainly be connected to the standby generator set to maintain a minimum float charge that compensates for local action discharges.
Cell Voltage – Cell voltage is critical to correct battery operation. Any deterioration from recommended levels in any cell should definitely be determined, recorded and tracked on battery maintenance charts. Just one cell with low voltage can drop total battery voltage, which can damage equipment and result in too low power to start a generator engine.
Cell Balance – One cell that fails to charge equally with others also presents a problem. An undercharging will cause gradual sulfation of negative plates and lower battery life or the capacity of lead acid batteries. Overcharging corrodes the grids of the positive plates.
Specific Gravity (SG) – SG illustrates electrolyte weight. Heavier electrolyte suggests a heavier charge. Low SG tends to show plate sulfation, cell deterioration and lowered battery capacity.
Water Use – All batteries – with the exception of valve regulated types – use water. Using a maintenance chart to track the rate at which water is added will determine excessive use. The reasons for any increased water usage must also be determined.
Battery Connections – Terminal connections can loosen, leading to extreme heat.
Battery Cleanliness: Dirt on the top of your battery can cause conductivity between the poles. Dirt will also hide other problems such as leakage and loose connections.
Reduced Capacity – Reduced capacity can hinder a battery’s capacity to crank the generator’s engine during start.
A backup critical power system relies on comprehensive maintenance and servicing of all its parts. Dale provides a battery maintenance and replacement service. We will provide help and advice to ensure you have critical power when you need it the most. To learn about our battery maintenance contracts and battery service contracts, please give us a call today on 0330 999 3000.