How long is the life of an uninterruptible power supply?

Uninterruptible power supplies provide emergency power to equipment in the event of a failure of the input or mains power supply. But how long do they actually last? In this article, we’ll look at the average lifespan of UPS units and their batteries, what factors affect lifespan, the tell-tale signs of impending UPS failure and much more.

What factors can affect the life of a UPS?

• What factors have a negative impact on the life of a UPS? For example, is it possible to keep your UPS plugged in at all times?
• The life of a UPS is mainly influenced by the environment in which it is used. Factors such as the quality of your power input, the temperature of your batteries and the frequency of your UPS’s discharge cycle.
• Therefore, if you want to get the most out of your UPS, invest in higher quality input power (the cleaner the better), keep it in a suitable environment and aim to not allow the UPS to discharge for more than 2 hours before charging.
• In addition, if your business experiences frequent power outages/outages, this can have a negative impact on your back-up power supply.
• However, what does not affect the life of the UPS is to leave it plugged in; it should always be connected to the power supply.

Lifespan guidelines for Uninterruptible Power Supplies

What is the normal lifespan of a UPS? This depends on the make and model of your UPS (and the environmental factors mentioned above). In any case, a typical UPS should last at least 10,000 hours (e.g., 8 years if you use it for 8 hours a day).

Ultimately, a UPS unit can last between 8 and 15 years, or even longer. This means that your UPS batteries will need to be replaced more frequently.

• Remember that the rating of a UPS battery is determined by the VA (volt-amperes) or wattage value. The higher the wattage, the longer the life expectancy. For example.

  A 350 – 1,600-watt UPS should last three years.

• A 2,000 – 2,500-watt UPS will last for 6 years.

Some high-quality units come with a standard battery with a long life of 10 years.

In addition, UPS units can be rated by their standby time (in minutes). In other words, the longer the standby time of your UPS, the more likely it is that your UPS will fail before it reaches its expected life.

For example, if you have a 1000-watt UPS with 125 minutes of standby time, your backup should last for 8 hours without a power failure. However, if you do experience an extended power outage that eventually lasts longer than 8 hours, then your UPS will need to be replaced.

How can I extend the life of my UPS?

• Keep your UPS in a cool, dry place.
• Store any replacement batteries properly.
• Calibrate your batteries at least once or twice a year.
• Carry out regular maintenance.
• Use energy efficient equipment wherever possible.

What are the signs of battery failure?

When a battery is about to run out and needs to be replaced, strange symptoms will usually start to appear. For example, repeated alarms, flashing panel lights, and unrecognisable terminal displays are all tell-tale signs of battery failure.

When your UPS battery eventually fails, it will no longer be powering your equipment when you need it most (e.g., during a power outage).

• Low battery alarms
• Early discharge
• Any abnormal behaviour
• Short-circuiting
• Ageing

Preventive maintenance is always recommended. Has a trained technician regularly checked and monitor your battery and detect any problems before they deteriorate.

How do I know if my UPS needs replacing?

How do you know when your UPS is on its last legs.

• You are experiencing more power outages than usual.
• Your equipment requires more power.
• If your UPS is struggling to power the equipment connected to it.

Depending on the type of battery used in your equipment – and the manufacturer – you should be able to get a rough idea of when your UPS needs to be replaced. As the chemicals in UPS batteries naturally deplete over time, you may need to replace them every three to five years.

When to replace your UPS system

There are many factors that can influence this decision; however, a general rule of thumb should be around 10 to 12 years.

If your UPS unit appears to be in good working order and shows no signs of ageing, you may be able to get more life out of it, however, at this point, you should start to consider a possible upgrade.

What size should I buy?

UPS units are available in ratings from 300 to 5000kVA, so how do you decide which size is right for you? Firstly, consider your needs carefully (for example, a server room/data center that requires a larger unit).

The best way to do this is to ensure that you always have more kVA than you need to power your equipment. As a rule of thumb, choose a UPS with a VA rating of at least 1.2 times the total load you require. of course, if you expect rapid growth, this multiple should be higher.