Have you experienced an outage, and your UPS failed to protect critical equipment? Is your UPS showing an error or alarm? Is your UPS approaching or past its end-of-useful-life (EOL) recommendation from the manufacturer? Any of these may have you thinking about replacing your system. When you can no longer trust a device, you must consider replacing it.

Understanding the life of your UPS

A single-phase UPS can have a useful life of up to 10 years. While its possible to keep a UPS running up to or past its useful life, critical UPS components will require attention well before the unit reaches its EOL.

UPS components have individual lifespans which attribute to the overall lifespan of the UPS. Batteries are generally the first component to require attention. It is generally recommended to schedule battery replacements between the third and fifth year of normal operation. UPS capacitors and fans are typically rated between 7 and 10 years. Unless a PM states otherwise, schedule your first battery replacement at no later than 5 years and capacitor and fan replacement between 7 and 10 years.

If the component replacement conflicts with the EOL of your specific unit, consider replacing the system instead of the component.

Maintaining your UPS throughout its life

Maintaining your UPS and its components, through regular PM visits, can serve to avoid headaches and costly downtime. Knowledge of critical components within your UPS and some proactive planning can go a long way in extending the life of your UPS.

PM visits result in valuable information about the health of your UPS. Thanks to information stored in “Field Service Reports,” it becomes possible to make proactive decisions to ensure the longevity of your unit.

When it’s time to replace

Once your UPS has reached its EOL or if it has reached critical failure, partner with a firm you can trust to provide the best guidance on choosing a replacement system. At SEPS, with over 35 years of field experience and leadership in power protection, we are well equipped to provide you with any advice you need, and we can provide all preventive maintenance and replacement services to keep your UPSs healthy for the long haul. For more information, please contact us, or speak with one of our Power Protection experts at 630-283-2399 or dmayo@seps-inc.com.