Indigi Power & Cooling: Maximising UPS Performance with Eaton Solutions

Brendan Mannings
Jul 24
2 min read

1. What is a UPS—and why you need one

An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) isn’t just a backup power source—it’s a guardian protecting against surges, sags, noise, and outages. It seamlessly bridges the gap to generators or enables graceful shutdowns, safeguarding data, hardware, and operations

2. Choosing the Right UPS Type & Size

Eaton categorizes UPS units by phase—single-phase for small offices, three-phase for industrial and data centre environments. Split-phase models support mixed loads.To ensure scalability and battery longevity, choose a UPS rated at 1.2× your current load (20% headroom); increase this multiplier if frequent power spikes occur Eaton.

3. Key UPS Topologies Explained

Standby: Cost-effective, basic backup—switches to battery when needed.
Line-interactive: Includes AVR to compensate for minor voltage variations without tapping batteries Eaton.
Online/double-conversion: Provides continuous conditioned power—zero-transfer-time ideal for mission-critical systems Eaton+3Eaton+3Eaton+3.
Multi-mode (Eco): Automatically toggles between eco-mode and full protection mode to optimise efficiency and cost Eaton.

4. Energy-Efficient Operation

Eaton’s Energy Advantage Architecture enables up to 99% efficiency (across operating ranges), reducing waste and cooling costs. Features include ESS, ESS Plus (harmonic correction), and VMMS (module optimisation) Eaton+2electrical.eaton.com+2Eaton+2.

5. Cooling & Fan Maintenance

UPS fans dissipate heat from internal power electronics. Most models last ~6–7 years before mechanical wear develops—reduced RPM leading to overheating risks Eaton.Proactive replacement of fans and capacitors in scheduled maintenance (every 6–7 years) avoids emergency failures Eaton. Operating in eco-modes can extend fan life Eaton.

6. Batteries: The Heart of Your UPS

Lead‑acid batteries require replacement every 3–5 years. Lithium‑ion alternatives offer 2–3× the lifespan, quicker recharge, and lighter weight—ideal for 1–3 kVA units poweradvantage.eaton.com +1Eaton+1.

7. ICT Connectivity & Remote Control

Built-in network cards (SNMP, Modbus, BACnet) pair with Eaton’s Intelligent Power Manager (IPM) and Brightlayer suite to monitor and automate power systems—sending alerts, migrating VMs, shutting down servers, and providing actionable analytics Eaton+1Eaton+1.

8. Thermal Monitoring & Security

Eaton’s EMP Gen 2 probes track temperature and humidity in real time. The Gigabit Network Card holds UL 2900‑2‑2 cybersecurity certification—with TLS/TLS‑based encryption, certificate authentication, and password policies eaton.com.cn +2Eaton+2poweradvantage.eaton.com+2.

9. Choosing & Deploying PDUs with UPS

PDUs distribute conditioned UPS power to IT loads. Select between single/three-phase, and rack-mounted vs. floor-standing PDUs based on load and growth needs. Combined deployment ensures reliability, load-balancing, and remote control electrical.eaton.com.

10. Best Practices Summary

Task	Recommendation
UPS sizing	1.2× load capacity
Battery upkeep	Change VRLA every 3–5 years; consider Li‑ion
Fan & capacitor refresh	Replace every ~6 years
Monitor & manage	Use network cards + IPM
Efficiency & eco-mode	Leverage Eco, ESS, VMMS
Security & environment sensors	Integrate EMP Gen 2 and secure network cards