Power Life
Most UPS units are designed to provide about ten minutes of backup power. This should be enough
time to appropriately shut down the connected equipment and avoid data loss. Since blackouts
typically last no more than two minutes, this should also be enough time to work right through
most power failures. (It should be noted, however, that this action is not recommended.)
Manufacturers report how long a battery will last under full-load or half-load conditions. Running
under full load signifies that a UPS is working at its maximum capacity. A typical UPS should
report a full-load time duration of about ten minutes. Under half-load conditions, when the UPS
provides only half the power it is capable of generating, the time duration is often more than
three times as long.
If ten minutes is not enough security for your company's needs, there are also units that can
last as long as a day on backup power. This is ideal if you need a system to operate overnight.
While this amount of backup may seem much more desirable, it can cost significantly more.
Another option is to purchase extra battery attachments. Expect these extra batteries to cost
about one-fourth to one-half the price of the UPS itself.
 
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