FAQs - Small Office UPS
The types of UPS systems suitable for small offices and home office worker IT networks and applications including desktop and tower systems.
Most small office UPS systems will provide a battery support time of 2-5 minutes on their datasheets. The actual runtime provided by a UPS battery is load dependent and so the lower the load the longer the UPS will run for. A 300VA load on a 600VA UPS may give up to 10 minutes in battery runtime. If the UPS has a front panel display the load and battery charge percentage can be displayed. If the UPS is connected to UPS monitoring software, the available runtime (in minutes) may be shown.
Most small UPS systems will provide from 2-8 output sockets and these will generally be the C13 IEC type. Some small office UPS systems offer BS Style 3-pin plug or Schuko sockets. With either type of socket arrangement, a plug-in socket strip can be used provided that the overall load of the socket strip does not exceed power rating of the UPS outlet socket or the UPS itself.
The battery is a small office UPS system or one designed for domestic applications will be a 5year design life battery that will require replacement within 3-4 years of installation. The life of a UPS battery is temperature dependent and the recommended ambient is 20-25˚C. If a UPS battery has aged and exceeded its working life, its DC voltage can collapse rapidly on mains power supply failure leading to a load crash. Most small UPS systems offer user-replaceable batteries which can be supplied as replacement UPS battery kits.