UPS Basics: Common electrical power problems explained
Mon 25 Jun 2018
How does a sag differ from a power surge? Do you know what a brownout is? How are you with harmonics? Uninterruptible power supply manufacturer Riello UPS explains the most common types of electrical faults you’ll come across in the data centre.
Any data centre operator knows just how crucial a clean and continuous electrical power supply is. That’s why facilities install expensive UPS systems and backup generators to protect their power supply and minimise the risk of dreaded downtime occurring.
With even the most conservative estimates suggesting a power outage costs a minimum of £5,000 a minute, any disruptions or even minor fluctuations to a data centre’s electrical supply can prove extremely costly.
UPS Basics: power problems
But do you know the difference between all the various types of power problem you might come across? Can you differentiate between a brownout and a blackout? What are harmonics? When are you likely to experience electrical noise?
As part of our fun series of ‘UPS Basics’ videos, we answer all of these questions and more.
We cover all the various types of electrical disturbance you’ll most likely find in a data centre. In addition, we explain what causes such power problems and outline what some of the catastrophic consequences might be for administrators and operators if they aren’t prepared for all eventualities.
Tune in again next week for episode three of the UPS Basics series, where we turn to the UPS unit itself and outline the differences between offline, line-interactive, and online critical power protection systems.
