A data center UPS should be maintained on a planned schedule throughout the year, with the exact frequency based on the UPS manufacturer’s recommendations, equipment configuration, battery system, operating environment and the facility’s critical-power requirements.
For mission-critical facilities, preventative maintenance provides an opportunity to document operating conditions, test important components, review battery performance and plan component replacement or equipment upgrades as part of a controlled maintenance program.
Critical Infrastructure Group provides UPS Preventative Maintenance & Inspection Services and UPS Maintenance Services for data centers and other critical-power environments nationwide.
How Frequently Should UPS Maintenance Be Scheduled?
There is not one maintenance interval that applies to every UPS system. The appropriate schedule should be based on the specific equipment and the maintenance requirements established for the facility.
A data center maintenance program may include routine inspections and monitoring throughout the year along with more comprehensive scheduled preventative maintenance. The manufacturer recommendations for the installed UPS and batteries should be incorporated into that schedule.
Factors that can influence maintenance frequency include:
- UPS manufacturer and model
- System age and configuration
- Battery type and installation
- Current UPS load
- Redundancy configuration
- Operating temperature and environment
- Previous maintenance history
- Planned data center expansion
- Facility electrical maintenance requirements
For organizations managing several UPS systems or multiple facilities, a consistent preventative maintenance program can also make equipment planning, service scheduling and component replacement easier to manage.
What Should Be Included in Data Center UPS Maintenance?
UPS preventative maintenance involves more than checking whether the system is currently operating.
Depending on the equipment and service scope, maintenance may include review or testing of:
- UPS operating parameters
- Input and output voltage
- Current and load levels
- System alarms and event history
- Battery condition and measurements
- Electrical connections
- Cooling fans and airflow
- Capacitors and other serviceable components
- Bypass operation
- Control and communication functions
- Environmental conditions
The results can then be used to plan battery service, component replacement, additional maintenance or future equipment upgrades.
NFPA 70B Supports a Structured Electrical Maintenance Program
NFPA 70B, Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance, provides requirements for establishing and maintaining an electrical maintenance program for electrical equipment used in commercial and industrial facilities.
The current standard includes UPS systems among the electrical equipment addressed by the maintenance program and covers testing, inspection and maintenance activities associated with the UPS and its supporting components.
Learn more about NFPA 70B from the National Fire Protection Association.
The exact maintenance program for a data center should also incorporate the requirements of the installed equipment manufacturers and the facility’s electrical engineering and operations teams.
UPS Batteries Should Be Part of the Maintenance Schedule
The battery system is an important part of UPS maintenance because it supplies stored energy when normal input power is interrupted.
Regular battery inspection and testing provides information that can be used to plan replacement around the facility’s operating schedule and desired runtime requirements.
CI Group provides UPS Battery Replacement Services for data centers and other critical facilities.
For more information about matching battery capacity to the application, see How Much UPS Battery Runtime Does a Data Center Need?
Maintenance Is Also an Opportunity to Plan Component Replacement
A scheduled UPS service visit can help facility teams plan ahead for components that have manufacturer-recommended service or replacement intervals.
UPS systems contain serviceable components such as batteries, cooling fans and capacitors. Incorporating those components into the maintenance plan allows replacement work to be coordinated with facility schedules and other critical-power projects.
This approach also gives data center operators an opportunity to evaluate whether maintaining the current configuration or moving to newer UPS equipment better supports upcoming capacity requirements.
Growing Data Centers Should Review UPS Capacity During Maintenance
Data center loads rarely remain unchanged over the life of a UPS system. New servers, storage equipment, high-density racks and AI/GPU infrastructure can increase the amount of critical power required.
Scheduled maintenance provides a useful opportunity to compare the actual UPS load with the available system capacity and planned growth.
If additional capacity is expected, see What Size UPS Does a Data Center Need?
CI Group supplies UPS systems across a broad range of capacities and manufacturers, giving facilities options for expansion, replacement and new critical-power installations.
Maintenance Planning Can Support Redundant UPS Configurations
Facilities using redundant UPS systems should coordinate maintenance with the power architecture of the site. An N+1 or other redundant configuration can provide additional flexibility when a UPS module or other capacity component is scheduled for service.
See What Is N+1 Redundancy in a Data Center Power System? for more information about incorporating additional capacity into a data center power design.
For larger maintenance or replacement projects, CI Group also offers UPS Rental Systems that can provide temporary critical-power capacity while permanent equipment is being serviced, upgraded or replaced.
When Does Maintenance Become an Equipment-Upgrade Opportunity?
Maintenance records can also help facility teams make informed equipment decisions over time. If data center capacity is expanding, the existing UPS is being updated regularly, or the facility is planning a larger infrastructure project, it can be useful to compare the current system with available replacement equipment.
CI Group offers new, surplus and refurbished UPS equipment for data center applications, including large three-phase systems and 1201+kVA UPS systems for high-capacity projects.
For additional replacement-planning information, see When Should a Data Center UPS Be Replaced?
Build UPS Maintenance Into the Data Center Power Plan
The most useful maintenance schedule is one designed around the specific UPS system and the way the data center operates. Regular inspection, testing, battery service and planned component replacement can all be coordinated as part of an ongoing critical-power program.
Critical Infrastructure Group supports data centers with preventative maintenance, UPS service, battery replacement, replacement equipment, UPS rentals and broader Data Center Power Infrastructure solutions.
Ready to Schedule Data Center UPS Maintenance?
Talk with CI Group about your UPS systems, batteries and maintenance requirements. We can help build a preventative maintenance plan around your installed equipment and support future battery, component and UPS replacement needs.