UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)

UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)

Lightning causes millions of dollars in damage to businesses each year and is the second leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States. National Geographic (July 1993) reported that lightning lasts less than a second, yet produces more energy than all of the electrical utilities in the world combined during that instant.

With the proliferation of computers and microprocessor-based devices in many greenhouses, lightning protection has become more critical. How can you protect your business systems from such a powerful and unpredictable adversary? Do you really need protection? Is it time for you to move beyond simple power strips?

Installing lightning protection equipment involves high voltages and serious personal safety issues. Use the following information to help you understand and formulate a plan for lightning protection. When you decide to implement your plan, use the services of a licensed electrician or lightning protection specialist.

English: Large UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) ...

A small free-standing UPS. The unit in the photo h...

English: Line-Interactive UPS Diagram

Since computers were invented, there's been one harrowing negative against the use of these machines - they are completely dependant on a continuous power source, without surges. If the power goes out, your computer suddenly shuts off, potentially losing whatever data you were working on up to that point, and causing system errors within the Windows environment. What's worse is if a harmful electrical surge comes through the lines and could potentially wipe out your entire computer for good.

A UPS provides electrical power to computers or other devices during a power outage and can be one of the following (TechTarget, 2003):

A battery system

A rotary UPS that uses the inertia of a large flywheel to carry the computer system through brief outages

Internal combustion motors that run AC generators

UPSes come in many different sizes and shapes. The size of the UPS is primarily dictated by the...