Sizing Your UPS for Optimal Efficiency and Expandability

Gathering data and correctly calculating operating power requirements for your equipment is critical for maximizing efficiency as well as planning for future growth when selecting an uninterruptible power system.  Operational efficiency of the UPS will help to lower overall electrical operating costs and will reduce “wear and tear” on target equipment as well as the UPS system itself.

Collecting the needed data can be confusing at times, and if any additional information is required, please do not hesitate to contact our sales department for more details.

15kva parallel online UPS front

Capacity

The UPS’ capacity rating is the maximum amount of electrical power that the system can output to connected equipment.  The storage of electrical energy is measured in two ways, VA (Voltage-Amp) and in kW (kilo-Watt) power.  VA power is calculated by (Voltage x Amps = VA), but this measurement does not always provide accurate power consumption data.   Kilo-Watt power is a more precise way of storage capacity as it takes into consideration Power Factor (how efficient the transfer of electrical energy is).  Calculating kW is calculated by (Voltage x Amps x Power Factor = kW).

Runtime

Runtime refers to the amount of time that the UPS will continue to provide electrical power during a total loss of electrical power.   When sizing a UPS, it is essential to properly calculate how much power consumption your connected equipment draws to ensure there is enough battery capacity available.  Backup times generally measured in “minutes”, but certain UPS configurations can provide “hours” of backup power.  If backup time requirements exceed the UPS’ internal batteries, multiple external battery modules can be added to increase battery capacity.

How to Size a SANUPS UPS

By gathering data and correctly calculating operating power requirements for your equipment is critical for maximizing efficiency as well as planning for future growth when selecting an uninterruptible power system.  Operational efficiency of the UPS will help to lower overall electrical operating costs and will reduce “wear and tear” on target equipment as well as the UPS system itself. 

Collecting the needed data can be confusing at times, and if any additional information is required, please do not hesitate to contact our sales department for more details.

Below are the steps needed in adequately sizing a SANUPS UPS system.  By utilizing our online-power calculator, you will be able to estimate what size SANUPS is required for your application.

  1. List of all the equipment that will be plugged into the SANUPS UPS.
  2. Gather Voltage, Amp and Power Factor data from the label/tag/plate on each piece of equipment. If the information is not listed, check corresponding user manuals or manufactures websites.
    1. Note: If connected equipment is not electronic like motor or pump, use Locked Rotor Amps (LRA) rather than working Amp data.
    2. Note: If your equipment is rated in watts, that information can be added with no further calculations required.
  3. Identify if the system requires automated power down if power is not restored before the SANUPS UPS battery discharges.
  4. The information will then generate a kV number of the combined connected equipment.
  5. To account for growth, we recommend adding 20% more to the overall power budget. The configuration tool is set to this amount but can be adjusted if growth is expected to be higher.
  6. Once all data has been entered the calculator will generate a final number. Using this final figure and knowing equipment run time requirements a SANUPS UPS can then be selected.
  7. Lastly, when sizing a SANUPS UPS, it’s also necessary to calculate the true kW capacity of the product as the UPS also has a Power Factor calculation involved. This number can be a bit tricky depending on several application factors.  Knowing this information a dedicated Republic Power Systems salesperson can provide the final details to ensure a proper configuration.

Selecting the Right SANUPS UPS Topology

Now that power consumption and runtimes have been identified Republic Power Systems offers several configurations of SANUPS UPS products and topologies.  They include Double On-Line, Hybrid, and Parallel/Redundant options.  For more information on these topologies and unique features, please see this article.

UPS Sizing Support

The Republic Power Systems sales team is here for your support.  For additional information, please feel free to contact us at:

  (512) 686-1876
 sales@republicpowersystems.com