Comparison EnerGenie EG-UPSRACK-13 3000 VA vs Gembird EG-UPSRACK-13 3000 VA

The effective output power of the UPS is, in fact, the maximum active power of the load that can be connected to the device.

Active power is consumed directly for the operation of the device; it is expressed in watts. In addition to it, most AC devices also consume reactive power, which is "wasted" (relatively speaking) is spent by coils and capacitors. Apparent power (denoted in volt-amperes) is precisely the sum of active and reactive power; it is this characteristic that should be used in accurate electrical calculations. See "Maximum output power" for details; here we note that when selecting a UPS for a relatively simple application, it is quite possible to use only effective power. This is at least easier than converting the watts claimed in the characteristics of the connected devices into full power volt-amps.

The most modest modern "uninterruptibles" give out less than 500 watts. 501 – 1000 W can be considered an average value, 1.1 – 2 kW is above average, and in the most powerful models this figure exceeds 2 kW and can reach very impressive values (up to 1000 kW or more in some industrial class UPS).

The frequency (frequency range) of the AC voltage output by the UPS. For computer technology, the frequency range of 47-53 Hz is considered normal, although the smaller the deviation from the 50 Hz standard, the better. On the other hand, in some UPS models, this frequency can be automatically synchronized with the frequency of the mains — so the power supplied to the load will not differ regardless of whether the load is powered by the mains or from the battery. In this case, a wider frequency range, on the contrary, is more desirable.

The number of outlets connected to the power reserve(battery) provided in the design of the UPS. In order for the UPS to fulfill its main role (providing a backup power in case of power outages), the corresponding electrical appliances must be connected to these outlets. The sockets have a standard shape and are compatible with the vast majority of popular 230 V plugs.

At a minimum, the UPS has 1 or 2 outlets and, in more advanced ones, there may be 3 or more.

A socket for a specific type of plug in the UPS design.

— Type F (Schuko). A traditional European socket with two round holes in the center and grounding contacts in the form of two metal brackets (at the top and bottom of the socket). The term Schuko stuck to this type of socket due to the abbreviation from the German Schutzkontakt - protective contact.

— Type E (French). The French style socket has two round holes and a protruding ground pin just above them in the center. The standard has become widespread in France, Poland and Belgium (along with the traditional type F sockets).

— Type G (British). The plug for such sockets consists of two flat horizontal pins and one flat vertical pin for grounding. The standard is found mainly in the countries of the United Kingdom, Malta, Cyprus, Singapore and Hong Kong.

— Type B (American). American-style sockets are designed for plugs with two flat prongs and a semicircular grounding contact. Type B is widely used in regions with voltage 110 - 127 V - USA, Japan, Saudi Arabia, etc.

Number of C13/C14 connectors with power reserve provided in the UPS design.

Electrical appliances connected to connectors with a reserve are insured against a power failure in the network - in this case they switch to the battery. The C13/C14 connector itself is also known as a “computer socket”; it supplies the same 230 V as a regular household network, but is not compatible with plugs for traditional sockets, because uses three flat contacts. However, there are adapters between these standards.

At a minimum, the UPS is provided with 1, 2 or 3 C13/C14 connectors for one workstation. In more advanced, so to speak office ones, the number of C13/C14 connectors may be greater - 4 ports, 6 connectors, 8 and even more

The value of the operating voltage of one complete battery. In most cases, it is 12 V, UPS with 24-volt batteries is a little less common.

The time it takes to fully charge the UPS battery. Note that in this case, this time is calculated according to special rules: not from 0 to 100% of the charge, but from a state in which it is impossible to maintain half the load, up to 90% of the charge. Of course, a full charge will take a little longer. However, this data is closer to practice than the “from 0 to 100%” calculation: the inability to work at half load makes the UPS practically useless, and this condition can be taken as zero, and 90% of the battery is already able to provide a good guarantee in case of a power failure.

The protection functions provided in the design of the UPS.

— Short circuit protection. A short circuit is a sharp drop in load resistance to critically low values, due to which the current strength increases and the UPS experiences significant overloads that can disable the device and even cause a fire. It may be caused by a problem with the connected device, poor insulation, foreign objects, etc. In the event of such a situation, the short circuit protection system turns off the UPS, preventing unpleasant consequences.

— Overload protection. Overload in this case is the excess of the load power consumption over the output power of the UPS. Working in this mode can also lead to unpleasant consequences up to breakage and fire; to avoid this, a protection system is installed that turns off the UPS when an overload occurs.

— Overcharging protection of external battery. The overcharge protection function prevents the accumulation of excess energy in the battery, from which the UPS operates in autonomous mode. Overcharging is highly undesirable for any type of battery. It can lead to various unpleasant consequences - from deterioration in performance to overheating and fire of the battery. The automatic protective equipment on board the uninterruptible power supply turns off the power after the battery is fully charged. This prevents “extra” curre...nt from entering the battery, which could damage it. This system is convenient in that the battery can be left on charge for a long time without fear of overexerting it.

— Noise filtering. A system that suppresses high-frequency interference in an electrical network — these can be either single voltage surges when turning on and off powerful electrical appliances, or long-term interference from constant sources, such as electric motors. These interferences can adversely affect the operation of electronics connected to the network (up to visible failures); the noise filtering system avoids this. Such systems are quite simple, and therefore most modern UPSs are equipped with them.

— Data line protection. High-frequency interference protection system, similar to interference filtering (see above) — only used not in an electrical network, but in a telephone or wired computer (LAN) network. Such networks are also subject to interference from various sources of electromagnetic radiation, which can cause failures of equipment connected to them: PCs, printers, fax machines, etc. UPSs with this feature have at least two LAN standard connectors (input and output), into which appropriate network or telephone (with RJ-11 connectors compatible with LAN) cables are inserted.

— Emergency cut-off. This connector allows you to connect the UPS to an emergency power off system. Thus, in an emergency (for example, in the event of a fire), the entire room, including and with a power reserve, can be completely de-energized by pressing one button. Without this, the UPS would simply switch to battery when the power goes out and leave the equipment energized, which could lead to disastrous consequences.

— Sound alarm. A system that gives an audible signal in various important situations. It is most commonly used to signal a power outage and the UPS is transferring to battery power. Without a sound signal, this could not be noticed at all (the light is not always on in the room, it goes out when the network fails, the contact in the socket itself may disappear, etc.), which is fraught with a sudden shutdown of the equipment, data loss and breakdowns. Also, sound alarm can be used for other events — low battery, end of charge, bypass on / off, etc.

Fuses are used to protect the UPS from a critical increase in current strength: at the right time, they open the circuit, preventing unpleasant consequences. Today, these types of fuses are used.

— Melting. At a critical current strength, the conductive element in such a fuse melts and opens the circuit. The fusible protection is disposable, after operation such a fuse must be replaced.

— Automatic. Such a fuse has a sensor that monitors the current strength and opens the contacts at the right time. Its main difference from fusible is reusability: after operation, the circuit can be closed again with literally one press of the button on the fuse.