10 Knowledges You Need To Know About UPS Batteries

Undeniably the heart of any uninterruptible power system (UPS), batteries are also the most vulnerable aspect. In fact, batteries failure consistently ranks among the most common causes of load loss. Understanding how to correctly use and manage UPS batteries is not only instrumental to extending their span life but can also help thwart costly downtime. Bolster your battery tips with these 10 truths:

1. All batteries will experience an “end of useful life” – The IEEE defines a UPS battery’s “end of useful life” as when it can not any longer supply 80 percent of its rated capacity in ampere-hours. At this stage, the aging process accelerates and you should replace the battery. Even if the average service life for VRLA front terminal battery is three to five years, real life can change dramatically due to environmental conditions, the number of discharge cycles and the amount of maintenance received.

2. Why the VRLA batteries die – Among the common reason why lead acid batteries die earlier than expected is due to overcharging; low quality charger used;  loss of electrolyte owing to damage or drying out; poor maintenance; and aging;loose inter-cell links or connections;

3. Any kinds of conductive material being bridged with the external terminals of a battery will result in short circuit. Based on the VRLA battery system, a short circuit may have serious consequences, e.g. rising electrolyte temperature or building up internal gas pressure. If the internal gas pressure value exceeds the limitation of cell cap endurance, the electrolyte will leak, which will damage batteries greatly. If safe vent fails to respond, even explosion will occur. Therefore don’t short circuit.

4. A regular visual check is useful as part of your UPS service and Maintenance regime

Leaks or powder forming around terminal or base of batteries.

Check that any battery has not been damaged or knocked during inspections.

Any visible leak

‘Eggy’ smell which indicates a leak is happening which you can’y yet see

‘Burning’ type smell which indicates that a battery terminal may be loose or cable connection requiring attention

5.Different UPS systems use different batteries – Althought basic battery technology — and the risks to battery life — remain the same regardless of UPS size, there are some differences between applications.

6.The battery type will dictate maintenance requirements – The type of batteries will impact which maintenance tasks need to be performed and their frequency, with wet cell batteries requiring more maintenance than VRLA.

7. Stored batteries pay attention, too –  Due to the self-discharge characteristics of lead-acid batteries, it is recommended that they be charged every three to four months when in storage to avoid permanent loss of capacity. To expand service life without charging, store batteries at 10°C (50°F) or less.

8. There is a difference between hot-swappable and user-replaceable batteries – Batteries can be both hot-swappable and user-replaceable. Hot-swappable batteries are able to be changed out while the UPS is running. No special tools or training is needed to do replacement for them.

9. A battery’s discharge rating is key to measuring performance – Batteries are generally rated for more than 100 discharges and recharges. But many will display a marked decline in charging capacity after as few as 10 discharges. The lower the charge that the batteries will accept, the less runtime it is able to deliver. Be sure to look for batteries with a high-rate design that sustains stable performance for a long service term.

10. Thermal runaway can have explosive consequences – Often occurring with no warning signs, thermal runaway occur when the heat generated in a lead-acid cell exceeds its ability to dissipate it. Typically caused by overcharging, excessive charging, internal physical damage, internal short circuit or a hot environment, thermal runaway can result in an explosion, especially in sealed cells.