Installation Of A Ups System
Once you have decided to protect your IT equipment or critical loads with a UPS system, there are a number of essential steps to ensure that the UPS is installed with minimum disruption and performs to your expectations. The whole process, from initial planning to the use and maintenance of the UPS after commissioning, is critical to the long-term effectiveness of the UPS.
Here we focus on the practical aspect of the installation process – physically bringing the system into your building, installing and commissioning it.
Careful planning starts with the delivery arrangements; how will the system be transported to your building; do you have a suitable UPS installation site and will the UPS system fit into the space allocated to it?
UPS with batteries are heavy, but they also contain sensitive electronic equipment. These characteristics justify the use of expert contractors equipped with ‘air suspension’ and specialized lifting equipment who can follow the manufacturer’s recommended handling procedures.
On arrival, the delivery team will expect a prepared room with a floor suitable to safely bear the weight of the equipment and positioned to minimise disruption to company personnel and operations.
Humidity and temperature must be maintained in accordance with the UPS supplier’s specifications and the impact of the UPS on the existing air conditioning system must be taken into account. Adequate space for batteries and associated switchgear is essential, as well as space around the equipment to allow access to maintenance work. Additional space for future expansion should also be provided.
Once installed, the UPS system shall be connected to the power distribution system. Most small and medium-sized UPSs have a lower cable entry for the AC input and output cables as well as for the DC battery cables. This can be facilitated either by a cable trench in the floor or by mounting the UPS on a steel plinth sufficient to provide a sufficient bending radius for the cables. If the UPS system is installed in a dedicated computer area, there may be a raised floor to accommodate network and power cables and possibly cooling. In this case, the equipment and batteries shall be mounted on adjustable steel racks flush with the raised floor to support their weight.
For large UPSs, cable entries at the top are typical. This is to accommodate the larger bend radius of the large power cables that are required. Therefore, a top cable restraint system shall be provided to support this.
Wiring Process
The electrical installation of a UPS or a protected power supply system is a specialized task and should only be carried out by the UPS supplier or by a specialized and experienced electrical installation contractor that has been tested and approved. The installation of the UPS must be carried out in strict compliance with the supplier’s instructions.
When connecting to the load, it is recommended to use radial wiring, where each device has its own circuit breaker, rather than ring wiring. This ensures that in the event of an appliance failure, only the local circuit breaker is tripped and no power is lost to the wider distribution network. An external bypass switch shall be provided on the UPS system to allow the UPS to be both physically and electrically isolated to avoid load disturbances during UPS upgrades or UPS maintenance work.
Proper earthing is essential for personnel safety and equipment protection. All earthing points of the system must be connected to a properly planned and safe earthing installation.
All UPS installations shall be completed with a proper commissioning procedure by technicians trained by the UPS supplier. This shall include a complete system equipment and capability check, acceptance of environmental conditions, registration of serial numbers, initiation of warranty coverage and training of users in the operation of the UPS.
