Buying Guide

In an ideal world, your wall socket would provide an infinite supply of perfect power, at constant voltage and cycling exactly once per second.

Uninterruptible power supplies, also known as UPS, are used to provide backup power and protect electrical apparatus from power outages. They can also regulate and protect the attached equipment from abnormal voltages.

Power ratings for UPSs range from 300VA to 5,000kVA in volt-amperes (VA). This rating indicates the maximum load that a UPS can handle, however, it should not be used to determine the precise power load you have.

There are three main types of UPS systems: Offline, Line Interactive and Online.

The shape orientation of the UPS and how it is installed are referred to as form factors. The majority of UPSs fall into one of two form factors: mounted or tower.

The data and audio/video lines connected to your devices are an unlocked back door through which surges can enter and damage or destroy sensitive electronic equipment.

When you purchase a UPS system, you may notice some items listed as additional features.

Power coming straight from the mains is Alternating Current (AC). This form of current alternates the amount of current flowing from the wall to the device connected.

When buying a UPS, it is imperative to consider the total electrical load and the runtime (after power loss) you require.

Runtime is the number of minutes that a UPS can provide battery backup power to connected equipment when utility power fails. Adding devices to the UPS increases power consumption.

UPS systems come in a variety of sizes and form factors.

The number of electrical phases that a UPS receives and transmits is described by its phase, such as a single-phase UPS or a three-phase UPS.