Industry Lingo Explained

A device that provides backup power to connected equipment during power outages, voltage sags, or surges.

The connected devices to the UPS output are referred to as the load. It can also mean the total power demand of all devices connected to the UPS.

A measure of apparent power used to rate UPS capacity. VA/kVA combines both real power (W/kW) and reactive power.

A unit of real power. It represents the actual usable power delivered to equipment.

The amount of time a UPS can support connected equipment on battery power during a power anomaly/outage.

A UPS topology that provides continuous power conditioning by converting incoming AC to DC and then back to AC.

Various types are utilised with UPS systems. External, maintenance and static bypasses all have their uses, however in general terms they are a mechanism that allows power to flow directly to the load, bypassing the UPS for maintenance or in case of fault.

A protocol allowing UPS monitoring and control over a network. Although not used as frequently any longer, Network Management Cards have become more prominent. Network cards can be configured to control safe shutdown of smart, connected devices. They can also be used to send email notifications.

A measure of how effectively electrical power is being used. Often expressed as a ratio (eg 0.9 PF).

The time it takes for a UPS to switch from mains to battery power. Online UPS systems have zero transfer time.

Converts incoming AC power to DC, which is used to charge batteries and power the inverter.

Converts DC power from the rectifier or batteries into AC power for the load.

External battery units used to increase the runtime of the UPS system.

A system design where additional components (eg an extra UPS module) provide failover capability for increased reliability.