The reality of dips and peaks, brownouts and blackouts and load shedding is once again staring us in the eye.
South Africans are becoming adept at discovering smart ways to outwit our power and water woes, and UPS is certainly one such device that will, at worst, protect our sensitive, expensive computer equipment from being damaged during instability of the grid, and give us sufficient time to save any important work from being lost. Most UPS Power systems are relatively short – somewhere in the region of 15 minutes.
A UPS system is different from other emergency power systems such as a standby generator in that it protects your equipment and affords you time to save your work using one or more batteries and other electronic circuitry for low power users and generators and flywheels for power users that are higher.
UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply is also referred to as battery back-up systems provide enough back-up power when the power goes down or when voltage drops to low levels.
The UPS offers backup power that will give you enough time to shut down your PC and other important equipment and any other connecting power devices.
The size and the configuration of your UPS device will be the deciding factor of how much power you can get from your back-up system.
There are numerous UPS topologies provide varying levels of protection against power interruptions. CyberPower UPS offers three topologies – these include line-interactive, double-conversion, and standby.
Perhaps the most basic UPS relying on battery back-up power when the voltage dips or surges and when the power goes out. The UPS automatically switches to DC power when the utility dips below the norm, then inverts it back into AC power to devices that are connected.
Standby UPS is most commonly used to protect computers, POS systems, security systems, automatic gates, among others
Line Interactive UPS uses technology to readjust and correct slight power instabilities without switching over to a battery back-up; this UPS system is equipped with an autotransformer that assists in the regulation of voltages that dip and corrects over voltages without switching over to battery backup. This UPS System is great for gaming, home theatre, and entry and mid-range servers
A double-conversion UPS delivers reliable, clean power, irrespective of the state of power from the grid. This UPS converts incoming AC power to DC, and once again it converts the DC power back to AC. UPS systems with this technology operate on isolated DC power continuously with a zero-transfer time.
A UPS is used to protect computers, data centres, telecommunication equipment or other electrical equipment to prevent losses or injuries.
The Load Shedding Survival Guide
/in PHD Blog /by siteadminLoad shedding is here to stay and has become a fact of life for all South Africans – the smart thing to do is to ensure you are prepared for this eventuality as and when it happens. It need not be all doom and gloom when it happens; instead, get creative and come up with some fun things to handle the problem.
Here are ten things to do when the lights go out:
There are many ways to keep frustration at bay during load shedding – all it takes is a little imagination and plenty of patience.
When to Use a Surge Protector
/in PHD Blog /by siteadminPower surges are a regular occurrence and are here to stay. We need to think smart and out of the box – if power surges are going to be a major part of our daily lives. It is imperative that we protect all sensitive electronics against these instabilities, whether they are due to power surges from the utility, or whether they are a direct result of lightning strikes that seem to be part of the lives of South Africans across all our provinces. Lightning strikes in SA are high, according to statistics – more so than many countries (Belgium for one). We need to arm ourselves appropriately and with the right tools to ensure we don’t suffer expensive and unnecessary costs and damages to our sensitive items both in the office and home environments.
Today we have a multitude of electronic devices which include sensitive PCs, laptops, microwaves and other machines that are made from delicate components. Microprocessors form part of the make-up of many of these delicate electronics – not only are they the bones of many expensive computers – they are also found in other equipment and electronics in the home.
The main function of having a surge protector might seem unnecessary, but if you would like to protect your machinery from being damaged during dips and hikes, blackouts and brownouts you should start changing the way you think. Many sensitive electronics are only able to function at their peak when they have a constant current to keep them running – a thought to ponder.
Surge protectors are used for sophisticated electronics as these are prone to being damage. If devices are not damaged, they would more than likely have a shorter life span.
Although PCs are your obvious electronic equipment that need protecting, numerous other electronics need protection in the work environment as well as the home environment.
There is no point in getting a surge protector without an indicator light – these are essential as you need to assess whether your surge protector is in good working condition or not. Your equipment can still be exposed and could be damaged even if you connect all your devices to surge protectors.
Computers that are connected to a modem need surge protection too as do phone lines and cables leading into buildings.
Money-Saving Tips For Electricity in the Office
/in PHD Blog /by siteadminSMEs need to find ways to save every penny they can find, and what better place to start than by saving on electricity and utility bills? You would be pleasantly surprised at how smart-saving tips for electricity can put money back into your pocket ( or that of the business).
Be aware of which appliances are Vampire guzzlers. Vampire guzzlers are those appliances and devices that consume energy even when they are switched off but are still plugged into the wall socket. Get your team to pull the plug – literally – out of kettles, TV screens, modems, computers and anything else electrical when they lock up to go home at night, or when not in use.
Computers are also power guzzlers – we are not aware of how much power computers consume when we leave them running unattended, and how much heat they generate.
If the power is out when you leave at night, remember electrical appliances will come back on once the power comes back on.
The air-conditioning unit and lights do not need to be switched on in the boardroom or other rooms when not in use. Switch the lights and air-conditioner off to save on electricity, as it all adds up unnecessarily.
At the end of the day, remind everyone in the office to switch the lights off because this will save thousands in the long term. It is unnecessary to pay for lights that are not being used.
Switching to laptops will save money; not only are they more mobile than desktop computers, but they use less energy and power.
For businesses keen on using desktop computers, investing in newer, energy-efficient models will save money on power at the end of the day.
If you are in the market for any other electrical equipment such as all-in-one devices, switching to energy-efficient machines will save energy and are eco-friendly, too.
LED lights are also great for energy-efficient savings. Bear in mind that every little bit will help when it comes to saving on electricity bills, and the more money saved will result in more money to spend on growing the business. If everyone does their bit, everyone benefits.
These energy-saving tips are easy to put into practice and can make a huge difference to the bottom line of any size business.
Three Important Things You Need To Know About UPS
/in PHD Blog /by siteadminIt is important to determine how many devices you need to have plugged into your UPS when running a small business or medium enterprise.
Most SMEs cannot afford to have downtime and loss of revenue, and if this can be avoided altogether, even better. Damage to your computers, modems, phones and other electrical devices puts pressure on the revenue of businesses that are reliant on their electrics.
Always buy more than you actually need – most burgeoning businesses employ more staff members and need more devices to work on as they expand and grow.
Here are three important things you need to know about investing in your UPS
Once voltage and wattage have been configured – you should think in terms of how long your office electrics will need to run when the power goes out. Many businesses require UPS systems to save work after the power goes out; then again, other entrepreneurs and small business owners invest in UPS systems to carry on work when the power goes out, which could be in the region of an hour. Many small business owners are thinking smart and doing everything in the cloud, resulting in work being retrieved when needed.
Nine Things You Need To Know About Surge Protection in the Office
/in PHD Blog /by siteadminThink smart and think out of the box by getting surge protection for your business – this is especially useful if you run a small to medium enterprise.
Before you start shopping around, there are a couple of great tips you might find useful when investing in surge protection in the workplace. Surge protectors are great for adding a couple of extra electrical outlets and for protecting the sensitive equipment that you don’t necessarily want to replace as a result of damage caused by unstable power.
Choosing surge protection for your business can be confusing with the wide range of offerings – in other words, it is confusing what you can get for your money, what is not worth the money spend etc.
It is a wise option to invest in a surge protector for your small to medium business but how much you need will vary from one situation to the next; most surge protectors are inexpensive, therefore worth getting.
When do We Use a UPS
/in PHD Blog /by siteadminLoadshedding is here to stay and is part of our lives whether we like it or not. To overcome loadshedding issues it is a smart idea to think a little out of the box, conjure some clever ways to safeguard equipment, keep staff and workers safe in factories and mines, and in general bear in mind that we can and will overcome the inconveniences that go hand in glove with an unstable utility.
UPS is one way to make a difference in the way we overcome the inconveniences and damage that can and will occur when the power continuously goes out.
UPS will protect critical loads when the mains experience problems whether they include complete blackouts or simply spike and dip. A UPS uses a battery which will fill the gap while a generator kicks in – it’s the difference between having enough time to switch off your delicate electronics or machinery in manufacturing plants or other emergencies, thus preventing accidents and at times, fatalities.
A UPS is one of the most critical investments when buying computer equipment as it protects the hardware and loss of data, although it is wise to switch your systems to the cloud to ensure your data is safe and secure, especially as the power has become something we simply cannot rely on.
About your UPS and what it does
Lighting strikes, particularly in the Highveld during the summer months, could be detrimental to your equipment and usually the biggest threat to your electronics. Surges as a result of lightning strikes or hikes in the grid travel through the wiring into your office or home and moves to your electric equipment damaging your equipment.
Complete surge suppression will filter out any unreliable voltage that would usually damage equipment.
What Size UPS Do I Need?
/in PHD Blog /by siteadminUPS is a device that guarantees that there will be no lapse of continuous AC power to the electrical devices connected to the grid when power is interrupted or unstable. Some UPS systems integrate surge protection to protect the attached device from current fluctuations or lightning strikes to guarantee a perfected current that is noise-free and free from voltage instability.
Once you have decided to invest in a UPS the next thing to ask yourself is what size UPS will you need and where do you find one?
It is best to find a company well-versed in UPS Systems with a good track record. There are, however, certain methods you will be able to put into place prior to shopping for your UPS so that you can choose the right size UPS for your needs. Knowledge is key and the more you know the better equipped you will be in finding the perfect size UPS for your equipment.
Use the grand total to select a UPS. Perhaps one of the most important points to consider when selecting UPS devices, be sure that the total VA requirement of maintained equipment does not surpass the VA rating of the UPS.
How Does UPS Work?
/in PHD Blog /by siteadminThe reality of dips and peaks, brownouts and blackouts and load shedding is once again staring us in the eye.
South Africans are becoming adept at discovering smart ways to outwit our power and water woes, and UPS is certainly one such device that will, at worst, protect our sensitive, expensive computer equipment from being damaged during instability of the grid, and give us sufficient time to save any important work from being lost. Most UPS Power systems are relatively short – somewhere in the region of 15 minutes.
A UPS system is different from other emergency power systems such as a standby generator in that it protects your equipment and affords you time to save your work using one or more batteries and other electronic circuitry for low power users and generators and flywheels for power users that are higher.
UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply is also referred to as battery back-up systems provide enough back-up power when the power goes down or when voltage drops to low levels.
The UPS offers backup power that will give you enough time to shut down your PC and other important equipment and any other connecting power devices.
The size and the configuration of your UPS device will be the deciding factor of how much power you can get from your back-up system.
There are numerous UPS topologies provide varying levels of protection against power interruptions. CyberPower UPS offers three topologies – these include line-interactive, double-conversion, and standby.
Perhaps the most basic UPS relying on battery back-up power when the voltage dips or surges and when the power goes out. The UPS automatically switches to DC power when the utility dips below the norm, then inverts it back into AC power to devices that are connected.
Standby UPS is most commonly used to protect computers, POS systems, security systems, automatic gates, among others
Line Interactive UPS uses technology to readjust and correct slight power instabilities without switching over to a battery back-up; this UPS system is equipped with an autotransformer that assists in the regulation of voltages that dip and corrects over voltages without switching over to battery backup. This UPS System is great for gaming, home theatre, and entry and mid-range servers
A double-conversion UPS delivers reliable, clean power, irrespective of the state of power from the grid. This UPS converts incoming AC power to DC, and once again it converts the DC power back to AC. UPS systems with this technology operate on isolated DC power continuously with a zero-transfer time.
A UPS is used to protect computers, data centres, telecommunication equipment or other electrical equipment to prevent losses or injuries.
The Function of Silicon in Solar Systems
/in PHD Blog /by siteadminWithout silicon solar just doesn’t happen – this is primarily because solar cells are made up of silicon that is 100% pure.
Silicon has been an important component of electricity for aeons, with solar technology being created in the 1950s. At present almost all solar cells are made from pure silicon.
What you should know about silicon and its role in solar
There are three main types of silicon solar cells
Monocrystalline solar cells which are also referred to as single–crystalline cells
These are easily identifiable as they are black in colour and comprise pure silicon which results in an efficient conversion of sunlight into electricity
Additionally, monocrystalline solar cells enjoy longevity and are space–efficient
Monocrystalline cells are the most expensive solar option
Polycrystalline solar cells
Polycrystalline solar cells are often referred to as multi-silicon cells
Polycrystalline cells were the first solar cells introduced into the solar industry in the early 1980s
These solar cells do not undergo the same intense process of cutting (as the monocrystalline cells do), thus making them a lot less expensive
During the manufacturing process, the silicon is melted down and poured into square moulds
The polycrystalline cells are far less efficient and require plenty of space
Polycrystalline do not function as efficiently as monocrystalline cells
Amorphous solar cells
Amorphous silicon cells have no shape – they are neither crystallised nor structured in any way whatsoever
Amorphous cells have been used for smaller applications such as solar clocks, torches and calculators as their power is extremely low in relation to other types of solar cells
When numerous amorphous solar sells are stacked one on top of the other, they can perform surprisingly well
Solar and silicon are like a horse and carriage – the one without the other simply cannot function properly.
Deep Cycle Batteries & How They Work
/in PHD Blog /by siteadminDeep cycle batteries: what role do they play in solar systems? In today’s world of renewable energy deep cycle batteries are synonymous with solar.
These batteries store energy, and this is where chemical reactions occur resulting in electricity. Deep cycle batteries are made to recharge and discharge numerous times, therefore, are not disposable, unlike single–use batteries.
Battery backup is connected to the photovoltaic solar panels – these need single batteries or groups of deep cycle batteries to store solar energy (energy from the sun). The group of deep cycle batteries is referred to as a battery bank.
During sunlight hours deep cycle batteries are recharged so that there is stored energy when there is low sunlight, on cloudy days and during night–time hours. This is the main reason why batteries are essential to solar power; they are vital for stand-alone as well as alternative energy tied to the grid, thus determining the DC power of a photovoltaic solar arrangement.
Because deep cycle batteries can be charged and discharged, they are often referred to as being “secondary batteries”. Additionally, these batteries are called “secondary” because chemical reactions that produce and store electrical power on the lead plates are reversible (this is different to the way that standardised batteries operate that are disposable once the energy is depleted).
A good example is a car that requires short bursts of energy; a deep cycle battery provides a continuous supply of power over a longer period.
There are numerous deep cycle batteries such as gel batteries, lithium-ion batteries, flooded batteries and AGM batteries, although flood batteries are the most commonly used type. Gel batteries have a gel substance and the AGM batteries contain acid suspended in a glass mat separator.
There has been an upsurge in the amount of lithium-ion batteries being installed in households that are opting for solar, although AGM and flood batteries are most often used for those wanting to go off the grid.
These different types of deep cycle batteries are used in a variety of applications and are manufactured differently.