FAQs

UPS - Uninterruptible Power Supplies

What is a UPS used for?

A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) is primarily used to provide a source of back up power to a load when the input power source or main power fails. A UPS is typically used to protect critical hardware such as computers, data centres, telecommunication equipment or other electrical equipment where an unexpected power disruption could cause injuries, fatalities, serious business disruption or data loss.

Can a UPS be used for energy storage?

How often do the batteries in a UPS need to be changed?

Does a UPS need to be maintained?

How long can a UPS support a load and run for?

What is the life span of a UPS?

What is a SNMP card?

An SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) card is used to monitor the UPS over a network. The card is used for remote management, this adopts Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) which is an Internet Standard protocol for collecting and organising information about managed devices over IP networks. The majority of UPS products do not come with an SNMP card, meaning they are purchased separately.

What are the benefits of an external bypass?

How long is the warranty on a UPS?

Solar PV

How do solar panels work?

Solar panels absorb the sun’s energy throughout the day and convert it into direct current (DC) electricity. Most homes and businesses run on alternating current (AC) electricity, so the DC electricity is then passed through an inverter to convert it to usable AC electricity. At this point, you either use the electricity in your house or send it back to the electrical grid.

How long can Solar panels last?

Is my roof suitable for solar panels?

Can Solar PV work with energy storage?

How often do the panels need cleaning?

Will they add value to my property?

Energy Storage

What are the benefits of energy storage?

The main benefits of energy storage include: financial benefits, reducing environmental impacts, integrating renewables , decreasing carbon emissions and providing additional grid benefits.

What size energy storage do we offer?

What are the lead times for energy storage?

Can energy storage reduce my energy bill?

What is energy trading?

Wind Power

Does the wind turbine make a noise?

No, the wind turbine is completely silent.

What size ballast can I use for the base?

Does the Airturb need to be bolted down?

How long is the lifespan of an Airturb?

Energy Management

What is energy management?

Energy management is the proactive and systematic monitoring, control and optimization of an organization’s energy consumption to conserve use and decrease energy costs.

How can energy management reduce my carbon footprint?

What are the benefits of installing an energy management solution?

PDU's

What is a PDU?

A power distribution unit (PDU) is a device for controlling electrical power in a data centre. The most basic PDUs are large power strips without surge protection. They are designed to provide standard electrical outlets for data centre equipment and have no monitoring or remote access capabilities. More advanced PDUs provide real-time monitoring and remote access capabilities.

What are the different types of PDU’s?

Basic PDUs: a basic PDU provides outlets to which loads can be connected. Protection will generally be in the form of a fuse (or circuit breaker) and the basic PDU may also be available with surge/spike and EMC/EMI protection.

Local Metered PDUs: provide measurement of the connected loads. This will be the overall total PDU, Metering information can include load voltage (V), amps drawn (A), energy usage (kWh) and power factor (pF). Metering information may be available from an LED/LCD built-into the PDU

Input Metered Intelligent PDUs: are the most sophisticated type of smart PDU used within a data centre environment. This type of PDU offers all the above functions and includes SNMP network access for connection to a data centre management tool. Additional options can include environment monitoring sensors for temperature and humidity, and access control to the server cabinet they are installed within.

Intelligent or ‘Smart’ PDUs provide a way to remotely manage an estate of server racks and identify load issues such as under-utilised servers, thermal ‘hot-spots’ within cabinets and assist load capacity planning and equipment layouts.

Switched Outlet Intelligent PDUs: this type of switched power distribution unit allows connected loads to be rebooted for power cycling or isolated for maintenance or upgrades. The PDU can be electronically turn individual outlets on and off. But will only measure the overall current draw on the PDU

Outlet Metered Intelligent PDUs: this type measures the individual outlets current & power draw so IT managers can see how equipment is working, it will not allow outlets to be switched off as before.

Metered and Switched per Outlet PDUs: combines the above features into a more sophisticated type of power distribution unit. Meteredby-outlet and switched-by-outlet providing more functionality than PDU level metering and switching and is the top of the range unit.

What is a UPDU?

The RNX UPDU is fully modular and consists of a PIM (Power Inlet Module), CBM (Circuit Breaker Module), POM (Power Outlet Module) and ICM (Interface and Controller Module). Modules can be replaced without having to remove the PDU (Power Distribution Unit) from the rack. This unique feature significantly reduces maintenance time compared with replacing an entire PDU and opens up various possibilities.