Maintenance Managers Guide

Power Quality

Static Uninterruptable Power Supplies

Automatic Maintenance
by-pass
by-pass

Auxiliary AC Mains
AC Mains

Critical load

Batteries

Power Quality

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- Important notice Work, including measurement and repair, on electrical supply systems must be carried out by suitably qualified
personnel using approved methods and test equipment. Since UPS are often high power devices and are connected at a point where the prospective short circuit current is high, only Class 3 or 4 measurement equipment
should be used.
Internal tests and repairs of UPS units must be performed by qualified maintenance personnel from either the
manufacturer or an accredited provider. Safety precautions and warranty requirements must be met. Always refer
to the equipment users manual.

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Why are static Uninterruptible Power Supplies installed?

A static UPS is designed to maintain the power supply to a sensitive or critical load during a disturbance in the incoming main supply and so prevent failure or malfunction due to dips and interruptions. UPSs are used in a broad range
of applications, for example, to eliminate or reduce process disruption in the industrial sector, prevent loss of data and
revenue in the commercial sector and to prevent potentially fatal consequences in the healthcare sector.
Generally, static UPSs are designed to have a back-up time ranging from several minutes to a few hours depending
on the load being supplied, the capacity of the battery and the intended use. In many cases, the support time has to
be just long enough to bring an alternative supply, such as a generator, into service, or just long enough for critical
systems to be shut down in an orderly fashion. Longer support times are sometimes specified but, for larger loads,
require very large battery capacity. Static UPSs are available with load capacities ranging from several tens of VA up
to a few MVA.
Commonly, three different classes of static UPSs can be identified:
1)

VFD,

output Voltage and Frequency is Dependent on the mains supply

2)

VI,

output Voltage is Independent from the mains supply

3)

VFI,

output Voltage and Frequency are Independent from the mains supply

The VFD system can be classified as off-line. Normally, the main supply is fed directly to the load until the input
voltage exceeds a permitted level of deviation. At that point, the UPS supplies the load from the battery, but with a
changeover delay of several milliseconds. This is the cheapest form of UPS, but is not considered suitable for the most
sensitive loads due to the changeover delay.
A more elaborated UPS type is the VI, or line-interactive, UPS. It adds a voltage regulation function over the VFD UPS.
Up to a certain level, the VI is capable of correcting for over- and under voltages by means of variable voltage autotransformer. It cannot correct for frequency deviations.
The most sophisticated type is the VFI UPS, also referred to as double conversion or on-line UPS. The two most distinguishing qualities of the VFI system are that:
1)

it does not have to switch physically between normal mode and battery mode so there is no break in the
supply to the load and

2)

it establishes an electronic firewall between the mains and the load, giving unsurpassed control over output
voltage and frequency. Note that this does not imply galvanic isolation between source and load.

Due to these characteristics the VFI system has found application in a very wide field and is the most commonly used
system. Further discussion in this maintenance guide will be limited to the VFI UPS but many of the points relating to
general maintenance are also applicable to VI and VFD UPSs.

1.1

What is the working principle of the VFI UPS?

In the diagram below, the main components of a static VFI UPS are shown.
Automatic Maintenance
by-pass
by-pass

Auxiliary AC Mains
AC Mains

Critical load

Batteries

Figure 1. Socomec UPS, green power UPS system

A static UPS can be operated in four distinct modes which are discussed below.

Normal
In normal mode a rectifier converts AC current from the mains power supply into DC, charging the battery and feeding
the inverter. The inverter produces AC power from the DC power from the battery. Due to the transformation in the rec-

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tifier-inverter sequence, any current and voltage deviations in the AC mains do not reach the load. In the case of a voltage dip or interruption in the supply, the inverter delivers high quality power to the critical load without interruption.

Back-up
In back-up mode the the inverter delivers power to the load from the batteries.

Automatic bypass
In case of a system failure in either the normal or the back-up mode, or in case of overload or downstream short circuit,
the UPS can switch to automatic by-pass mode. As a result, the critical load is supplied directly from the mains supply or
from the alternative AC source, without any protection. This is a fault condition and requires immediate attention.

Maintenance bypass
In maintenance bypass mode the complete UPS is by-passed and the critical load is supplied by the normal AC source
or an alternative AC source. This mode is intended for use only for short periods while the UPS unit is being maintained or repaired.

1.2

Why should a static UPS be maintained properly?

UPS systems are intended to mitigate the effects of supply power failure so it is important that they are well maintained.
A UPS problem may not be apparent until the system is needed. Preventive maintenance procedures are the key to reliable UPS systems. The following cases show the importance of maintaining uninterruptible power supplies.

The Hospital Case

A hospital management had decided to install an uninterruptible power supply for some essential items of equipment. Because of their desire to limit the effect of potential UPS failure, they installed many decentralised UPS systems in closets, cupboards, cabinets, etc. Confident that their critical loads were protected by the many dispersed
batteries, years went by - until a maintenance manager decided to run a test on all UPS systems.
The results were alarming. Over 50% of the systems failed due to degraded batteries. In many locations there had been insufficient ventilation and ambient temperatures had been well above the recommended value for batteries. As a result the
battery capacities had declined rapidly, reducing the reliability of the system and jeopardizing the safety of the patients.

The ICT Case

Another example concerns two 60kVA UPS units working in a redundant parallel configuration to supply an ICT application.
The customer had chosen not to follow the advice of the manufacturers maintenance staff that the capacitors of the
input filter should be replaced. Within one year, the capacitors failed, causing severe damage to the input rectifier.
While the first UPS was being repaired and the second unit was supplying the full load, the second UPS developed
the same, fatal, filter failure.
Neglecting the importance of UPS maintenance resulted in downtime of the ICT equipment and the loss of two valuable UPS systems long before the end of their useful life.

What kind of problems do UPS systems experience?

2.1

Declining battery capacity

Batteries are subject to declining capacity as they age. Time and (high) temperatures are two important factors that
influence the rate of capacity loss. It is therefore important to check the battery capacity regularly to detect abnormal
rates of decline so that action can be taken. Also, if the total battery capacity has dropped below, say, 80% (or another
predetermined percentage) a battery replacement procedure should be started.
Common battery capacity tests are:
-

battery charging voltage

The charging voltage depends on the battery type, the ambient temperature and the charging current. An
overvoltage may result in overcharging and gassing, a process that is detrimental to the capacity of the battery by corroding the plates. The opposite situation, undercharging, may, apart from not utilising the full
potential of the batteries, also lead to structural damage to battery due to plate sulphation.

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Best practice is to adapt the recharging conditions to the ambient temperature, for example, floating voltage or intermittent voltage charging.
-

monitored battery rundown

In a monitored battery rundown, the UPS is disconnected from the mains supply whilst connected to the
load. The currents and voltages during the (partial) discharge yield information regarding the actual battery
capacity. However, this test should not be done on a frequent basis since each discharge-charge cycle shortens the lifetime of the battery and reduces the back-up time in case of need.

Usually, the internal diagnostic software of the UPS can perform these tests.

2.2

Deviating currents and voltages

The output current of the UPS may differ from the setpoints of the inverter. To detect malfunctioning UPS electronics, regular checks should be performed on the voltage and current feeding the rectifier, and the voltage and current
delivered by the inverter.

2.3

High ambient temperature

When it comes to battery capacity, temperature is one of the most important parameters to control. The optimal
operating temperature for UPS batteries is approximately 20 oC. Typically, battery capacity decreases by 50% to 75%
for each 10 degree increase in temperature. The most common batteries used in UPSs are 9-12 year VRLA batteries.
At 35 C, they will last not more than 4-6 years.
Most UPS batteries are housed in the same space as the converters which generate heat. Therefore, sufficient ventilation or cooling is of paramount importance.

2.4

Clogged ventilation openings

Even when the ambient temperature is maintained at the correct level, encased batteries and other electrical devices
may be subject to overheating. If ventilation openings are clogged, heat cannot be transferred to the surrounding
environment. As a result, electrical components may overheat, potentially increasing the risk of failure and reduced
battery capacity.
It is important to regularly check the ventilation openings for clogging and to clean1 the interior and the exterior of
the UPS.

2.5

Failing cooling fans

Cooling fans contribute significantly to heat transfer from batteries and other equipment. If they stop functioning
heat-related problems will occur. Cooling fans should be clean and run without excessive levels of vibration or noise.
If any of these conditions are not met, corrective maintenance is recommended.

2.6

Deteriorating internal components

Internal components such as (electrical) insulation material, capacitors, cable connections, battery cells etc. may deteriorate due to overheating, mechanical stress, ageing, etc.
Plastic insulation may become brittle and expose electrical conductors, capacitors may swell and cable connections
may become loose, corroded or dirty. Obviously a corrective maintenance procedure should be initiated in such
cases.

How to prevent UPS failure

Regular checks are a very effective way to find and remedy potential problems before a black-out painfully reveals
them. As each situation is different, maintenance managers should follow a programme of regular preventative maintenance provided by the UPS supplier or authorised technicians. Below is a typical list of activities carried out by
skilled technicians during the routine visits2.
1
2

Make sure that any activities are in accordance with cleaning recommendations made by the manufacturer.
Socomec, Innovative Power Solutions, has contributed significantly to this chapter
5

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1.

2.

Software checks

Checking of programmed parameters, and re-setting if necessary

Measurement system calibration.

Battery checks

Autonomous test with effective load

Voltage check on battery blocks, if accessible

Battery room temperature check

Floating voltage compensation according to ambient temperature.

3.

Cleaning electronic circuit cards

4.

Rectifier functional check, compared to factory settings

5.

6.

Measurement of rectifier phase current with and without load (balancing check)

Measurement of floating voltage with and without load (direct voltage)

Measurement of rectifier bridge supply voltages

Alarms and security parameters check

Electronic functional check

Electronic power supplies check

Ventilation check

Inverter functional check, compared to factory settings

Measurement of currents on output filter with and without load

Measurement of inverter output voltages with and without load

Check of the effective load supplied by the inverter voltage (RMS current, peak current, crest factor, active
and apparent power, power factor, voltage and current distortion levels)

Functional test in autonomous mode, including self-controlled frequency

Alarms and security parameters check

Electronic functional check

Ventilation check

Check functionality of mimic panel.

By-pass functional check, compared to factory settings

Measurement of back-up supply voltages

Alarms and security parameters check

Switching test with command from mimic panel

Bypass logic electronic check

Check of the effective load supplied by the back-up supply (RMS current, peak current, crest factor, active and
apparent power, power factor, voltage and current distortion rates).

7.

Mechanical and visual inspections

8.

Installations environment inspection

Nowadays, UPS units are capable of self-detecting malfunctions but it is the maintenance managers responsibility to
check the UPS itself and to act in accordance with any abnormalities encountered.
In summary, correctly maintaining an UPS system does not need much time and effort. As a result, it lies in the power of the
maintenance regime to greatly improve the return on investment in case of significant anomalies in the main power supply.