G
gdi2k
Greetings,
I'm in the Philippines and have an office full of PCs that need to run with as little interruption as possible. Power is pretty reliable here in general, but we have rotational blackouts for an hour a day at the moment due to a regional shortage caused by damage from the typhoon in November.
We have a generator, and each PC has a UPS backup battery. The idea is that when the grid switches off, all equipment is powered by UPS until the generator comes online. But when it does, most of the UPS devices don't accept the generator's power output (they all synchronously click back and forth between line and battery) and continue to discharge until they shutdown. At that stage we bypass the UPS devices until grid power returns, then we have to switch everything back again. It's a pain.
We've had the generator looked at a few times, apparently it's doing its job correctly and according to spec; it's voltage and frequency is spot on. It is not overloaded (not even to 50%).
The UPS people (APC) tell me to reduce the sensitivity setting on the UPSs, but it doesn't make a difference.
What we've got:
Ironically, it seems that the cheaper the UPS, the more tolerant it is to accepting power from the generator.
I am looking for help as to how I can solve this. I have read of power line conditioners - is this what I need?
Any advice greatly appreciated!
I'm in the Philippines and have an office full of PCs that need to run with as little interruption as possible. Power is pretty reliable here in general, but we have rotational blackouts for an hour a day at the moment due to a regional shortage caused by damage from the typhoon in November.
We have a generator, and each PC has a UPS backup battery. The idea is that when the grid switches off, all equipment is powered by UPS until the generator comes online. But when it does, most of the UPS devices don't accept the generator's power output (they all synchronously click back and forth between line and battery) and continue to discharge until they shutdown. At that stage we bypass the UPS devices until grid power returns, then we have to switch everything back again. It's a pain.
We've had the generator looked at a few times, apparently it's doing its job correctly and according to spec; it's voltage and frequency is spot on. It is not overloaded (not even to 50%).
The UPS people (APC) tell me to reduce the sensitivity setting on the UPSs, but it doesn't make a difference.
What we've got:
- Generator is a 5000W portable unit, specs linked here.
- A range of UPS devices, from cheap "fire hazard" grade, to more respectable (or at least expensive) APC units.
Ironically, it seems that the cheaper the UPS, the more tolerant it is to accepting power from the generator.
I am looking for help as to how I can solve this. I have read of power line conditioners - is this what I need?
Any advice greatly appreciated!