How Unique and Customizable UPS’s Can Fulfill Your Niche Needs
A UPS goes unnoticed until it is needed. Power outages are unpredictable and are common during disasters; a UPS keeps equipment up and running during those trying times. In some cases, users simply need time to shut down equipment properly. In others, a UPS may be used to keep hardware running until a generator comes on, or even to keep equipment going for hours or days if necessary. The equipment’s power draw determines the capacity (power rating) a UPS should have.
Key factors in sizing a UPS are the power capacity, the volt amp (VA) and the watt (W) rating. The energy storage type and capacity determines how long equipment will run after the power goes out.
Purchasing a UPS with a capacity larger than the calculated rating is generally better than purchasing a smaller one, provided space is available. This allows some headroom for the addition of future loads to the UPS. A typically stated volt amp or watt rating is for a relatively constant load, meaning it does not include the instantaneous power like startup or inrush current, which can be higher. Some equipment ratings may be in volt-amps rather than watts. In this case, some simple math can be used: watts can be found by multiplying volt amps by power factor (W = VA x PF). The power factor must either be given, or in many cases can be estimated based on the type of equipment and the watt rating provided.