In today's information age, UPS (uninterruptible power supply) systems play a vital role in ensuring the stable operation of various electronic devices. As one type of online interactive UPS, it has its own unique advantages and limitations. This article will explore the advantages and disadvantages of online interactive UPS in depth to help you better understand this power supply protection equipment so that you can make more informed decisions during selection and use.

1. Overview of Online Interactive UPS

Online interactive UPS is a power supply device that combines the characteristics of backup UPS and online UPS. When the mains power is normal, the mains power directly supplies power to the load, charges the battery at the same time, and adjusts the output voltage by adjusting the transformer tap through the intelligent switch; when the mains power is interrupted, the load is completely powered by the battery after being converted by the inverter, and the inverter is in reverse working state to charge the battery pack.

2. Advantages of Online Interactive UPS

(I) High efficiency of online interactive UPS

When the mains power is normal, the power of the online interactive UPS is directly transmitted from the input end to the output end, and the inverter is only put into use when the mains power fails. This efficient energy transfer method makes it work more efficiently, usually 10%-15% higher than online UPS. This not only helps to reduce the energy costs of enterprises, save energy and reduce emissions, meet the requirements of environmental protection and sustainable development, but also reduces the heat generated during the operation of the equipment, reduces the workload of the cooling system, and extends the service life of the equipment.

(II) High reliability of online interactive UPS

The online interactive UPS combines the advantages of high efficiency of backup UPS and high power supply quality of online UPS. When the mains power is normal, the online interactive UPS can stabilize and filter the mains power to a certain extent, reducing the impact of some interference factors in the mains power on the load. When the mains power is abnormal, it can quickly switch to battery power mode to provide continuous and stable power support for the equipment and ensure the normal operation of the equipment. Its circuit structure is relatively simple and the number of components used is small, which reduces the manufacturing cost of the equipment. At the same time, the online interactive UPS also reduces the potential risks caused by component failure and improves the reliability of the system.

(III) Reasonable voltage regulation of online interactive UPS

With the automatic voltage regulation (AVR) function, the online interactive UPS can correct the abnormal voltage by adjusting the transformer tap when the mains voltage fluctuates, so that the output voltage remains within a certain range. This reduces the frequency of battery use and extends the battery life. Because the number of times the battery can be charged and discharged is limited, frequent use of the battery will accelerate the aging of the battery. The reasonable voltage regulation function can try to avoid frequent discharge of the battery when the mains power fluctuates slightly, thereby ensuring that the battery can work normally at critical moments and provide long-term power outage protection for the equipment.

(IV) Low cost of use of online interactive UPS

Compared with online UPS, the online interactive UPS consumes less power under normal working conditions and has lower operating costs. At the same time, due to the low frequency of battery use, the battery replacement cycle is relatively long, which also reduces the cost of maintenance and battery replacement. In addition, the manufacturing cost of the online interactive UPS itself is relatively low, which makes the online interactive UPS have a high cost-effectiveness in the market, especially suitable for users who are more sensitive to cost, while meeting basic power security needs, it can effectively control the budget.

3. Disadvantages of online interactive UPS

(I) Power limitation of online interactive UPS

Online interactive UPS is generally not suitable for high power occasions exceeding 5kVA. As the power increases, its advantages in design and cost will gradually weaken, while online UPS is more suitable for handling high power power conversion and supply needs. This is because the circuit design and component configuration of online interactive UPS may face many challenges when dealing with high power loads, such as heat dissipation and loss of key components such as transformers and inverters, which will affect the stability and reliability of the equipment.

(II) Online interactive UPS cannot prevent all forms of power violations

Although online interactive UPS has a certain improvement effect on the mains, it cannot completely eliminate interference such as harmonics, spikes, surges, etc. in the mains like online UPS. For some equipment that has extremely high requirements for power quality and is extremely sensitive to all power anomalies, such as precision instruments and medical equipment, online interactive UPS may not provide adequate protection. These devices often require pure sine wave power, and online interactive UPS may not meet this requirement in some cases, which may cause equipment failure or performance degradation.

(III) Online interactive UPS has no power factor correction and frequency regulation

Online interactive UPS does not have power factor correction and frequency regulation functions. When the power factor of the load is low or the mains frequency is unstable, it may affect the performance and efficiency of the equipment, and even cause some equipment to malfunction or malfunction. In certain specific industrial applications or occasions with strict requirements on power quality, the lack of power factor correction and frequency regulation functions may limit the scope of application of online interactive UPS.

(IV) Online interactive UPS frequently uses batteries in extreme voltage distortion areas

If the mains voltage often fluctuates or distorts significantly, the online interactive UPS may need to frequently enable the battery to maintain the stability of the output voltage. This will accelerate the aging of the battery, shorten the battery life, and increase the cost of maintenance and replacement of the battery. Although the automatic voltage regulation function of the online interactive UPS can reduce the frequency of battery use to a certain extent, in some areas with unstable power supply and large voltage fluctuations, the battery may still frequently participate in power supply, affecting the reliability and economy of the entire UPS system.

IV. How to choose UPS according to needs

After understanding the advantages and disadvantages of online interactive UPS, users can choose the appropriate UPS type according to their actual needs. If your application scenario has extremely high requirements for power quality, such as data centers, intensive care units in hospitals, etc., and the budget is sufficient, online UPS may be a better choice. For general office environments, schools, small server rooms, etc., which have certain requirements for power quality but are more sensitive to costs, online interactive UPS is a very cost-effective choice.

5. Summary of online interactive UPS

As an efficient, reliable and cost-effective power supply guarantee device, online interactive UPS plays an important role in many application scenarios. Although it has some shortcomings, through reasonable selection and use, its advantages can be fully utilized to provide strong guarantee for the stable operation of the equipment. When choosing online interactive UPS, users should consider the characteristics of online interactive UPS and other types of UPS according to their actual needs, budget, and requirements for power quality, and make the most suitable decision for themselves.