It is always nice to see our innovations reviewed. Here is another one by Server Management Magazine on the iDialog UPS. We launched this desktop UPS last year. It is packed with features, ideal for office and small home office applications. The iDialog Plus models have a useful LCD with load and battery charge measurements.

Despite the general level of economic activity in the UK, Riello UPS continues to see its activities expand within the data centre market. It appears demand for internet and data processing continues to expand at a near vertical rate and so does the requirement for secure power. In line with our growth plans for 2009 we will spend more time at UK events and the first quarter sees us at Data Centre World and the Business Continuity Expo – keep an eye on our website events page for more info.

Riello UPS has an open rather than closed protocols policy. This means that we do not lock-out service access to our uninterruptible power supplies, unlike many of our competitors. This policy opens up revenue opportunities for resellers, gives clients a larger potential choice of service partners and prevents them being locked into expensive ‘monopolostic’ maintenance contracts. The problem for clients is how to ensure that the company they are using to maintain their UPS is certified to the latest Riello UPS standards and training course content. If in doubt we always recommend two courses of action. Firstly, contact our Technical Support Team to check the latest list of Riello UPS Certified Engineers. Secondly, ask the company to provide documented evidence that they hold a current certification, and one for the UPS model they are being asked to maintain. The latter is an important aspect because UPS models can vary in design between power sizes – consider a 10kVA Multi Dialog and an 800kVA Master Plus. Other aspects to consider include: access to the latest technical documentation, firmware upgrades and spares. So will Riello UPS ever go ‘closed protocol’ – the jury is still out on that one and given the high level of customer satisfaction experienced by Riello UPS this winning formula may not change for some time to come.

The jury is still out on this one. A new report – World Flywheel UPS Markets – has just been published on the subject, looking at the global market and sales of flywheel energy storage systems within power quality applications as backup devices. Flywheel are great in principal but there are some barriers to overcome when used as part of a power continuity plan. The primary weaknesses are the higher capital cost and low runtime available. The first means that the devices are only really suitable for large applications of several hundred kVA or more – (with uninterruptible power supplies such as the Riello Master Plus UPS). Secondly, they have to compete as a substitute product against sealed lead acid batteries which can offer minutes and hours of runtime rather than just several milliseconds. Sure, flywheels do have a compact footprint and offer a ‘green’ technology but their benefits only really accrue over several years use – think battery replacement and disposal. So, my view is that if the flywheel industry finds some way of cost-effectively extending the runtime available and/or lowering the entry barrier costs, they may be onto a more competitive winner.

It’s interesting that people assume the electricity that comes out of the mains power supply is as pure as distilled water. It isn’t. It is contaminated by all sorts of ‘nasties’ that can lead to sags, surges, brownouts, harmonics, flicker, frequency deviations, interference, interruptions, distortion as well as complete blackouts. In turn, these problems can have dire consequences. Firstly, they will shorten the life of equipment by causing wear-and-tear and they can also cause complete breakdown.  

With computer systems, these problems are magnified as equipment tends to be sensitive to fluctuations in voltage current. They can result in data corruption or loss, which for many companies may be devastating in terms of business continuity, reputation and customer service. In extreme cases, harmonics for example, has been known to cause fires.  

What can be done?  

UPS is the answer. Not only does it protect equipment from complete mains power failures, it also contains filters and conditioners that keep the voltage current to within an acceptable level and cushion against many of these problems. This can be helped with a little insight and research into which power problems are most prevalent at your site, their magnitude and frequency. This information will enable you to choose the right solution for you. Large sites may benefit from power monitoring, a service offered by specialist (like Riello UPS) to record disturbances over a specific time period.  

For more information about power problems visit Riello’s website.

‘Tis the season to be jolly – and why not?  You’ve worked hard all year; you deserve to ease off the peddle in December. Trouble is, that’s when people often become less vigilant and succumb to the distractions of the season; parties, shopping, planning the holiday, tying up loose ends and so on. It takes the focus away from power continuity and power protection and it is then that Murphy’s Law dictates something is bound to go wrong. So, here are a few simple steps to ensure your season goes with a bang but that you don’t end up powerless:  

• Now is a good time to test your UPS system under load conditions to ensure it is working and can provide the capacity you need to keep critical systems up and running.
• Check cables and connectors for wear-and-tear and replace any that are worn or loose.
• Check that all critical equipment is connected into the UPS feed and that non-essential kit is not (remember: printers should not be plugged directly into any UPS as they can cause a surge on start-up and are usually categorised as non-essential).
• Check and test UPS batteries and battery strings and if necessary refresh with new ones.
• Check all other consumables such as fans and filters.
• If an alternative power supply (Diesel generator, fuel cell of flywheel) is on-site, include it in a test scenario, check fuel supplies and replenish if necessary ensuring there is plenty in store (fuel prices sometimes increase in winter and it may be difficult to source supplies particularly over the holiday period).
• If you have remote monitoring software installed, make sure it is the latest version and test communications equipment and cables. Check messages can be sent and received. 

 The Power Protection Guide covers all aspects of operating UPS systems including testing and maintenance.  Merry Christmas!

It is so important to make sure that your UPS and generator (where installed) are ready to work when they are called on in anger. Many people do carry out simulated tests. We came across this page from the Information Services team at Nottingham University. Even though their UPS (not supplied by Riello) and generator passed the simulated power failure, they uncovered some issues that they intend to work on.

One thing we have recently launched is a new range of hire services for load banks and generators. Load bank hire is proving particularly effective for customers who want to test their UPS off-load during preventative maintenance.

There are situations where UPS have failed earth loop impedance testing. There are good reasons for this and we have prepared a Technical Questions Answered Page on the subject.