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Pose a question:- service@cartersullivan.co.uk
Batteries
Question :
Why should I replace the entire battery string if only a couple of batteries are failed?
Answer :
Actually, this depends on the age and condition of the battery string, temperature of the area, environment and number of deep discharges. As a general rule, if the battery string has sufficient capacity and is in good condition, you do not need to replace the entire battery string. It is more economical for you to replace only the worn out battery (ies) and continue to use the remaining batteries until the entire string needs to be replaced. However, if the battery string does not have sufficient capacity or is in poor condition, you should replace the entire string. These batteries are nearing their expected end of life and, to ensure your critical equipment will have the expected backup power, a fresh string of batteries should be installed. As batteries age, a sulfate residue slowly builds on the internal plates of each battery, increasing the internal resistance and reducing current flow and battery capacity. Since the current through a string of batteries is the same for each individual battery in the string, batteries with higher internal resistance will recharge to a higher voltage level. A new battery with a lower internal resistance will charge to a lower voltage level than the partially sulfated, higher internal resistance, existing batteries. This will cause the new battery to sulfate and the older batteries to degrade more rapidly and possibly out gas excessively. Thus, a new battery added to the string of older batteries will prematurely age.
Question:
May I order batteries from you directly?
Answer:
Yes you can. You can call our service team on 01234 211 881. Please have your model number and serial number ready when you call. We can then quote you batteries for your UPS system.
Question:
If only one or two batteries are bad in my UPS, why won't it provide only reduced runtime duration instead of no battery backup time?
Answer:
The battery string in your UPS operates similarly to your Christmas lights. When one light burns out in the string, the entire string is out. Batteries work the same (except in the case of a shorted battery). A continuous current is required through the entire system. When that path is disrupted (i.e. a burned out Christmas light), the entire path is broken and no power is supplied through the entire system. As batteries wear out, their capacity (power) is also reduced. However, when they reach a certain point of discharge, they will supply no power and behave similar to a burned out light.
Question:
Can you tell me how often you recommend changing the batteries in my UPS?
Answer:
This depends on the type and model of the battery. The average life of standard UPS batteries is 4-5years however, please contact us to check as some batteries can last 10 years +.
Technical
Question:
Where can I find the manuals for your products?
Answer:
Manuals are available on our website via the service section. If you cannot find the manual you need, please contact our Technical Support team at service@cartersullivan.co.uk or by telephoning 01234 211 881
Question:
What, if any, are the detrimental effects of placing UPSs in series? Does feeding an UPS with an UPS degrade the system or decrease reliability?
Answer:
UPS systems are designed as a limited power source (higher impedance) when compared with Utility Power. Load changes on the UPS system's output can cause phase shifting (frequency deviations) of the output voltage. Larger UPS systems which are designed as a "separately derived source" do exhibit phase shifts. We have found that other vendors smaller UPS systems may not be built with a PLL (Phase Lock Loop) circuit which will handle even minimal phase shifting. The reason for this is that small systems must be priced competitively, therefore, circuitry will be compromised for cost. These units may work fine from utility power but will not operate properly from the output of another UPS system. This will cause these small systems to go to battery power whenever a slight phase shift is seen. If these phase shifts are frequent enough the smaller unit may deplete it's battery and then shut down. A few smaller UPS systems do contain more advanced PLL circuitry, which will allow them to operate from another UPSs output, but following the recommendations of the UPS manufacturer is advised. Another concern with this type of installation is due to the fact that you have a smaller (typically less reliable) UPS between the output of the larger system and the load. If the smaller system fails, the loads will go down with it.
Question:
What is the difference between a UPS system and an Inverter system?
Answer:
An Uninterruptible Power Supply is a device that sits between a power supply (e.g. a wall outlet) and a device (e.g. a computer) to prevent undesired features of the power source (outages, sags, surges, bad harmonics, etc.) from the supply from adversely affecting the performance of the device. An inverter will take DC power from the batteries, and produce AC power.
Question:
We are looking to purchase a Generator to power our computer room in the event of a power outage.
Does Carter Sullivan have any recommendations or suggestions with regard to the use of Generators?
Answer:
We normally recommend a generator that puts out a pure sine wave. We recommend that you take the VA ratings of your UPS systems and then double it. This should be the size that you need to run reliably. At the least, take 1.5 times what you need.
Question:
Is there an importance to balancing the output percentage for each phase?
Answer:
The more evenly balanced the load is across the output, the more efficient the inverter will be.
Pose a question:- service@cartersullivan.co.uk
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to discuss this further. Or call us on 0800 032 97 99.
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