2016 U.S. Department of Energy - Test Procedure for Uninterruptible Power Supply

[Kiriakos GR]

Uninterruptible Power Supply this is not a new technology, but what most people ignore this is constant development work of electronics and product design.
End User and consumer, he gets informed only in the regard of electrical efficiency when he review market offerings by seeking for a new Uninterruptible Power Supply.
   
Document bellow this is written in a technical language and describes Test Procedure for Uninterruptible Power Supply.
Specific Test Procedure this is now an new obligation this aiming first of all any Uninterruptible Power Supply manufacturers.
If anything is followed by the book ?  Then printing of product specifications over a product carton box this would make some sense.

In the end of the day I am a consumer too, what our money buy speaking of  ups product selection, this is numbers (  VA - Watt - efficiency - battery voltage all of them are numbers).
Numbers could be imaginary creation or fake marketing at low-end ups products segment.

From the other hand  they are branded ups solutions and application engineers which should help customers getting product solutions that truly serve their needs,  and even professional electricians they are obligated to have some advanced knowledge, so them to identify ups related performance issues by them performing accurate measurements at several electrical parameters.

Personally I am going to give to this document a good read,  recently I did accept a new challenge at ITTSB Blog, this is investigating product quality of APC Smart-UPS C 1500VA,  product sample arrived to me yesterday from East Europe headquarters of APC by Schneider Electric.

Uninterruptible Power Supply Test Procedure NOPR_0.pdf

http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/04/f31/Uninterruptible%20Power%20Supply%20Test%20Procedure%20NOPR_0.pdf

[Kiriakos GR]

I have a follow up for this story.
In-depth reading of this document and by me following few web links I did discover another story behind this story.

In simple English there is a battle of interests and a true polite dogfight, fighters in this arena are EPA’s ENERGY STAR®  VS  U.S. Department of Energy.

Now, a person member of council of EPA’s ENERGY STAR® he is also cooperating with APC Schneider Electric as advisor regarding standards and certifications.
 
From the other hand, APC Schneider Electric brand it does care obtaining EPA’s ENERGY STAR® certification as proof and passport them gaining public preference,  such certification to them translates that end-products has something more to offer at consumers speaking of power efficiency and costs savings in the regard of utility electrical bill.

Personally I am far and away from this battle of interests, which in the end it is all about money and glory and marketing benefits speaking of branding and market penetration.
But even so, as a person that I do follow technology developments of our times, speaking of power efficiency this is work of advanced electronics and they are here and now at our days (2004 up to current date).

Ups this is power electronics, and as such they should build to last, and rule No1 this is them to be repairable.
They are complex and heavy and does not simile with plastic water bottles, PET this is inexpensive and having an easy recycle process.

Utility electrical bill savings in computers they are proven myths,  known brands and computer motherboard manufacturer’s , they did play allot with people minds in the past.
Their story was that their motherboard this is capable shutting down inactive circuits or reducing CPU speed with ultimate goal less CO2 emissions and a lower power bill.
In a year time, amount of savings this translated to cash, were few dollars or Euro, more or less about 20~30 in a year time.

Personally I am a fighter against planed obsolesce, and nowadays our numbers of people thinking alike this increases quit fast.   
I am in favor of saving power and recycling but as in everything regarding human activities, there are reasonable and unreasonable limits.   

[Kiriakos GR]

Last follow up in this story.

Usually when debate starts for any topic, some people minds think an undercover conspiracy, this driven by the battle of financial interests.
At ITTSB blog we care mostly for honesty, and true facts that consumers them can trust.

Bellow it is a link of ENERGY STAR website, up to date at bellow 1000W there are listed 234 models.

https://www.energystar.gov/productfinder/product/certified-uninterruptible-power-supplies/results

Our word to our readers will be, make your own research prior giving your money for a new or used ups unit, investigate and act wise.