Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) units and their batteries can often be taken for granted and, once installed, be left unmonitored for many years. Often, problems with UPS are only discovered at the time when they are really needed – when they struggle to handle a power outage.  Here are some tips for smooth running of the UPS and its associated batteries.

• They don’t last forever!
  Keep an eye on the age of the battery and aim to replace it at least every five years.
• Be careful how many things you plug in
  Don’t overload the supply – the more the load the less the runtime. Try to keep the load under around 75%
• Save your work
  Don’t rely entirely on the UPS for data protection. If the battery kicks in then use the time to ensure that you save your work and close your machines down properly (and safely).
• Cool and Dry
  Keep everything airy and ensure there is good ventilation around the battery and the UPS unit.
• Test Regularly
  Remember to run the tests with the UPS – but don’t overdo them as too many tests can affect performance.
• Be careful what you plug in
  Read the operating guidelines of devices that you plan to connect to a UPS. For example, many laser printers advise against connecting to a UPS because of their need to keep the fusers hot (which can cause temporary surges in power requirement).
• Check all points of risk
  If surge protection is important then consider other areas that may not be immediately obvious such as network connections and modems.
• Review your requirements
  As you add and take away devices you will need to reconsider your power requirements to ensure you have sufficient coverage

Other sites talking about UPS and UPS Battery considerations:

• 10 things you should know about deploying a UPS
• How to Set Up an Uninterruptible Power Supply
• Business Continuity
• Disaster Recovery in Windows 2003 – UPS
• Power Protection and UPS Blog