What Are The Dangers of Not Maintaining Your Critical UPS, Generators or Control Systems

There are many dangers that come with not maintaining your UPS, Control centres, and critical power generators such as; poor efficiency, lower life span and more. All electrical equipment, and machinery in general, should be properly maintained to ensure optimum output. As well as ensuring the safe functionality of the product.

In order to understand the maintenance that goes behind the generators and the dangers of not maintaining them, we need to understand more about each piece of hardware.

What is a UPS?

A UPS is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power to a load when the input power source fails. A UPS differs from a standby generator in that it will provide near-instantaneous power by supplying energy stored in batteries, supercapacitors, or flywheels. 

What is a Control Centre?

A control centre is typically a room housing large numbers of electronic equipment used to monitor and control a facility or group of facilities. The term can also refer to the location of an emergency operations centre (EOC) responsible for coordinating the response to a major incident.  

What is a Critical Power Generator?

A critical power generator is a type of backup generator that is used to provide power to critical loads during a power outage. Critical loads are those that must be supplied with power at all times, such as hospitals, data centres, and emergency services.

The dangers of poor maintenance:

While UPS systems, control centres and generators can provide backup power in the event of a power outage, it is important to remember that they are still electrical devices that need to be properly maintained. Poor maintenance can lead to a number of problems, such as:

• Reduced lifespan of the UPS, control centre or generator

• Decreased efficiency

• Increased chance of failure during an emergency power situation
  

How do I maintain my generators?

To ensure that your UPS, Control centre or critical power generator is always in top condition, it is important to have a regular maintenance schedule. This should include:

• Inspecting the equipment for any damage or wear and tear

• Cleaning the equipment to remove any dust or debris

• Checking the battery levels and replacing them if necessary

• Testing the equipment on a regular basis to ensure it is still functioning properly

By following these simple steps, you can help to extend the lifespan of your UPS, control centre or critical power generator and make sure it is always ready to provide backup power when you need it most.

Beyond the simple maintenance that you can perform yourself, it is imperative that your hardware is serviced on a yearly basis. These services are carried out by qualified professionals who are able to assist with the more complex matters of generator maintenance. 

It is important to check the manufacturer's guidelines when it comes to correct maintenance, as well as HSE regulations. The recent updates regarding HSE UPS maintenance mean that all service agreements need to be updated to include;

Action required for Designer, manufacturers, importers and suppliers:

All should review the information for maintenance, including inspections, for the current range of industrial UPS systems to ensure it complies with all legal requirements. Historical records of maintenance and services should be reviewed and provided to all end users.

Action required for end-users:

End-users and specialist maintenance contractors who ensure the continued safe usage and operation of industrial UPS systems need to obtain the latest revision of the information for maintenance from the supplier.

It is important to understand the potential dangers that occur from poor maintenance of your generator and control systems. If you find yourself in need of advice or require service and maintenance packages for your generators contact the P&I team now.