Total Cost of Ownership: For UPS systems, lithium-ion batteries are generally more expensive than lead-acid batteries, although those costs are falling. The real advantage for li-ion systems is in their lifespan. Over a 15-year period, lead-acid-based systems would need to be replaced two or three times, while li-ion systems may not need replacement at all. The key difference between a lithium-ion battery and a lead-acid battery is the mix of chemicals used in the electrodes and electrolyte within the battery. Lithium-ion batteries use a metal oxide for the cathode, and a carbon-based material for the anode. The electrolyte is a lithium salt dissolved in an organic solvent. The device has an automatic voltage regulator (AVR) to protect the battery from power fluctuations. It also has a built-in surge protector to safeguard your connected devices from abnormal jolts of electricity. Refresh charge to ensure all batteries in each string are properly voltage-balanced and within limits (this may require several hours of charging). Note that batteries will have been reduced to 30 percent SOC during shipment. Power failures are a fact of life, but if you are managing a data center or a corporate network, they can be catastrophic. Uninterruptable power supplies (UPS) help keep data centers humming even when there is a tripped breaker or larger outage.

Battery capacity (usually denoted by the power rating in watts) should be the number one focus when getting a UPS. A sub-1000W UPS should be good enough for most appliances, but if you have really powerful systems like a gaming rig, you might want to look beyond the 1000W mark. UPS power supply applications normally use the VRLA AGM type because of its lower internal resistance, high specific power and efficiency, low self-discharge and lower purchasing cost. AGM uninterruptible power supplies batteries also charge faster and can deliver a high current of short duration. Flooded LA UPS batteries Do you need to add water to flooded lead acid batteries? Cabinet Height: The LG cabinet is 95" (241 cm) tall as shipped. Since the batteries are not installed, the cabinet may be moved laying horizontally. Plan for moving this 225 lb (102 kg) cabinet through doors, onto small lifts, and note ceiling heights where the cabinet(s) will be placed. Remember that conduit will land on top of the conduit box on top of this 100.5" (255 cm) tall cabinet. Commercial/industrial ceiling heights are often 120" (305 cm), but not always. See customer drawing #110000683 for all dimensions and weights.

SOLUTIONS

As usual, we found the 9PX to be easy to set up and get going. Unbox it, get it a power supply, plug in what we want to be protected, and we were good to go. While there are several management options, we had the network card and that was the easiest method to get management up and going. Truth be told, the 9PX would be fine without these on a one-off basis. That said, for IT admins managing larger Eaton deployments, the variety of management software does add a lot of value when it comes to visualizing and proactively managing these environments.

When you switch the unit into high-efficiency mode though, the UPS is able to save a bit on power as it’s not always flowing energy through the inverter. The tradeoff for these power-savings is you will need to handle some amount of switchover time. We used the Quarch IEC Mains Power Analysis Module to monitor the voltage output from the Eaton 9PX6K-L during a brief power interruption. Upon logging in to the network card management interface, the landing screen displays EMP readings, outlet status, energy flow charts, power readings, and active alarms. The left panel provides access to the other management features. At StorageReview, we are leveraging the Eaton 9PX lithium-ion UPS in a small server room. In the field, this unit would be perfect for a small retail location or perhaps a bank, where the goal is to ensure uptime and resilience for key systems. Depending on the use case, this could be something like point-of-sale and access control systems. Sizing is key, but our little unit can hold up a few servers, storage, and switching in the event of a temporary unplanned outage. The other major tab we’ll look at is the Controls tab. As the name implies, users can control the entire UPS or certain outlet groups here. The option for safe off and safe reboot can be selected. And the status is displayed.

Verification of correct and safe installation as per the vendor’s manuals, including torquing of terminals and set up of the battery management system by a trained service engineer. Configuration files should be saved for future reference. The main tabs run down the left side and include Home (above), Meters, Controls, Protection, Environment, Settings, and Maintenance. On the Meters Tab, one can see a bit deeper into the battery and energy flow. We see the voltage and frequency, the output, battery status, and battery health.