Make sure your breakers are properly sized for your UPS and other data center equipment.
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems are constantly evolving and it is up to building owners and facility managers to try and keep up. UPS systems are like iPhones. Just when you think you have the best system out there – BOOM! – a newer, more reliable system comes along. UPS equipment is always improving: better reliability, lower cost, more capacity, improved monitoring, and new redundant configuration options. So it is important to know exactly what you are buying before you purchase equipment that already is – or soon will be – obsolete.
8 UPS Trends Facility Managers Should Know
- It Starts With Good Design: In the design phase, it is important to make provisions for an easy load bank connection point for easy load testing.
- Offline/Online Conundrum: Offline UPS units, once maligned by industry professionals, are not much more reliable and work as designed as long as proactive battery replacement is performed. Even online UPS units are now being operated in offline or near offline modes to help improve data center energy efficiency.
- Batteries: Did you know Cabinetized VRLA batteries account for roughly 30% of total UPS cost? Be on the lookout for lithium-ion batteries or other battery technology on the horizon. These batteries require less space, recharging time should be much faster, and coup de fouet (the whiplash effect) should be greatly diminished. Did we mention that this should help bring down total UPS cost?
- UPS Cooling: As you know, UPS systems require reliable, redundant cooling. However, over-cooling is a real problem and one we are seeing more and more. The solution is dynamic cooling.
- UPS Redundancy: Previously, the only way to improve UPS redundancy was with a multi-module system configured as N+1, N+2, etc. This typically involved separate, discrete boxes of equipment, field-cable together, and the addition of redundant battery strings. 2N systems, meanwhile, have become the norm for the highest UPS reliability requirements. Now you can get from about 6kW up to 1.6MW in one UPS factory assembly and in a much smaller overall footprint.
- UPS and Generator Harmony: Say goodbye to oversized generators.
- Breaker Heartbreak: Make sure your breakers are properly sized for your UPS and other data center equipment.
- Commissioning: It is important to set aside time and money for proper commissioning to test performance in all normal, bypass, and back-up modes at full nameplate load and at full design load for redundant configurations.
Is it time to replace your UPS System?
Data Center Services throughout Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia
According to Standard University, data centers are estimated to consume around 2% of all power in the United States and cooling these rooms is responsible for roughly 37-40% of a commercial facility’s total electricity use.
At Crockett Facilities Services, Inc. (CFSI), our Emerson, Liebert and Stulz factory-trained service technicians understand the evolving complexities in managing heat loads and maintaining optimal temperatures. Our preventive maintenance programs are designed to protect your IT equipment investment and resolve critical cooling issues before they negatively impact your business.
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To learn more about how Crockett Facilities Services, Inc. can help improve your Data Center, please contact CFSI at 202.600.2787 or sales@crockett-facilities.com. With our mission-critical data center cooling services, we ensure your data centers, server rooms and network operating centers remain operational and functional.
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