Protecting Uptime by Protecting from Surge
Does Your Distribution Panel Look Like This?
Why NOT to have Surge Protection
Integrated into Your Distribution Panel
On October 28, 2020 a prominent manufacturer recalled ~47,000 panel units due to a potential fire hazard, all with integrated surge protection devices (SPD). Their recommendation? Buy a new distribution panel or install an external SPD.

If it was your panel, upstream from your critical equipment, wouldn't you be worried how much over-voltage passed through to your uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or other critical equipment?

This again brings up the discussion on external vs. integrated SPD. It really comes down to downtime. How much downtime will you experience while you wait for the parts to fix the panel? For this manufacturer - and due to CoVid distribution challenges - it could potentially have been weeks. With an external SPD device, a day or two.

Which would you prefer?
Getting the Right Surge Protection
Before You Need It
IEEE Std 1100 (Emerald book) recommends including a surge protective device (SPD) on the incoming power line to a UPS system. The same standard also recommends cascading surge protection in a coordinated manner in order to achieve maximum protection of critical loads. 

Now the NEC requires SPDs on all emergency system switchboards and panelboards (700.8) as well as any branch circuits feeding critical operations data (645.18). 

The Raycap RSE 2 series is UL listed with a 20kA I-nominal for robustness. These SPD systems use a unique stacked MOV design that enhances robustness while lowering transient let-through voltage (or UL VPRs). Cascading the devices as shown will protect both the UPS and the critical load it is serving.

RSE 2 Series Surge Protective Device:
  • Non-Modular SPD utilizing stacked MOVs
  • Voltage: 100kA per Mode / 200kA per Phase
  • All-mode
  • Optional surge/TOV counter w/ time & date stamp
  • NEMA 4
  • UL Type 1
  • 10-year warranty
Which UPS System is Right for You?
The Value in Online Double Conversion UPS Topology

Check out the Vertiv decision tools for UPS systems.

Customers often ask:

  • Which UPS is right for me?
  • What is the suggested runtime for my application?
  • My company is growing but I'm not ready to upgrade yet. How should I plan for this?
  • Do I need an external battery cabinet or a battery bank? VRLA or Lithium-Ion?

In most cases for critical equipment, online double conversion is the suggested topology. The sine wave it generates is a higher quality with fewer harmonics than other topologies thus extending the life of the UPS.

Watch the video "The Value in Online Double Conversion UPS Topology" to learn more.
The Readers Corner
Batteries Make the UPS Smarter and More Efficient
New battery alternatives will present opportunities for the broad adoption of UPS systems capable of more elegant interactions with the grid. In the short term, this will manifest in load management and peak shaving features. Eventually, we will see organizations using some of the stored energy in their UPS systems to help the utility operate the electric grid. The static storage of all of that energy has long been seen as a revenue-generator waiting to happen.

Access, Inc. is Wisconsin, Michigan, and NW Ohio's premier source of Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and critical support equipment and services.

We work hand in hand with business owners, contractors, value added resellers, and engineers, helping them apply our products and services to solve their HVAC and critical support problems in the most reliable and economic way.
Our Mission:
Ensuring uptime with market-leading, reliable and
performance-driven solutions.
| Access Inc. | 866-402-2237 |
| 844 Ehlers Road, Neenah, WI | 23400 Commerce Drive, Farmington Hills, MI 48335 |
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