Uninterruptible Power Supply for Commercial Buildings

Today’s commercial buildings rely heavily on various electronics. From vast collections of personal and financial data to automated operations and manufacturing technologies, there are thousands of devices we consider essential. Unfortunately, a power outage can damage or destroy these devices, or the data they house.  
Fortunately, there is a way to help prevent accidental damages and losses due to a power outage. Below, the experts with Action Services Group explain commercial uninterruptible power supplies as well as why you need one.  

What is a Commercial Uninterruptible Power Supply? 

An uninterruptible power supply, or UPS for short, is a type of power supply system that provides instantaneous, emergency power. Unlike an emergency power supply or standby power supply that draws energy from the use of fuel via a generator, a commercial UPS utilizes batteries or flywheel technologies to create instant power.  
An uninterruptible power supply for commercial buildings should not be your own backup power source. This is because they are not designed to operate for long. They bridge the gap between a power outage and a backup generator, which can take seconds to minutes to ramp up to full speed. They also buy you time to properly backup data or power off devices that are not considered critical to operations and, therefore, were not connected to the backup generator in the first place.  

We mentioned emergency and standby power systems in the about section, and knowing the differences between these power systems is a great place to start if you are considering one for your organization. We have an entire blog dedicated to explaining the differences between the two power systems, which you can read here. 

Today’s business world heavily relies on the use of computers. Depending on the size of your company, you may have a dozen computers or even thousands. While the computers and hard drives of today offer plenty of ways to back up data, each one takes time and does not happen instantaneously. In the event of an unplanned power outage, this can mean a loss of data or other important files with no way to recover them.  
When the main power fails, a reputable commercial UPS system automatically detects this and instantly sends power to connected devices. This ensures continued power, even when the lights go out. In addition to this, uninterruptible power supplies act as power conditioners. That means they clean power as it filters through them, preventing surges, dips, noise, and distortion from destroying your sensitive electronics.  

Choosing the Right Uninterruptible Power Supply for Commercial Buildings 

There are several factors that you think about before selecting an uninterruptible power supply for commercial buildings. Below are not the only factors but are the top three you should think about.  

• How many systems require uninterruptible power? A commercial UPS unit can only provide power to a certain number of devices, per the manufacturer’s instructions. If you overload your UPS, this can lead to rapid degradation or full-blown failure of the device. Keeping in mind that not every device needs immediate emergency power, those critical to operations, such as computers or essential equipment, each have their own level of required power. This may also affect how many UPS units are necessary, since a device that requires more power may require its own UPS while multiple other electronics may be able to connect to a single one.  

• How long will you need the commercial UPS system to provide this power? The answer to this question varies greatly. Are you looking to bridge the gap before your standby power supply ramps up? Are you looking to provide just a few minutes of power to ensure data is backed up and electronics are properly shut down? Because there are dynamic reasons for using a commercial uninterruptible power supply, separate devices may have different time requirements.  
• Battery or flywheel power: which is best for your needs? The answer to this question is also varied. For smaller-scale operations, battery-powered UPS units provide plenty of power. In fact, most all UPS devices currently in use are battery-powered. However, UPS units that use flywheel technology are also a viable option. Often smaller and lighter, flywheel UPS devices have an extended lifespan. However, they have shorter run times, often supporting efforts for 10 to 30 seconds before a generator kicks on.  

Commercial UPS with Action Services Group 

Because of the nuances with uninterruptible power supplies for commercial buildings, determining the best type and the ideal number of devices can be overwhelming. With so many considerations, that vary not only by building but also by the electronics you intend to connect to it, it is highly recommended that you work with a reputable manufacturer and electrician. 
The experts with Action Services Group have the experience you need when it comes to emergency backup power systems. If you would like to learn more about commercial UPS options, contact Action Services Group today by calling 610-558-9773, email [email protected] or schedule a call.