UPS and CRAC System Design, Deployment and Commissioning Australia

Indigi Power & Cooling provides engineered design, supply, installation and commissioning of UPS and CRAC systems for organisations that cannot afford downtime. We are not a box-drop supplier. Every project begins with a site assessment and ends with a fully certified, operational system. Projects typically run 12 to 20 weeks from initial assessment to handover, and our team delivers nationally across all Australian states and territories.

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Who We Design and Deploy For

Indigi works across data centres, hospitals and healthcare facilities, industrial and mining operations, telecommunications infrastructure, government and defence sites, commercial buildings, and educational institutions. The common thread across every sector is the need for continuous, stable power and precisely controlled operating environments. Integrated power and cooling design is our core capability, and we treat UPS and CRAC systems as two components of a single engineered solution, not as separate purchases.

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Our 4-Phase Deployment Process

Every Indigi project follows a structured four-phase process to ensure the final system is correctly sized, properly installed, and fully tested before handover.

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Phase 1 - Site Assessment and Infrastructure Audit

Before any equipment is specified, our team conducts a thorough site assessment covering electrical load, existing infrastructure, and the thermal environment. This data drives every subsequent design decision.

Electrical Load Profiling

We measure and document existing load profiles, peak demand, and growth projections to ensure UPS systems are correctly sized for present and future requirements.

Electrical Infrastructure Review

We assess switchboards, cabling, earthing systems, and distribution to identify any infrastructure constraints that affect UPS placement, capacity, or protection coordination.

Cooling Environment Assessment

We evaluate existing CRAC capacity, airflow patterns, hot and cold aisle arrangements, and ambient conditions to determine whether current cooling infrastructure can support the proposed UPS load.

Redundancy Planning

Redundancy architecture is agreed with the client at assessment stage. Options evaluated include:

• Standalone (N) - single UPS with no redundancy

• N+1 - one additional UPS module beyond load requirement

• 2N - fully duplicated UPS systems with independent feeds

• A+B - dual power path architecture at rack or system level

• Distributed bypass - bypass switchgear distributed across multiple systems

Battery Runtime Engineering

Battery technology selection and runtime modelling are completed during the site assessment phase. Technologies evaluated include valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA), flooded lead acid, and lithium-ion, each with different runtime characteristics, footprint requirements, and lifecycle costs.

Deliverable: A written site report and design brief covering load data, redundancy recommendation, cooling assessment, battery technology shortlist, and project scope.

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Phase 2 - UPS and CRAC System Design

UPS System Engineering

UPS systems are engineered across the full range from 10kVA to 2MVA and above, covering single-phase and three-phase configurations. Online double-conversion (VFI) topology is specified for critical loads requiring zero transfer time and full isolation from mains disturbances. Line-interactive UPS systems are specified where the load profile and budget support a cost-optimised approach with acceptable transfer characteristics.

Battery System Design

Battery systems are designed to meet the runtime, footprint, and lifecycle requirements of each site. VRLA and gel technologies suit most standard deployments. Flooded lead acid systems suit applications requiring maximum runtime in purpose-built battery rooms. Lithium-ion is specified where floor loading, space constraints, or long battery life expectancy justifies the higher capital cost.

CRAC Precision Cooling Design

Precision cooling design covers DX air-cooled CRAC unit selection, chilled water precision cooling where a chilled water plant is available or planned, airflow containment strategy, heat load calculations covering IT equipment and UPS losses, and cooling redundancy architecture. Cooling systems must handle the full heat output of the protected load, including the thermal losses generated by the UPS system itself.

UPS systems generate heat as a function of their conversion losses, typically two to eight percent of rated capacity depending on topology and load level. A 100kVA UPS operating at 80 percent load can add eight kilowatts or more of heat to the room. This load must be included in CRAC capacity calculations, and it is one of the most common causes of underperforming cooling systems when UPS and CRAC design are handled separately.

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Phase 3 - Procurement and Project Management

Indigi provides a single point of contact for the full procurement and project management process. We coordinate UPS manufacturers, battery suppliers, switchgear vendors, and CRAC equipment providers to ensure equipment arrives on site in the correct sequence and to schedule. Where project specifications or client requirements demand it, factory acceptance testing (FAT) can be arranged at the manufacturer's facility prior to shipment, providing early verification that equipment meets the agreed specification before it reaches site.

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Phase 4 - Installation, Commissioning and System Handover

Installation

Installation covers UPS cabinet positioning and mechanical installation, switchboard integration and protection coordination, battery rack assembly and cable termination, and CRAC unit placement, pipework or refrigerant connections, and electrical termination. All installation work is completed in accordance with AS/NZS 3000 and AS/NZS 3010 by licensed electrical contractors.

Commissioning

Commissioning is conducted against a documented commissioning plan and includes full functional testing of the UPS system, load bank testing to 100 percent rated capacity, battery charge and discharge testing to verify runtime performance, CRAC unit commissioning including refrigerant charge verification, and airflow and temperature verification across the protected space.

Handover

System handover includes operator training for site personnel, full manufacturer documentation and warranty registration, commissioning reports and test records, and activation of the 12-month defect liability warranty covering all installation work.

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Equipment We Specify and Deploy

UPS Systems: Eaton, Vertiv Liebert, APC by Schneider Electric, Riello, Socomec

Battery Technologies: VRLA and Gel, Flooded Lead Acid, NiCad, Lithium-Ion

Precision Cooling: DX CRAC units, chilled water precision cooling, in-row cooling (Vertiv Liebert CRV), environmental monitoring systems

Electrical Infrastructure: Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS), Static Transfer Switches (STS), maintenance bypass systems, parallel switchboards

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National Coverage

Indigi Power & Cooling delivers UPS and CRAC design, deployment and commissioning projects across all Australian states and territories. Our team is based in Brisbane with the capability to mobilise nationally.

Queensland: Brisbane CBD, South Brisbane, Port of Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Regional QLD. View our UPS and CRAC Design and Deployment Queensland page for Queensland-specific information.

New South Wales: Sydney CBD, Parramatta, Western Sydney, Macquarie Park, Newcastle, Wollongong, Regional NSW. View our UPS and CRAC Design and Deployment New South Wales page for NSW-specific information.

Victoria: Melbourne CBD, Port Melbourne, Dandenong, West Footscray, Geelong, Regional VIC. View our UPS and CRAC Design and Deployment Victoria page for Victoria-specific information.

Regional and Pacific: Indigi also delivers projects to mining sites, remote facilities, regional hospitals, and Pacific region clients where engineered power and cooling infrastructure is required outside major metropolitan areas.

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Why Organisations Choose Indigi Power & Cooling

Indigi's team operates as engineers and project managers, not salespeople. Our site assessment process is driven by measurement and analysis, not by a product catalogue. We specify what the load requires, not what generates the highest margin.

Our multi-brand approach means we are not locked to a single manufacturer. We draw on Eaton, Vertiv Liebert, APC by Schneider Electric, Riello, Socomec, PowerShield, and Uniflair depending on what is most appropriate for each project. This independence produces better outcomes for clients and removes the risk of over-specification driven by brand loyalty.

Integrated power and cooling expertise is a genuine differentiator. Many suppliers can install a UPS or a CRAC unit. Very few understand how the two systems interact thermally and electrically. Indigi designs both as part of a single engineered solution, which means cooling capacity is calculated correctly and the system performs as intended from day one.

All Indigi deployments are priced on a fixed-price basis, eliminating cost uncertainty for clients with tight capital budgets. All installation work complies with AS/NZS 3000 and AS/NZS 3010. Every deployment is covered by a 12-month defect liability warranty on all installation workmanship.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a UPS and CRAC installation project take?

A typical UPS and CRAC deployment runs 12 to 20 weeks from initial site assessment to system handover. The longest phase is procurement, where lead times for large UPS systems and CRAC equipment can range from 4 to 16 weeks depending on manufacturer availability. Site assessment, design and commissioning phases are typically completed within 4 to 7 weeks combined.

Do CRAC cooling systems need to be sized alongside UPS systems?

Yes. UPS systems generate heat as a byproduct of the AC to DC to AC conversion process. A high-capacity UPS operating at full load can add significant thermal load to a room, and this must be included in the CRAC capacity calculation. Organisations that purchase UPS and CRAC systems independently often find that their cooling is undersized once the UPS is installed. Integrated design eliminates this risk.

Can you upgrade an existing UPS room?

Yes. Indigi regularly works in existing UPS rooms to increase capacity, improve redundancy architecture, upgrade to modern battery technology, or increase cooling performance. Each upgrade project begins with the same site assessment process to ensure the proposed changes are compatible with existing infrastructure.

Do you provide ongoing maintenance after deployment?

Yes. All Indigi deployments include long-term maintenance planning as part of the handover process. Preventative maintenance programmes covering UPS systems, batteries, and CRAC units are available and are strongly recommended to protect the investment and maintain warranty coverage.

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Start Your Project

Indigi Power & Cooling offers a free initial design consultation for organisations planning a new UPS and CRAC installation or looking to upgrade existing critical power and cooling infrastructure. Call us on 1800 046 344 or contact us online to speak with an engineer about your project.