UPS Maintenance and Repairs

Introduction

An Uninterruptible power supply (UPS), is an electronic gadget that is used to hold emergency power load when electricity from the normal grid fails. These gadgets provide a smooth power support when electricity goes but can only do so for about 15 minutes within which someone has the chance to properly shut down their electrical implements without the danger of losing information or damaging the devices.

UPS systems are diverse in size and also in capability. The most common ones are those that are used to protect PCs but large ones exist and these are used to protect entire information centers, telecommunication gadgets and other electrical equipments within an office building.

In this article we shall see how a building’s UPS system repair and maintenance is carried out. Later, we shall learn what a system’s manager ought to do in order to get the best service for his UPS equipment.

The Standard Guidelines

In order to ensure that a facility’s uninterruptible power supply system is running properly, regular assessments should be done from time to time so as to prevent the danger of getting caught unawares by a problem that could have been prevented early. Remember that the UPS maintenance or repair should be done by qualified staff and should involve the following rudiments.

To begin with, general visual inspections should be carried out once every four months to ensure that the system does not have any loose connections and that no wires are exposed inadvertently. In case of the wear and tear of wire insulations due to overheating, the problem should be analyzed properly by an electrician and repairs conducted or pieces replaced depending on the extent of the damage.

In every six months, supervised cleaning and more so vacuuming of the system’s compartment should be done to ensure that dust does not clog the machines. The batteries and capacitors should also be checked to ensure that there is no leakage which may cause extensive damage to the entire systems if left unchecked. In case of such breach the leaking components should be replaced immediately and the fluids wiped dry.

The heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment should also be tested half yearly or as often as the conditions dictate to ascertain that the temperature levels are within limits and that humidity is at a minimum low. If it is discovered that the system is at risk due to humidity for example, the engineers may decide to get special equipment to dry out the humidity in the UPS room or redesign the layout to minimize exposure.

Every year, a more serious assessment should be conducted including a computerized fault diagnosis exercise even if there are no obvious problems with the system. The batteries should be tested to ensure that every single cell is up to task and if one is dying out it should be replaced in order to maximize performance.

Thermal scans should be conducted to ensure that no wires are overheating and that at every connection the plugs are fixed properly and tightly with no risk of becoming lose every now and then. This should be done without fail even if there are no visible indications of loose connections since such things may easily escape the eye of the most experienced UPS maintenance personnel.

After two years it is recommended that an electrical engineer evaluates the system’s circuit breakers, switches, bypass and any connections made to a stand-by generator if any. In fact, such a generator should also be examined at least 3 times a year or more often so as to keep the system running smoothly and perfectly.

Depending on the nature of the facility and the level of business carried out there it might be necessary to ensure that the UPS system is backed up by an alternative power supply source and in this case the stand-by generator. This becomes helpful because the UPS system is only designed to carry the load for a short period of time after which the batteries give out for lack of energy if power is not restored in time.

Finding the Right People to Do the Job

When a building has a UPS system, the manager will definitely seek to know where and how to find reliable and qualified people to carry out the above said regime of repairs and maintenance. Here are a few things to consider in making a decision and also some clues to save money in the process.

To begin with, it is imperative to get a repair and maintenance deal from the company that sold you the machines. This should be one of their key selling points but make sure that you receive the deal in writing to be on the safe side.

Again, you can check to see if they offer component replacements along with the warranty or if they offer to sell them at subsidized prices if you maintain business with them. Take advantage of the availability of their support staff during installations and minor repairs to get to know how some of the things are done. This can be helpful one day but you are advised not to try to repair such machines if you are not authorized or qualified to do so.

If your maintenance deal expires, or if the repairmen they send to you are not as good as they had claimed, you still have options available at your disposal. As always, you will find inexhaustible resources in the internet that you can use to get the services of an affordable and reliable company to handle periodical repairs for you.

Note that most of these companies will require that you either pay per service or subscribe to some type of plan that may be available. Remember that if your system is always in use, then you will definitely require having it serviced often and therefore it is economical to subscribe to a yearly service to reduce repair costs.

Have the UPS maintenance contract in writing and ensure that the services you sign up for have as short a response time as possible. This is important so that you do not suffer unnecessary inconveniences due to delays on their part. Sign up for deals with replacement components option if you can afford it and when need be get a quotation for an upgrade if it becomes more economical to get a new system than keep on repairing an old one.