Patricia Kuenzle is a global Product Manager with over 20 years of experience in the UPS business, specializing in low-power UPS systems. She is passionate about developing solutions that empower businesses and meet the diverse needs of customers. Based in Switzerland, Patricia serves as the Product Owner for OEM products at ABB, where she is responsible for product strategy and development.

It’s not always clear what could go wrong when you lose power – until it happens. And increasingly, power loss is something we all need to think about.

Power stability is becoming a bigger issue, as power grids come under more pressure. Extreme weather events – which can impact power supply – are also becoming more common.

A single-phase UPS can give you crucial extra power when the lights go out, even if you’re protecting smaller electronics like server rooms and point-of-sale systems.

But why is this protection so important? And what difference can a few extra minutes (or hours) of power make? Let’s look at some scenarios.

Scenario 1 – A crucial deal comes unstuck in minutes

Imagine...

A small business is working on a very important task for a customer, worth hundreds of thousands in revenue. The team is in the final stage of the project, and everything is going smoothly.

The problem

The power goes down unexpectedly for only a few minutes in the middle of an important operation. This brief interruption corrupts critical data about the project.

The result?

This business cannot continue to complete the deal and will lose thousands in revenue. Just a few extra minutes of power from a UPS would have been enough to save work, close files and protect databases. With a UPS, this business could hit their deadline and close the deal. This can also benefit those working at home – allowing them to protect important files.

Scenario 2 – When communication really matters

Imagine...

Hospitals and care homes rely on buzzer systems to keep patients safe and call doctors or nurses to wherever they’re needed most. Meanwhile, train networks rely on signaling systems to prevent accidents and keep timetables on track.

The problem

Sudden mains or generator failure can hit at any time – and things get chaotic quickly. In hospitals or care homes, patients who desperately need attention may end up waiting much longer. And in other contexts, like train systems, signaling failures can bring the whole network to a standstill. In fact, it’s a legal requirement for electrical equipment such as doors, lights, telephones and emergency signals to continue running for at least 30 minutes after power outage.

The result?

Whether you’re using diesel generators or mains power for your communication systems, both need to be backed up with a single-phase UPS. If maintaining communication throughout a power outage is your priority, you need a single-phase UPS that can provide backup power for a significant time. And if you are using the device in rugged environments (such as trains), it needs to be able to withstand vibration or temperature variation.

Scenario 3 – A very smart business faces a big problem

Imagine...

Your business has improved security by adding smart tech to control access (for example, CCTV and fingerprint recognition at the door).

The problem

This is great for security – making sure only authorized people have access to the premises. But what happens if a storm cuts power? In this scenario, employees are locked out, bringing operations to a halt.

The result?

Being locked out could result in huge losses for the business. In this situation, a UPS can give warning of the problem and create a window to deal with the issue. If the UPS is fitted with extra battery storage, it could cover a blackout of a few hours. This keeps the security systems up and running and allows access to the premises.

Scenario 4 – A facility that’s full of sensitive equipment

Imagine...

A light industrial facility has plenty of motor starters, smart sensors, and other important equipment. This tech keeps the plant working, supports with automation, and monitors for any potential product quality issues.

The problem

The facility uses backup diesel generators to protect against power cuts. But what they don’t know is that, in the milliseconds between a power cut and the diesel generator taking over, sensitive equipment is being damaged by poor power quality.

The result?

Even if the blackouts don’t immediately lead to downtime, they can reduce the lifespan of equipment. Plus, sensors may become less accurate – making it much harder to monitor and control the plant. A single-phase UPS can prevent these problems, maintaining power quality and protecting the equipment and sensors. Ultimately, it means the plant continues operating smoothly and equipment lasts as long as possible.

Which single-phase UPS should I choose?

We’ve seen that a single-phase UPS is crucial in four scenarios. And there are hundreds more examples we could have chosen – including video surveillance, emergency lighting, monitors and speakers, small cooling systems, ATMs, cash registers and more.

Investing in a single-phase UPS is not just about preventing inconvenience. It's about safeguarding your operations, data, and peace of mind.

But once you’ve decided you need a UPS, which should you pick? Here are a few things to look out for, across all applications:

• Testing and quality assurance. You need to know a UPS will work when you need it most, even in tough conditions.
• The flexibility to add extra battery according to your specific requirements. You should be able to scale from a few minutes extra power to save data, to a few hours to continue operating through a power cut.
• Better insights about the health of your UPS thanks to a battery management system (BMS). This will help you stay safe and make sure you can rely on the UPS in the most crucial situations.

At ABB, our PowerValue range offers all these features as standard.

Don't wait for a power outage to realize the importance of a UPS. Invest in a reliable UPS system today and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing you're prepared for any disruption.

For more support choosing the right model for you, check out our article: VRLA vs Li-Ion Batteries – which should I choose for a UPS?