UPS battery cabinet is too heavy

Early on in a UPS design a decision must be made on whether batteries should be installed on racks or in cabinets. Both have pros and cons. The following are typical design considerations.

Lithium batteries have significant benefits over lead-acid batteries for UPS, for example,smallsize, light weight, high cycle-count (charge-discharge cycles), faster recharge times, and built-in battery management (not just monitoring). The technology is underactivedevelopment due to the demand fromheavy-duty sectors like e-mobility.

UPS batteries must be as close as practical to the UPS. They can be located in: Batteries installed on open racks almost always require installation in a battery room. Sometimes they are installed in the same room as the UPS (i.e., electrical equipment room). Local or regional codes may dictate whether batteries are permitted in an electrical room.

Ease of use is one of the principle selling points for battery cabinets. It is convenient to service the equipment when the UPS and the battery (ies) are right next to each other. Conversely, it is inconvenient to have to go to a separate room when open-rack batteries are installed.

As mentioned earlier, batteries should be as close as possible to the UPS. The reasons are twofold: (1) the longer the cable runs, the greater the voltage drop; and (2) the longer the cable runs, the greater the potential for damage and/or short circuit. Open-rack battery rooms must be adjacent to the UPS room.

There are two primary hazards of concern: electrical and fire. Open rack batteries expose potentially lethal voltage to any person coming in contact with them. Therefore they must be installed in battery rooms in which room access is restricted to authorized personnel only. Authorized personnel must be trained in battery safety.