History and Facts of Uninterruptible Power Supply
Almost everyone who has ever owned a computer has used uninterruptible power supply in some shape or form. It’s an unglamorous but important device present in almost all offices, data centres, and universities, and institutions. Portable UPS are used in on-site applications across industries such as mining, military, industrial etc.
It’s designed to maintain steady power supply even if the supply from the utility lines surges or fluctuates. This protects all devices connected to the UPS from unstable power supply. So what’s the story behind this device? Here are some facts, information and history about UPS that you might find interesting.
UPS History
No one really knows who created UPS, when it was created, and where it was created. There are no definitive answers to that question. In fact, industry insiders say that no one person can claim to have created a UPS device. A number of scientists had theories and conducted research on the subject. The idea had existed in the community for quite some time before it was given form.
The first UPS was patented by a scientist named John Hanley, only it wasn’t called an Uninterruptible Power Supply at the time. Hanley gave the device the lofty name of Apparatus for Maintaining an Unfailing and Uninterrupted Supply of Electrical Energy. We think that’s an apt definition of UPS but a rather cumbersome name, but the acronym would’ve been cheeky and hilarious. Imagine calling a UPS an AMUUSEE-it would be rather amusing.
Modern UPSs are a far cry from the devices that existed back in the day. The very first UPSs consisted of a flywheel that would provide short bursts of backup power. This rotary system was inefficient and wouldn’t have been able to support modern servers and databanks. After all, the rotary UPS only provided backup. It didn’t offer much surge protection.
Some Small Facts about UPS
If you plan to purchase a UPS, it’s a good idea to know a little more about it. Here are some facts that would help you make the right purchase decision.
- There are three different types of UPS available in the market, including online double-conversion, offline-standby, and line-interactive.
- The batteries of the online double-conversion UPS are always connected to your inverter. This means that there’s no need for power transfer switches. This is the most expensive UPSs available in the market but you get what you pay for. It’s safe to use and protects your devices and systems well.
- The offline-standby UPS is ideal for homes and small businesses. You just have to make a small investment and get basic features like surge protection and some battery backup. This device is the most affordable of all UPSs available in the market.
- The line-interactive UPS has a variable-voltage autotransformer and works like the standby UPS. It also offers the basic surge protection and backup you expect from a UPS but it’s slightly more efficient than the offline-standby UPS.
The UPS depends on the battery. If you have a good battery installed in the UPS, you can expect sufficient backup and surge protection. You need to maintain the battery well if you want your UPS to last long and function well.
You should also keep an eye on the life of the battery. You should consider the environmental conditions, the discharges, and the quality of the power. The battery’s life would be short if the environment is too warm or too cold.
If you want to know more uninterruptible power supply or our custom made DC to DC converters and services, don’t hesitate to contact us at KaRaTec Power Supply Pty. You can give us a call at 612 9808 1127. You can also fill in this contact us form and we’ll reply as soon as possible.
Thanks for reading,
Karatec Power Supply Pty
612 9808 1127