UPS using 230kWh/year on its own

Aug 21, 2004 3 Replies
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I've got an Invensys/Best 1000VA UPS that is drawing 26.7W constantly with the battery fully charged and no load connected. This is an offline design and the inverter is not in use when AC power is available. All is trickle charging battery in standby. What takes so much power?



This thing dissipates so much heat for what it is that internal fan comes on every once in a while just idling. Everything runs properly, so I don't think it's a malfunction.



There is no reason for it to take 27W of constant power to keep 36V



9Ah pack charged. With battery fully charged, I averaged the power usage to be 0.64kWh/day or 230.6kWh/year. A Whirlpool EnergyStar compliant 22 cu. ft freezer/refrigerator takes 472kWh/year. Anyone else see a problem with an offline 1kVA UPS using half as much power as a full size fridge just to keep its battery charged? This is 1999 or 2000 model.
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T

What does the manufacturer say it should draw in standby? Check your batteries too.

Tom

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Manufacture doesn't specify it in the specs. The batteries are new. It maintains a float voltage of 41.5V, which is normal for 36V lead acid float voltage and it's only drawing 40mA or so.

The unit supports battery hot swap, but true power meter continues to register 25-27W whether or not battery is connected or not. I suspect it's just a horribly inefficient design.

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