In this Nationwide Power™ (NP™) case study, we show the importance of regularly scheduled maintenance inspections and replacements of age-based components. This case study focuses specifically on the replacement of batteries on a Best FerrUPS FE18kVA.
An existing time and materials (T&M) customer who chooses to operate on a “break/fix” maintenance program placed a service call after their “Check Battery” alarm came on. This customer has used NP for a few years and has always acted on the advice of our age-based replacements, although not always in a timely manner.
| Product | Best FerrUPS FE18kVA |
| Application | Security Company |
| Synopsis | The customer noticed an active “Check Battery” alarm on the UPS display. The customer proceeded to place a T&M call to our service team. |
| Preliminary Actions | A Critical Power Professional™ (CPP™) was dispatched to the site where the CPP found that several batteries were “open” and posed a severe risk of thermal runaway/fire. The UPS battery date code showed that the batteries were 7 years old. This is 2 years passed the typical replacement age, however the customer tried to stretch the life and budget of the batteries. |
| Resolution | The customer was provided with a full-string replacement quote and expedited a purchase order to have the batteries replaced. Fortunately, all batteries were successfully replaced, there were no safety issues or harm caused to any employees, and no critical loads were lost as a result. The customer will be set until the next scheduled battery cycle changeout in 3-5 years. |
| Root Cause | “Break/fix” maintenance plans and trying to stretch the life of critical components often expose customers to greater risk and higher costs. Had these batteries reached thermal runaway, the cost and damage of the fire would have greatly exceeded the cost of an annual preventive maintenance inspection each year. |
| Additional Reading | Case Study #145 | Another Reason Why Preventive Maintenance Is So Important Case Study #146 | When To Upgrade Or Repair A UPS System |
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