So how much EXTRA power does one consume after installing an UPS?

[bekdik]

From the lack of availability of UPS stock, I assume that a great many people installed a UPS either to carry them over the Eskom enforced blackouts, or to protect their equipment from the power surges caused by the Eskom enforced blackouts.

I am wondering how much EXTRA power is being used by these UPS's! My guess is more than the "10% saving" Eskom is looking for.

And yes, I do know that a diesel/petrol generator doesn't consume electricity.

 

[antowan]

From the lack of availability of UPS stock, I assume that a great many people installed a UPS either to carry them over the Eskom enforced blackouts, or to protect their equipment from the power surges caused by the Eskom enforced blackouts.

I am wondering how much EXTRA power is being used by these UPS's! My guess is more than the "10% saving" Eskom is looking for.

And yes, I do know that a diesel/petrol generator doesn't consume electricity.

I think as soon as the battery is charged it just puts through whatever the equipment connected to it would use... I doubt it would be much different to normal usage apart from the extra power used to charge the batteries. That however can be done in off-peak hours, so...

 

[bekdik]

I think as soon as the battery is charged it just puts through whatever the equipment connected to it would use... I doubt it would be much different to normal usage apart from the extra power used to charge the batteries. That however can be done in off-peak hours, so...

AFAIK an UPS runs 24x7. Amongst other things it makes up for when Eskom drops to <210V, as they often do, so it would be using power all the time.

In any case no matter how efficient its design, it will be using power continuously.

I'd also guess that many who switch off their equipment to save power, leave the UPS running.

 

[psc]

It varies depending upon the type of UPS, with a double conversion UPS the efficiency is about 83 -> 92 %. Standby UPS's normally run a a small quiscient current (to power the electronics and trickle charge the batteries).

Once the UPS has run on batteries for a while, you have the extra current (as mentioned by antowan) to charge the batteries as well as your load, when power is restored.

Effectively if you run a UPS your electricty bill will be higher than if you did not, by how much will depend on the UPS run time (power failure) and efficiency.

 

[bekdik]

Effectively if you run a UPS your electricty bill will be higher than if you did not, by how much will depend on the UPS run time (power failure) and efficiency.

Exactly. So Eskom's actions has induced a saving of ....

 

[JSnow]

I am wondering how much EXTRA power is being used by these UPS's!

Not sure about UPS's but the battery charger that came with my alt power unit uses 1A @ 220V which equals 220W per hour. It would therefore take me 5 hours to consume 1KW or 1 unit of electricity (at present 0.43c every 5 hours!).