A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) system has two main functions: provide seamless power in the event of a power outage and condition incoming utility power so that UPS supported equipment has a clean, stable power source.

Why does a business really need a UPS for if they have a generator that will kick on if there’s a power outage? For any organization with mission-critical power needs, a UPS not only provides an uninterruptible power supply, but several other important functions that protect your short-term and long-term operations.

Most companies know that having a UPS system provides continuous power in the event of a power failure, but its function is different than what a generator might provide. When utility power fails, a generator comes online – but can take 10 to 15 seconds to start, stabilize and begin to provide a usable source of power. Alternately, a UPS system is always online, providing uninterruptible power until the generator can take over. In instances where there is no generator, a UPS with a longer run time can supply power long enough to shut down critical equipment safely.

For sensitive operations such as hospital facilities and data centers, even seconds of downtime can be catastrophic. For other businesses, a UPS system’s power features provide seamless power that prevents negative impacts on your business.

Uninterruptible power supply protects not only from a sudden, total loss of utility power, but also a wide variety of potentially damaging power anomalies. Anomalies such as:

  • Power Failure
  • Power Sag: Low voltage (short term)
  • Power Surge
  • Under Voltage; Brown out
  • Over Voltage
  • Electrical Line Noise
  • Frequency Variation

For companies where any interruption in power is an emergency, such as a surgical facility or 911 call center, the need for a UPS is clear. But for other businesses, it’s important to conduct a downtime cost analysis to understand the financial impact every minute a power outage.

In addition to any lost productivity or product losses a sudden shutdown would cause, there are other factors to take into account, such as reputation and customer satisfaction. Consider this scenario: a grocery store without a UPS backup system in place experiences a power outage.

Here’s a few of the potential impacts that outage causes:

  • Automatic doors fail, creating unease among shoppers.
  • Cash registers go offline, preventing checkout and causing customers to abandon their shopping carts.
  • Customers leave the store. They potentially go to a nearby supermarket, causing the grocery store to lose a sale or worse, permanently lose those customers to a competitor.

The domino effect of a power outage creates an untold number of issues that impact your bottom line and your reputation.

Understanding the full benefits of a UPS system will give you the confidence of knowing that you’re doing all you can to eliminate the risks of power disruption and business downtime.

Learn more about Battery-Lite.