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What Is An Online Double Conversion UPS? And Who Needs It?
ByBilal Khan- Read Time6 mins
Based on the power capacity and the capability to deal with the power irregularities, UPS systems are categorized into unnumbered divisions. If you have used a UPS, you know they are pretty good at fixing power-related issues. However, that’s not what UPS systems were built for.
Primarily, their main use is to power up electronics in case of main power failure. When designing a UPS.
When designing a UPS, most manufacturers prioritize the aspect of backup power over the rest of the secondary features.
UPS systems are critically important to protect sensitive devices from total power failures and dozens of types of power irregularities. If you have gone through my previous posts on UPSes, you know Stand-by and Line-Interactive UPSes are entry to the intermediate level of backup power solutions respectively.
These UPS systems are good but not the best at all. Their helplessness against a number of power-related issues lowers their worth. And here is where an Online Double Conversion UPS comes into play.
What Is An Online Double Conversion UPS?
Online Double Conversion UPS or simply Online UPS, is a device that provides perfect power protection to consumer electronics during a power breakdown. As a facility of stored electrical energy, Online UPS also delivers backup power to the connected equipment for a few minutes to more than an hour.
This type of UPS system is often used for electrical equipment that comprises sensitive components. The Online UPS system is known to be the smartest and most efficient solution against power outages.
How Does An Online Double Conversion UPS Work?
To operate, the Online UPS system relies on the fundamental policy of power conversion. When the Online UPS receives input power from the main source, it converts it into DC power. After filtering the power irregularities, it converts the DC power into AC output which is then utilized by the connected device.
As you may have noted, the overall process takes the UPS system to convert the power twice. That’s the one and the only reason it is called Double Conversion UPS.
Apart from the power conversion process, there is more to know about the working principle of Online UPS. When it comes to charging the battery and delivering power to the attached device, the Online UPS has to involve the inverter on a constant basis.
With the help of the inverter, the Online UPS utilizes the input power to charge the battery and deliver it to the connected equipment simultaneously. When the input power stops flowing from the main power source, the inverter switches off the conversion mode and allows the battery to provide power to the attached equipment.
Features Of Online Double Conversion UPS
As the finest member of the League of UPS systems, the Online UPS offers some premium features. Together, all these features make Online UPS a perfect remedy to power failures.
No Transfer Time
The transfer time to the battery is probably the most important feature of any UPS system. If the transfer time is slow, there is a chance the connected equipment will lose power as a result of power failure.
While most UPS systems offer 4-6 milliseconds of transfer time to the battery, that’s not the case with an Online UPS. Since its battery remains active throughout the operation, it takes no time for the inverter to provide backup power to the connected device.
Stabilized Voltage Delivery
For a device with critical components, voltage fluctuation is more hazardous than a power outage. Combating the voltage fluctuation, the Online UPS stabilizes the voltage to the normal level. Whether it is about Undervoltage or Overvoltage, the Online UPS can deal with all sorts of voltage disturbances to protect the attached electronics.
Protection Against Harmonic Distortion
As a disturbance in current and voltage delivery, Harmonic Distortion badly affects the electronics. It can cause overheating of a device to the extent of the damage. Online UPS shields a device from the harmful impacts of Harmonic Distortion. It controls the irregular voltage and current variations and maintains them to a safe level.
Eliminating Line-Noise
One of the best things about using an Online UPS is that it eliminates line noise from the system. The Online UPS filters out the unwanted line noise in the best interests of the attached electronics. If the line noise is not filtered out, it can cause damage to the overall power system.
Average Price Of Online Double Conversion UPS
When buying an Online UPS, you will have to take the battery capacity into account. For example, a 1kVA-powered Online UPS system of any reputable brand can cost you $750-$850. Despite the lowest power capacity, a 1kVA-powered UPS could be enough to power up a connected device for several minutes. And If you go for a 2kVA-powered Online UPS, the price range could start from $1800. Similarly, the price of an Online UPS with a 3kVA power capacity starts from $2200.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wrap Up
Whether you talk of battery backup or power protection, Offline UPS systems are way ahead of their Stand-by and Line-Interactive counterparts. For most of us, Offline UPSes are too expensive. Or let’s say, they are straight out of our budget. But taking the perfect power protection and increased battery backup into consideration, they are a great option.
