We all use many devices and equipments that run on electricity. Some of these equipments are also electronic devices. For all these to function properly they need uniform power supply. The electric supply in many countries is not uniform. Therefore to make it uniform there is a need for a device. There are many such devices available in the market today. For example UPS (Uninterrupted power supply), Voltage Stabilizer, Constant Voltage Transformer are such devices available today. What is the use of these devices. How to they work? Which of these devices is suitable for you? You will get answer to all these questions in this tutorial.

What is power conditioning?

We can never guarantee that we will get constant power supply. The power supply always has fluctuations. Spikes, Surges, Brownouts, Blackouts and Noise can damage your electrical appliances especially your computer. To prevent this from happening you need a device that does power conditioning.

What is the meaning of Spikes and Surges?

Electricity has to be uninterrupted. If the voltage is higher than the specified level then it is 'Over Voltage. If the voltage is lower than the specified level then it is 'Under Voltage'.

Both Spike and Surge come under 'Over Voltage' category. But there is a small difference between spike and surge. If there is very high voltage for an instant but comes back to normal immediately then it is called 'Spike'. This is also referred as 'Impulse'. If there is very high voltage for a slightly longer period (eg. 1/20 th of a second) then it is called 'Surge'.

What is Brownout, blackout, Sags and Line Noises?

If the voltage is dangerously reduced to very low within a short period of time then it is called 'Brownout'. This is also referred as 'Sags'. When this happens, the computers can be seriously damaged.

If the power supply is totally cut then it is called 'Blackout'. Noises can mix with electromagnetic or radio waves or any signals. This is called 'Line Noises'. This may also reduce the voltage level to very low within a short period of time.

What do you need to do Power conditioning.

There are many devices such as Surge Supressors, Spike Busters, Isolation Transformers, Servo Stabiliser, Constant Voltage Transformers or Uninterruptible Power Supply System. We can choose the most suitable power conditioning device based on the equipment we are going to use and based on the quality of our electrical power supply.

Which power conditioning device is best?

The best power conditioning device is the UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply). This is capable of handling Spikes, Surges, Brownouts, Blackouts etc.

How can UPS provide power supply when electrical supply is cut?

Many have this doubt. UPS has an internal battery. With this battery charger and an Inverter is also present in an UPS. The inverter converts the 'Direct current' supplied by the battery to 'Alternatinc current' as required by the computer. When there is electrical supply the battery charger charges the internal battery. When there is a power cut, the battery supplies DC which is converted to AC by the inverter and power is supplied to computer.

What if the battery loses its power?

When there is power cut, the required power is taken from the battery. Therefore the battery keeps losing its capacity. If the power supply comes back before the battery is fully flat then the battery charger will start recharging the drained battery.

But if the power supply doesn't come back then the battery keeps supplying until it totally drains out. When the battery drains below a certain level the UPS sounds an alarm for your to shut down your computer and turn off the power and turn off UPS.

How long can an UPS supply power when there is no power?

This depends on the backup time of your UPS. If your UPS has 30 minutes backup then your UPS can supply power for 30 minutes of the power is cut. The higher the backup time of UPS the more expensive.

What other tips for buying UPS?

The backup time of your UPS is the most important you need to consider. Other than that, you should know how many KVA (Kilo Volt Ampere) your UPS has. A computer needs atleast 0.5 KVA to function. If you are planning to connect more than one computer to a single UPS then you need to get an UPS with higher KVA.

What type of battery is used in an UPS?

UPS uses 'SMF' batteries (Sealed Maintenance Free). These type of batteries can be used for 5 to 7 years continuously.

What are the different types of UPS?

There are three types of UPS namely Online, Offline and Line Interactive. 'Offline UPS' directly supplies the electrical supply to the computer without any changes. Only if there is a power cut, the 'Offline UPS' takes over. But 'Online UPS' even if there is power supply it will always supply power from the battery and the power supply is used to continously recharge the battery. 'Interactive UPS' always supplies uniform current by using Ferroresonat Transformer.

Which UPS is cheaper?

Obviously, offline UPS is the cheapest. Online UPS is very expensive. Interactive UPS is between the offline and online.

Can I connect printer to UPS?

It depends on the UPS capacity and the type of printer. Generally laser printer should not be connected to the UPS. Other printers can be connected. But you should have a higer KVA UPS to support.