Comparison APC Easy-UPS BV 650VA BV650I-GR 650 VA vs Ippon Back Basic 650 Euro 650 VA

— Standard (Tower). UPS designed for floor mounting or placement on any suitable horizontal surface. This “installation” is extremely simple, and it is suitable even for the most powerful and heaviest devices, and therefore most modern uninterruptible power supplies (of all categories) are made in the usual Tower form factor. They are supposed to be placed vertically.

— Rack. Models for installation in telecommunication racks. Most of these uninterruptible power supplies belong to the professional equipment segment, designed to power servers and other similar electronics (which are also often mounted in a similar way). The most common standard of racks is 19", however there are other options, so it would not hurt to check the compatibility of the UPS with a specific rack separately. We also note that models of this type are often equipped with legs that allow you to place the device on the floor “sideways” or in a vertical position. Display (if available) in such models may have a rotating design for ease of reading parameters in both positions.

— Wall-mounted. Uninterruptible power supplies, primarily designed for wall mounting. Wall hanging may be the best option in tight spaces. However, such an installation is not the only option - many devices can optionally be installed on the floor. Also note that wall-mounted UPSs are often used for heating boile...rs. The main disadvantage of this form factor is the need to drill into the walls to install an uninterruptible power supply.

- Flat. UPS, structurally assembled in a low, flat housing. As a rule, this form factor allows for several options for installing equipment: the uninterruptible power supply can be installed horizontally or vertically. However, it is the horizontal method of installing the UPS that predominates. In fact, everything depends on the location of the uninterruptible power supply and its dimensions - it would not hurt to clarify this point separately.

— Extension cord. Uninterruptible power supplies that resemble an extension cord in appearance. Structurally, such UPSs consist of a set of sockets in one housing, with the sockets located on the top platform of the uninterruptible power supply. Often, the housing of such UPSs is provided with holes or fasteners for wall mounting.

UPS continuous operation time from a fully charged battery when connected to a load with a power equal to half the output power of the UPS (maximum or effective, depending on the type of load, see below for details). The operating time with such a load is much longer than for a full load, and even in the simplest models it can reach 20-30 minutes.

In this case, the input voltage range is implied, in which the UPS is able to supply a stable voltage to the load only due to its own regulators, without switching to the battery. For redundant UPSs (see "Type") this range is quite small, approximately 190 to 260 V; for interactive and especially inverter ones, it is much wider. Some UPS models allow you to manually set the input voltage range.

The maximum current drawn by the UPS. In fact, the current reaches its maximum value only when the UPS is operating from the mains with maximum load power and a completely discharged battery. However, when calculating the load on the power grid, this parameter should be taken into account.

The effective output power of the UPS is, in fact, the maximum active power of the load that can be connected to the device.

Active power is consumed directly for the operation of the device; it is expressed in watts. In addition to it, most AC devices also consume reactive power, which is "wasted" (relatively speaking) is spent by coils and capacitors. Apparent power (denoted in volt-amperes) is precisely the sum of active and reactive power; it is this characteristic that should be used in accurate electrical calculations. See "Maximum output power" for details; here we note that when selecting a UPS for a relatively simple application, it is quite possible to use only effective power. This is at least easier than converting the watts claimed in the characteristics of the connected devices into full power volt-amps.

The most modest modern "uninterruptibles" give out less than 500 watts. 501 – 1000 W can be considered an average value, 1.1 – 2 kW is above average, and in the most powerful models this figure exceeds 2 kW and can reach very impressive values (up to 1000 kW or more in some industrial class UPS).

Efficiency (coefficient of performance) in the case of a UPS is the ratio of its output power to the power consumed from the network. This is one of the main parameters that determine the overall efficiency of the device: the higher the efficiency, the less energy the UPS wastes (due to heating parts, electromagnetic radiation, etc.). In modern models, the efficiency value can reach 99%.

The frequency (frequency range) of the AC voltage output by the UPS. For computer technology, the frequency range of 47-53 Hz is considered normal, although the smaller the deviation from the 50 Hz standard, the better. On the other hand, in some UPS models, this frequency can be automatically synchronized with the frequency of the mains — so the power supplied to the load will not differ regardless of whether the load is powered by the mains or from the battery. In this case, a wider frequency range, on the contrary, is more desirable.

The number of outlets connected to the power reserve(battery) provided in the design of the UPS. In order for the UPS to fulfill its main role (providing a backup power in case of power outages), the corresponding electrical appliances must be connected to these outlets. The sockets have a standard shape and are compatible with the vast majority of popular 230 V plugs.

At a minimum, the UPS has 1 or 2 outlets and, in more advanced ones, there may be 3 or more.

The type of battery installed in the UPS.

— Fiberglass (AGM). An advanced type of lead-acid battery with electrolyte in an adsorbed state: the compartments of such a battery are filled with porous material, which contains acid. At the same time, the battery case is sealed and AGM models are maintenance-free. This technology is the most popular in batteries for uninterruptible power supplies: it is ideal for batteries operating in buffer mode (that is, when they rarely need to be discharged and, as a rule, little by little). In addition, it provides a long service life, and AGM batteries are inexpensive. The disadvantages of this option include the impossibility of replenishing the electrolyte if it leaks, as well as poor tolerance to overcharging (although the latter becomes irrelevant with a high-quality power controller).

— Gel (GEL). A type of lead-acid battery that uses a gel electrolyte. GEL batteries are best suited for operation in cyclic mode - that is, when the battery needs to power the load for a long time, discharge almost to zero, then charge and again provide long-term autonomous power. But for the buffer mode, in which most UPSs operate (standing on standby for a long time in order to briefly maintain power supply in the event of a failure), this technology is not suitable for a number of reasons. Therefore, it makes sense to purchase such batteries only in cases where t...he “uninterruptible power supply” has to be turned on almost every day - for example, in unstable networks with constant and long-term power outages.

— Lithium-ion (Li-Ion). The key advantages of lithium-ion batteries are high capacity with small dimensions and weight. Also, Li-Ion batteries are not subject to the “memory effect” and can charge quite quickly. Of course, this option is not without its drawbacks - first of all, it is sensitive to low and high temperatures, and if overloaded, the lithium-ion battery can catch fire or even explode. However, thanks to the use of built-in controllers, the likelihood of such “emergency” situations is extremely low and, in general, the advantages of this technology significantly outweigh the disadvantages.

— Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4). An advanced modification of lithium-ion batteries (see above), designed to eliminate some of the shortcomings of the original technology. Lithium iron phosphate batteries are characterized by a large number of charge/discharge cycles, chemical and thermal stability, low temperature tolerance, short charging time (including high currents) and safety in operation. The likelihood of an “explosion” of a LiFePO4 battery when overloaded is reduced to almost zero, and in general, such batteries cope with high peak loads without problems and maintain the operating voltage almost until they are fully discharged.