Your Expert Guide to Supplying Power and Preventing Downtime

Unplanned downtime means your facility can’t operate, which means it’s not making money. In fact, you’re actually losing money to expensive equipment repairs, replacements, and other recovery efforts. This doesn’t have to be a regular occurrence though. While you can’t always prevent unplanned outages, you can prepare for it. The best way to prevent surprise downtime is by making sure you have the right battery backup system in place. Not sure where to start? Just follow these steps:

• Design for power redundancy
• Use the right equipment
• Perform regular maintenance and testing

Design for Power Redundancy

It’s not a question of if power outages or disasters will happen, but when. Severe weather, power grid failures, equipment malfunctions, and more can happen at any time. The last thing you want is to be caught unaware by something you could have easily prepared for. This is where power redundancy comes in. Instead of only having one way of supplying power, your data center needs multiple backup power solutions to keep running even during an outage. There isn’t just one way to implement power redundancy though, here are the three solutions, which can be combined:

• Generator: Provides long-runtime backup power during an outage.
• 2N Redundancy: Has two completely separate power paths. Best for enterprises and critical infrastructure where downtime would be especially disastrous.
• Component Redundancy: Use multiple parts such as redundant power modules in a UPS or redundant battery strings to further reduce chances of power failure.

It’s important to note, however, that true power redundancy doesn’t just mean having backup power, but backup power paths as well. After all, if a power surge occurs your main power path could be damaged and unsafe to use. All these redundant systems can be expensive, especially for smaller facilities, where it might not always be necessary. Before investing your time and money in power redundancy, speak with one of our experts to learn if this solution is really the right fit for you.

Use the Right Equipment

Without the proper equipment, your facility doesn’t have the tools needed to prevent prolonged downtime when power outages occur. But what exactly is the “right equipment” for your unique facility? Let’s break down your options:

Uninterruptible Power Supply Systems

An uninterruptible power supply is the first line of defense against power outages, so it’s vital you have the right one to fit your needs. For example, you may only need one UPS for your entire facility, or you may need one for individual server rooms, racks, or one piece of equipment like a computer. This is determined by your facility’s power consumption, or how much power you need to provide critical equipment during an outage. To find this, look at each device’s max power draw and add them together.

Once you know what size uninterruptible power supply your facility needs, you can move on to choosing the right topology. This is a must to ensure you get a UPS that meets your location’s specific needs. After all, not all UPS systems are made the same. So carefully consider which of the following UPS topologies would best serve your facility:

• Online Double Conversion: Provides clean, stable power to all your devices without interruption when switching to a battery backup.
• Line-Interactive: Passes power from the wall through to your device, but transfer is not instantaneous, and it drains its battery faster. Best suited for smaller facilities using less than 5 kVA.
• Offline/Standby: Provides a basic safety net of power from the wall but does not switch over immediately or protect your system from power spikes or surges very well. Best suited for applications using less than 2kVA.

Generally speaking, the online UPS topology is the most reliable and secure option. And while it is typically more expensive than the other options, it saves facilities more money by providing clean power, reducing the risk of voltage fluctuations causing surprise downtime.

UPS Batteries

Just like how not every uninterruptible power supply is the same, neither are the batteries used in these pieces of equipment. They require different levels of maintenance and can last different amounts of time. For example:

• Valve-Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) battery: Can last up to 4-5 years and needs to be recharged if not used for more than 6 months.
• Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) VRLA battery: Can last up to 7-8 years.
• Lithium-ion battery: Can last up to 12-15 years and are the most expensive option listed. These batteries are also a different kind of lithium battery than what’s used in a mobile phone.

UPS batteries are the most common source failure leading to downtime, but battery failure is easily preventable. In fact, UPS batteries rarely fail all of a sudden. Typically, they stop being able to hold a charge as well as they used to, have a shorter runtime, or start giving off alerts that the battery is reaching its end of life. This is why you need to understand how long your battery will last and what the warning signs are that it’s fading, so you don’t end up without a UPS during a power outage.

Backup Generators

An uninterruptible power supply is not enough to prevent unplanned downtime in a prolonged outage. These devices are built to provide about 5 to 30 minutes of runtime. From there, your generator should be able to power your entire facility for extended periods of time. This doesn’t just save you money though; it also keeps your facility industry compliant. According to ITIC’s 2023 survey, most enterprise companies require a minimum of 99.99% of uptime a year. Anything less and your facility will feel the harmful effects of prolonged unplanned downtime.

When planning to add a generator, make sure you have the following:

• Understand your current power capacity
• Find an area where the generator can be easily accessed, maintained, and fueled
• Ensure there is proper ventilation in your generator’s designated location
• Have a plan to safely store the amount of necessary fuel
• Ensure compatibility with UPS and automatic transfer switches (ATS)

All your vital systems need to connect to your generator; this includes your air conditioner. This piece of equipment is often overlooked when it comes to planning a generator’s pathways, leading to disastrous consequences. If all your equipment turns back on without a cooling system, your devices will overheat and shut down again. And this time a backup generator won’t be able to get them turned on again.

To ensure your generator can handle your entire load, it must be able to provide 20% more than your facility’s power consumption. This way your generator can easily provide power to all the equipment in your location and still have room for more devices to be added later on.

Surge Protection Devices

One of the most dangerous risks of a power outage is a power surge. When electricity spikes, your equipment can be irrevocably damaged, and you lose your connection to the main power supply. So instead of risking your UPS or other equipment, use a surge protection device (SPD). Tiered SPDs catch the excess voltage from a power surge before it can take out your other equipment. These cost-effective devices protect your facility from power surges as soon as they occur, adding another layer of protection against disastrous downtime.

Perform Regular Maintenance and Testing

Even the most advanced data center power systems can fail without consistent maintenance and testing. Preventive maintenance ensures every piece of equipment in your battery backup system is ready when power outages and natural disasters occur. This is where regular maintenance comes in. Just note that preventive maintenance is different for each part of your power system:

• Uninterruptible power supply: Two to four times a year, examine your UPS for damage, update its firmware, test its batteries, and fix any uncovered issues.
• UPS Battery Testing: Plan for replacement of standard VRLA batteries in years 4-5. Do a quarterly test. Best yet, install a battery monitoring system.
• Generators: Perform monthly start-ups to verify that the system can supply power during extended outages.

When performing preventive maintenance on battery backup systems, it’s important to always use a professional to ensure no issues or warning signs are missed. Otherwise, you risk surprise downtime and frustration when you learn the event could have been avoided with expert maintenance.

Power Systems FAQs

What causes faulty power in a data center?

Faulty power often results from grid instability, equipment failure, or improper grounding. Using an uninterruptible power supply and ensuring your batteries are reliable minimizes the risk of interruptions when supplying power to critical equipment.

How does an uninterruptible power supply prevent downtime?

An uninterruptible power supply continuously conditions and stabilizes incoming electricity. During an outage, it instantly switches to its battery backup, supplying power until the generator takes over, ensuring uninterrupted operation.

Why is redundancy important for preventing faulty power?

Redundancy ensures that if one system fails, another immediately begins supplying power. This layered protection—combining generators, UPS systems, and redundant components—keeps your data center online through unexpected disruptions.

How do generators and UPS systems work together?

When utility power fails, the UPS and its battery backup immediately begin supplying power. Within seconds, the generator activates and provides sustained energy, ensuring seamless transitions with zero downtime.

How do I choose the right uninterruptible power supply size?

Calculate your facility’s total power load in kilowatts, then add at least 20% for growth. This ensures your UPS and battery backup can supply power efficiently even as your equipment demands increase.

How can monitoring tools prevent faulty power events?

Intelligent monitoring detects load imbalances, overheating, and performance degradation. Early detection allows your UPS, PDUs, and battery backup systems to keep supplying power safely and efficiently.

What is the difference between line-interactive and online UPS systems?

A line-interactive UPS offers limited protection and brief transfer times, while an online uninterruptible power supply provides continuous, zero-transfer battery backup, supplying power seamlessly in every condition.

Why should maintenance be handled by a professional?

Professionals use manufacturer-certified procedures and diagnostic tools to inspect UPS, PDUs, and generators. This ensures every system, including the battery backup, remains capable of supplying power reliably and safely.

Learn More Ways to Prevent Disastrous Downtime

As technology continues to evolve, so too do the ways we support it. This means more power, more advanced equipment, and more detailed practices to keep everything on and working as it should. Sign up for our free newsletter to get updates on the best ways to support your critical equipment so your facility can avoid significant disruptions.