UPS Issues and replacement

[Negita43]

Not sure whether this should go in the Electrical or IT section. I’ll try the electrical first.

I have 3 UPS’s , connected to several computers, printers, NAS boxes.

1 APC, 1 Powerline, and 1 MGE (very old but was very good )

Recently I came back from holiday to find that my main breaker and two circuit MCBs had tripped due to (so I am told) a massive bang at the substation and a power outage for a day or so.

All the UPS’s were carrying no load as all the IT equipment connected was switched off although still connected via SURGE/battery backup  protected outlets on the UPS’s

ON restarting the computers I found that:

The APC was fine, However the MGE and the Powerline would not work. The batteries on both were completely depleted (around 7 Volts) and neither would charge via the UPS.

I charged the batteries using a 12 volt charger and both are now at 13.5 volts.

However neither the MGE nor the Powerline will function on connecting to the battery backup/surge sockets . BUT will function if I just connect via surge protection only outlets.  I check this by plugging in a fan to the relevant outlet socket.

I’m not an electrician but I suspect the “big bang” has screwed something in the part of the UPS that is connected to the battery backup/surge sockets, so unless anyone here has any thoughts on that I am resigned to replacing two UPS’s.

So here is my question I have looked at JIB and Advice sites and most of the UPS’s on offer appear now only to offer surge protection on RG11 sockets . That’s not what I want I want battery backup/surge protection on my outlet mains sockets. OR has something changed in the UPS specs that automatically implies surge protection on mains outlet sockets

Any advice, comments, suggestions gratefully received.

Thanks

 

[Crossy]

Yes, the "big bang" has likely fried the electronics in your UPSs, the "surge protected" outlets are just directly connected to the incoming supply and have no UPS function and so will continue to work.

 

Most decent UPSs do have surge protection built-in to protect themselves as well as anything plugged in to them. But I wouldn't rely on the built-in surge protection anyway, the MOVs used are usually tiny.

 

I would get a good quality, branded (APC, Belkin etc.), surge arresting power strip (it won't be cheap) and plug your UPS into it. Anything that needs only surge protection can also be plugged into the power strip.

 

 

[Negita43]

Thanks Crossy

 

I have just looked at an APC UPS and the spec says " Surge energy rating 240 Joules "  Would you know (without any liability on your part) if that is good or bad in terms of surge protection?

 

Also Advice have several Voltage stabilizers eg Stabilizer 800VA DK-3 DK Gray. which say they have surge protection at 800 baht Is this what you mean by a surge arresting power strip?

 

Thanks

 

[Crossy]

240 Joules is around average, ok to absorb most "normal" lightning related spikes, but anything close will overwhelm it.

 

You need the local equivalent of this really http://www.belkin.com/Pyramid/documents/External/P56940uk_F9G726uk3M-GRY.pdf which is what I mean by "surge arresting power strip". Note the Belkin kit has a "connected equipment warranty", read the terms and conditions.

 

 

[Fruit Trader]

56 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 Note the Belkin kit has a "connected equipment warranty", read the terms and conditions.

Maybe get one for your laundry machine 

[Negita43]

Thanks I've since taken a look at APC Thailand surge arresting blocks they have two one at 1,100 Baht that give 600 joules and one at 1,700 baht that gives over 1,000 joules BUT the site makes it clear that connected equipment (EPP) is not covered in ASEAN. I''ll try to check out Belkin to see if they have the same reservations.

 

By the way, my consumer unit is supposed to have a surge protective device on it (see pic) so that's not working I guess.

[Crossy]

10 hours ago, Negita43 said:

By the way, my consumer unit is supposed to have a surge protective device on it (see pic) so that's not working I guess.

 

It's showing red in the window meaning it has done its job and now needs replacing. You are correct, right now it's not working.

 

 

 

[Negita43]

Thanks Crossy as it was showing more green than red I thought it was OK. I'll replace it ASAP

 

I notice that the red cable from the top of it goes to the B16 mcb next to it - Does that mean that if the surge protector is triggered that mcb will trip also? I assume the Thai electrician used a black cable to connect to earth because of it's thickness ( excuse my ignorance)

 

Finally, is the surge protector rating adequate or should I replace it with something different?

 

Thanks again

 

Oops forgot the photo

 

 

 

 

[Crossy]

10kA is on the low side for a whole house unit.

 

If you are going to replace it with a different type you should install it at the left hand end of the breaker array, I would be tempted to connect it to the live link between the incoming breaker and the RCD.

 

The MCB is there to protect in case the MOV fails short and it's internal protection (which also works the red flag) fails to open the circuit. As a MOV wears (by absorbing surges) its trigger voltage decreases, eventually it gets to the point that it actually triggers at the peak of the mains supply at which point it gets rather warm and melts a soft metal link which opens the circuit (and flips the flag).