When was the last time you checked whether your business could continue operating during a power failure?
Most businesses have systems they can’t afford to lose. Servers, communications equipment, security systems and certain critical building services all depend on reliable electricity. Some support day-to-day operations. Others have responsibilities attached to them through legislation, building standards or fire safety arrangements.
Yet as buildings change, power requirements often change with them.
Additional equipment gets installed. Server loads increase. UPS batteries age. Maintenance arrangements change hands. A UPS system that was suitable when it was first installed may no longer meet the building’s requirements.
For Facilities Managers, understanding these dependencies is an important part of managing operational risk.
So, what should you be looking for when reviewing the secure power arrangements across your business?
1. Which Systems Does Your Business Depend On?
Start by identifying the equipment and building systems that need a reliable power supply.
These may include:
- IT servers, data storage and communications infrastructure
- Security systems and access control
- Emergency lighting and central battery systems
- Fire alarm and associated control equipment
- Electrically powered components associated with sprinkler systems
- Evacuation and firefighting lifts, where required by the building’s fire strategy
- Building management and control systems
- Critical manufacturing or operational equipment
Each system has different requirements.
For example, an IT server may need uninterrupted power to prevent data loss, while emergency lighting must operate in accordance with the relevant requirements when normal lighting fails.
Evacuation and firefighting lifts may require dedicated secondary power arrangements, depending on the building and its fire strategy.
The important question is whether you know which systems need protection and how that protection is provided.
A UPS system audit can help establish which electrical loads are currently protected and whether the existing UPS arrangement remains suitable.
2. What Happens When the Mains Power Fails?
A power cut can affect different systems in different ways.
Some equipment may shut down immediately. Other systems may have their own batteries or alternative power supplies. Certain critical applications require continuity of power while a standby generator starts or until a controlled shutdown can take place.
Facilities Managers should understand:
- Which systems stop operating when mains power fails?
- Which systems have backup power?
- Does the backup supply operate automatically?
- How long can the equipment continue running?
- What happens when the available battery runtime expires?
- Is there a documented procedure for a prolonged outage?
A UPS system can provide immediate backup power to connected equipment, subject to its design, condition and available battery capacity.
However, a UPS is only effective when it has been correctly specified for the load it supports and maintained throughout its working life.
3. Does Your Existing UPS System Still Meet Your Requirements?
Business requirements rarely stay the same.
A company might install additional servers, expand its communications infrastructure or introduce new equipment without reviewing the UPS system.
Over time, these changes can affect available capacity and battery runtime.
Consider a UPS originally designed to support a particular load for 30 minutes. If the connected load increases, the available runtime may fall.
This can leave a business with less protection than expected.
Questions worth asking include:
- When was the UPS system installed?
- Has the connected equipment changed?
- Is the UPS operating within its intended capacity?
- Does the available battery runtime still meet operational requirements?
- Have any UPS faults or alarms been recorded?
- Is the system approaching the end of its service life?
A UPS system audit provides an opportunity to review the installation, connected load, equipment condition and maintenance history.
It can also identify where UPS battery replacement, additional capacity or a new UPS installation may be appropriate.
4. When Were Your UPS Batteries Last Tested?
UPS batteries are fundamental to the performance of any battery-backed UPS system.
Even when the UPS appears to be operating normally, battery condition can deteriorate over time.
Temperature, operating conditions, age and charging arrangements can all affect battery performance.
A battery fault may remain unnoticed until the UPS needs to support its connected equipment during a mains failure.
This is why UPS battery maintenance and testing should form part of a planned maintenance programme.
Facilities Managers should be able to establish:
- When the UPS batteries were installed
- When they were last inspected and tested
- Whether any battery faults have been identified
- Whether replacement recommendations have been acted upon
- Whether the battery installation remains suitable for the required runtime
The appropriate inspection and testing approach depends on the battery technology, UPS design and manufacturer requirements.
Where battery condition raises concerns, a planned UPS battery replacement can help reduce the risk of an unexpected loss of backup power.
5. Are Your Testing and Maintenance Records Up to Date?
For critical building systems, documentation matters.
Emergency lighting, fire protection equipment and other regulated systems can have specific inspection, testing and record-keeping requirements.
The applicable duties depend on the system, building and relevant standards.
It’s also important to understand where the responsibilities for the building system end and those for its supporting power equipment begin.
For example, an emergency lighting maintenance programme may cover the lighting installation, while a separate maintenance arrangement covers the UPS or central battery equipment supporting it.
If different contractors are responsible for these systems, Facilities Managers need to know who is checking each part of the installation.
For UPS equipment, useful records include:
- UPS maintenance visits and findings
- UPS system test results
- UPS battery inspection and testing records
- Recorded faults and corrective actions
- UPS battery replacement dates
- Manufacturer recommendations
- Outstanding maintenance requirements
Good records help you make informed maintenance decisions and demonstrate that identified issues have been addressed.
6. What Happens If Your UPS Develops a Fault?
A UPS fault doesn’t always result in an immediate loss of power.
Depending on the fault and system design, the UPS may continue operating with reduced protection, transfer to bypass or generate an alarm requiring attention.
The concern is what happens next.
If the fault goes unnoticed or remains unresolved, the connected equipment may be exposed when the next mains failure occurs.
Ask yourself:
- Who receives UPS alarms?
- Does anyone monitor the UPS system?
- Who investigates faults?
- Is there an agreed emergency response procedure?
- Can you access technical support outside normal working hours?
- Is the UPS covered by a planned maintenance agreement?
These questions are particularly important for buildings that operate around the clock or support services where downtime carries significant consequences.
Uninterrupted Power Solutions provides 24/7 nationwide support, helping businesses respond to UPS faults and maintain the reliability of their critical power arrangements.
7. Is Your UPS Maintenance Plan Suitable for Your Business?
A planned UPS maintenance programme should reflect the equipment, its operating environment and the importance of the systems it protects.
A small UPS supporting office equipment may have different maintenance requirements from a three-phase UPS installation protecting critical infrastructure.
The maintenance plan should consider factors such as:
- UPS manufacturer and model
- Equipment age and operating condition
- Battery technology and condition
- Connected load and required runtime
- Operating environment
- Maintenance history
- Criticality of the protected equipment
- Response requirements if a fault occurs
Regular UPS maintenance can help identify developing issues, support battery replacement planning and reduce the likelihood of avoidable disruption.
With over 30 years of experience in UPS and battery maintenance, Uninterrupted Power Solutions helps businesses establish maintenance arrangements suited to their equipment and operational requirements.
8. When Should You Arrange a UPS System Audit?
A UPS system audit is particularly useful when you’re uncertain whether your existing backup power arrangements still meet your needs.
There are several situations where a review makes sense:
Your building or business has changed. New equipment, increased loads or altered operational requirements may affect the suitability of your existing UPS.
You’ve inherited responsibility for an existing installation. Maintenance records, battery age or original system specifications may be unclear.
You’re experiencing UPS faults or alarms. A technical assessment can help establish the condition of the equipment and identify appropriate action.
Your UPS batteries are approaching replacement. Reviewing the wider system can help confirm whether a like-for-like battery replacement remains appropriate.
You’re planning an expansion or refurbishment. An audit can help identify whether existing UPS capacity and power arrangements can support future requirements.
The findings can inform decisions about UPS maintenance, UPS system testing, UPS battery replacement or UPS installation.
Secure Power Starts With Knowing What You’re Protecting
Reliable backup power depends on understanding your building, its critical systems and the consequences of losing electricity.
For Facilities Managers, that means knowing which systems need protection, how backup power is provided, whether the equipment remains suitable and who is responsible for maintaining it.
If your UPS system hasn’t been reviewed for some time, or you’re unsure whether your existing installation meets current requirements, now is a good opportunity to assess it.
Talk to Uninterrupted Power Solutions About a UPS System Audit
Our team can help you assess your existing UPS equipment, identify maintenance requirements and plan improvements to the power supporting your critical systems.
Get in touch with Uninterrupted Power Solutions to discuss a UPS system audit and make sure your backup power arrangements are ready when you need them.
