Standby UPS are the most economical type of uninterruptible power supply on the market. They are typically used to protect small workstations, terminals, or computer equipment. They provide continuous power, only switching over to the battery when detecting any loss of power.
How does a Standby UPS Work?
Most homes, offices, and businesses are wired for AC (alternating current) power while most IT equipment uses DC (direct current) power. With a standby UPS, the rectifier converts the utility power (AC) into DC power to charge the UPS battery. In normal environments, the AC power travels directly to the office over the UPS. In the instance of a blackout, the UPS will switch on and use its battery to power the networking equipment.
What is Another Name for a Standby UPS?
Standby UPS are often called offline UPS. These are differentiated from the other two types of uninterruptible power supplies, line interactive, and online double conversion.
Difference Between Online and Offline UPS
Offline UPS provides continuous power by switching over to the backup battery when it detects a blackout or loss of power. In contrast, online UPS supplies power to the equipment from the batteries at all times. It is able to supply more power when the utility power is low, or stabilize it during a surge. Online UPS are constantly charging its batteries and discharging it to the IT infrastructure. Online UPS does not require a switching mechanism, allowing for seamless continuity during outages.
Disadvantages of Standby UPS
The large issue with offline UPS is it has a switching delay to supply power to the equipment once the main utility power is interrupted. This is a small delay from outage to standby switching on. This is why offline UPS are not recommended for critical loads and devices hosting sensitive data.
