Nationwide Power™ is the leading provider in the critical power supply industry. Our core business is the sales and service of uninterruptible power supplies and UPS batteries, along with supporting other critical power components such as emergency generators, switch gear, and HVAC. We publish critical power related case studies, highlighting best practices and quality standards.
Our Critical Power Professionals™ (CPP™) come across unique situations regularly, where they are required to pull from their 22+ average years of industry experience to troubleshoot and resolve unexpected issues.
In this case study, we review the details of a manufacturer defect on an Emergency Lighting UPS that was identified during a routine battery installation.
To protect the confidentiality of the customer, the customer will be referred to as Company A.
| Product | Emergency Lighting UPS |
| Application | Emergency Lighting |
| Synopsis | Company A contracted Nationwide Power to perform the first battery replacement on their Emergency Lighting unit. After successfully performing the battery replacement, the CPP™ attempted to install the DC fuse. Instead of the unit being discharged after using the discharge feature, it was unsuccessful and there was a spark. The CPP referred to the manual in an effort to troubleshoot, which did not sufficiently address the issue. The CPP continued to troubleshoot by measuring the voltage differential, which was approximately 250 VDC. The CPP proceeded to once again use the discharge feature, but the voltage went up to 270 VDC instead of going down. After additional troubleshooting, the CPP determined that the Recharge and Discharge buttons were misconfigured, and thus the Recharge button caused the voltage to lower to the appropriate level for installing the fuse without a spark. Once this misconfiguration was identified, the work was able to be completed, the UPS components were relabeled, and the system was brought back to a normal operating status. |
| Preliminary Actions | The Critical Power Professional (CPP) encountered an issue with the Emergency Lighting UPS that had existed since the unit was manufactured, and remedied it based on his own expertise. |
| Resolution | Although our CPP was exposed to an unknown hazard, he was also able to remedy the situation on-site. Nationwide Power’s team of Critical Power Professionals average over 22 years of industry experience. Where other service providers may have deemed the unit as inoperable, our team was able to complete the job to the customer’s satisfaction. |
| Root Cause | Unknown. If the root cause was in fact due to a manufacturer defect, the unit would have been out of warranty by the time the defect was identified. |
| Additional Reading | Identifying qualified UPS service providers: Raising the Bar in Critical Power Education Band-Aid Fixes Don’t Actually Fix Problems, Especially in the UPS World |
We are your critical power infrastructure partner!
