SETTLING FOR 80%
UPTIME ON A UPS
The lack of lightning and transient protection ahead of a UPS can expose its components
to damage, resulting in possible periodic transfers to the bypass mode.
A HEALTH insurance company was experiencing chronic
problems with its UPS and, as a result, invited us to
examine the installation to pinpoint the source of these
problems. While in the process of conducting our survey,
the facility manager inquired as to how much uptime he
should expect on his UPS. We explained that he should not
tolerate much less than 100% uptime, since the product was
an uninterruptible piece of equipment! He replied, "I
thought you would say that. We get 80%!"
After proceeding with the rest of our survey, we
installed a power disturbance analyzer at the input to the
UPS and its bypass line. As we were performing our
monitoring, an electrical storm was raging outside. As the
facility was on an elevated plane, it was ideally suited to be
the first strike area for storms in the vicinity. As we finished
connecting the leads to the analyzer, the UPS transferred to
bypass with a loud bang! An examination of the recorded
levels on the analyzer indicated that the facility had
received an impulse of 2300V line-to-line, and 1340V
line-to-ground. Obviously, some UPS component had failed
at the time of the recorded impulses, causing the UPS to
transfer to its bypass line so that power would be
maintained to the computer load.
The maintenance person at the site arrived shortly
after the transfer alarm sounded and began to
systematically troubleshoot the UPS components. He
restored the UPS to working order in 45 minutes, while we
watched. When we commented on how thoroughly and
professionally he had cared for the system, he exclaimed,
"It's no big deal; I've done it 27 times before!" Astonished,
we asked to review the maintenance documentation, which
consisted of over four years of reports on restoring the
UPS to operating status under the same circumstances. In
each instance, a severe lightning storm preceded the
transfer.
At this point we had an idea. Why not compare the
maintenance records with the log in the computer room?
Sure enough, we found that the only time the computer
room went down in the last 4½ years was within 24 hours
of every event listed in the UPS maintenance records.
When we shared this information with the operating
personnel in the computer, room, they attested to the fact
that the only'' time the computers had a problem was when
the UPS "did those funny things." The reason why "those
funny things" happened was because the UPS was doing
its job, which was to transfer to bypass when one of its
components had been damaged, causing the UPS to no
longer be able to produce output power.
The flaw in this installation was that the bypass line
was the same line that was carrying the high impulse strikes
from outside the facility. There was no lightning or
subpanel protection equipment ahead of the UPS. As a
result, those lightning-induced impulses, after damaging
the UPS components and causing transfer to bypass, were
going right around the UPS and straight to the computer
room load. What started out as a concern that this UPS
was not operating properly (80% uptime), turned out to be
a case of no transient protection.
The first recommendation was to install proper
lightning and transient protection ahead of the UPS for
future protection. In this way, the owner would not only
protect his UPS investment, but also the bypass line to his
computer equipment. The second was to have the existing
UPS printed circuit boards rebuilt by the UPS manufacturer,
since they had been exposed to transients.
Additional Information-POC: Mike Helms
“Lightning Mike”
Mike@lightningmike.com