The Next Generation of Uninterruptable Power Supplies

Learn how Altech’s CBI Series All-in-One UPS solutions maintain critical production and service capabilities during extended power outages in applications ranging from commercial buildings to industrial manufacturing.

Laszlo Gyorgypak Product Manager, Altech Corporation

Anyone who owns, manages, or works for a business that has lost operational capacity due to an extended power outage knows that those losses aren’t financially sustainable. In order to survive and thrive, businesses need to prevent those losses from occurring the next time the power goes out. And if one thing is certain, there will be a next time. As residents of Texas and Louisiana can attest, the number, severity, and duration of weather-related power outages continues to increase. There are numerous reasons for this, but one major factor is that much of the country’s aging power production and transmission infrastructure isn’t designed to withstand extreme weather events and is in desperate need of modernization.

Unfortunately, that modernization is years away. In the meantime, companies that rely on power to maintain operations and protect their financial assets must find their own backup solutions. Battery backups and generators are common solutions, but many companies still depend on outdated equipment that is no longer up to the task of keeping the power on — and especially through today’s increasingly extended outages.

To bridge the gap between outdated backup power solutions and the modernization of America’s power grid in applications ranging from commercial building systems to industrial manufacturing systems, Altech developed CBI Series All-in-One Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) solutions. These unique, multipurpose DC power solutions combine four key capabilities — AC/DC power supply, battery charging, battery monitoring, and battery backup — and a long list of noteworthy features and benefits to keep companies up and running during extended outages.

Altech’s CBI Series All-in-One DC UPS systems automatically distribute available power among load and battery, supplying power to the load as the first priority. If the device is disconnected from the main power source, the battery supplies the load until the battery voltage reaches 1.5 VDC per cell to prevent the battery from deep discharge. A smart microprocessor controls battery charging, monitoring the battery condition and using algorithms to select the appropriate charging mode for maximum efficiency and optimal power continuity. The system also automatically adapts to the battery backup status even when the voltage is near zero, which helps facilitate quick recovery charging.

An additional key feature, an automated real-time diagnostics system, continuously monitors the charging process; flags potential faults, including elements in short circuit, battery in open circuit, wire connection impedance, reverse polarity connection, and battery cable disconnection; and continuously logs events including charging cycles completed, aborted charge cycles, and charging time to make diagnosing any potential battery issues simple.

CBI Series All-in-One UPS devices have rugged, compact metal cases equipped with DIN rail mounting brackets and are available in several frame sizes for broad application suitability. Additional application flexibility is supported by the series’ three universal input voltages (115, 230, and 277VAC), four output voltage ratings (12, 24, 36, and 48 VDC), six current ratings (3, 5, 6, 10, 20, and 35A), and wide range of rated operating temperatures spanning -25°C to +70°C. Altech’s CBI Series UPS solutions can also charge a wide spectrum of battery types — including open lead acid, sealed lead acid, gel, Ni-Cd, Ni-MH, and lithium ion batteries — using three integrated charging modes (boost, trickle, and recovery) and factory preset charging curves that users can customize to meet the needs of individual applications. Further, thanks to their cutting-edge switching technology, CBI Series DC UPS devices deliver up to 91% efficiency. And that’s not even the half of it.

The many impressive key features, capabilities, and benefits that CBI Series All-in-One UPS solutions (pdf) deliver for a wide variety of businesses extending across multiple market sectors make them a truly next-generation UPS product range. Simply put, these aren’t your grandfather’s — or even your father’s — uninterruptible power supplies.

Uses for the CBI Series extend far beyond those of traditional backup power applications such as lighting systems and devices that already run off batteries. The series’ advanced, automated, and high-efficiency multi-stage smart battery capabilities make it so much more stable, effective, flexible, and reliable than legacy UPS devices that it is suitable for use in businesses and industries that simply cannot afford equipment, production, or service failures stemming from power fluctuations and outages.

As such, CBI Series All-in-One UPS solutions can be used in construction, steel, and automotive applications that rely on production equipment and complex production processes and in oil, security, and telecommunications applications with sizable monitoring requirements. They can also be used in train cars, fire protection systems, electric vehicles, marine applications, lighted motorway message boards, industrial water pumping, waterworks control, firing systems, golf carts, wheelchairs, forklifts, security doors, irrigation systems, animal feeding systems, and an almost endless list of other applications with a variety of power requirements.

While it’s true that the actual cost of CBI Series All-in-One DC UPS solutions is typically higher than legacy battery backups and generators, that up-front investment can reduce overall applied costs by reliably preventing operational disruptions and downtime in the event of extended power outages, increasing customer confidence, and significantly reducing the risk of financial and even reputational harm.  

Additional Links:

• Altech | us.rs-online.com
• Altech Power Products | us.rs-online.com
• CBI Series All-in-One UPS Solutions | us.rs-online.com
• CBI Series Product Page
• CBI Series Catalog (pdf)
• CBI Series Overview Video
• CBI Series Deep Dive Video