April 15, 2011

KnowUPS - Location Location Location

Just like choosing the best location should be mantra to ensure longevity of a restaurant, placing your UPS is critical as well.

Liebert recommend a full 12" between the back of the UPS and the wall.  Air flow for the heat exchange of the UPS batteries is essential.  So dont be like this good sushi  restaurant, (which was too cramped, IMHO) and be smart and give your UPS some room to breathe.

April 8, 2011

When a Refurb is a New UPS....

Introducing the Better than New system from GreenlightUPS.


On certain models, we now offer official APC Extended Warranties on some items. This is possible when an item arrives unused from liquidators or warehouse surplus stock as is still under warranty.  Then we acquire an APC extended warranty license for that model.  We next register the unit and the license to you.  The result is a system that has up to 5 years of warranty on the unit.

Thats better than new, and its only from GreenlightUPS.

Our first Better than New is on the SmartUPS 5000 3U.  This model has an APC warranty through October 2014  (593g4+sp3

April 7, 2011

KnowUPS - DC Battery Architecture

I was talking with a customer this week about extended run battery packs and realized that one spec that is never really highlighted is the DC battery voltage.   While normally meaningless, its is very important in extended run battery cabinets.  This is because when you connect extra batteries, it must match the internal battery voltage to properly be paralleled in    To prevent catastrophe, each UPS maker creates stupid little plugs that prevent you from plugging the wrong voltage in.


Common string DC voltages range from 24volt to 240volt... here are some guides

  • 24 volt = APC 1000va and under (SUA1000XL / 110b)
  • 48 volt = APC 2nd -4th Gen units (SUA3000RMXL3U / 333b),  Eaton/Liebert/HP 1.5-2.0kva units (GXT2000XT120 / lg212), Tripplites (SMART2200RT2U // tl312), 5th Gen APC 1500va (SMX1500RT2U / 412v)
  • 72 volt =  Tripplites  (SU3000RTXL3U / to313) and Liebert 3000va systems (PS3000RT3-120XR / lp312)
  • 120 volt = HP (R3000XR / hp312), Eaton 3kva units (P5392v), Symmetra
  • 144 volt = Liebert 6000va (GXT2-6000RT208v)
  • 192 volt = APC Smart UPS RT (SURTD5000XLT / 593g4)
  • 240 volt = Liebert 10kva, Eaton 6kva, Tripplite 5000va SmartOnline (to595)

April 5, 2011

Random Part of the Month VIII - SMX3000RMLV2U

The end is nigh...

One of the last available 4th generation 120v products has finally been discontinued,  the SUA3000RMXL3U (my sku 333b) and the SMX3000RMLV2U was released in its place.

Instead calling them the 5th Generation or "V", like I call them, APC and vendors have settled on Smart UPS X.

Comparing the 2 models, we see that APC has managed to improve runtimes with a new battery pack in a 2U frame.   It has also dropped the surge suppression rating,  increased the warranty to 3 years,  and dropped the BTU footprint.  Learn more about the 5th Gen / Smart X here

Additionally, APC has left the 48 volt DC architecture and gone to 120volt. DC.  This will allow those upgrading to be forced into pitching their existing 48v battery packs for the new 120volt system.

While, I dont anticipate getting too many of these in yet, when they do arrive, it will be designated 312v

April 2, 2011

We finally Greenlight the selling of PDUs

More and more people want them, so I will start selling them.

My main hesitance was that APC makes about 60 different models which is very difficult for me to stock and sell cost effectively. So after studying what you have asked for I have launched a 7 item PDU offering.


I have the cheapy "1U powerstrips" (d111) for everyday use, the most requested QuadC19 (d231) for bladecenters, and 30amp Zero U cabinet fillers in low (d130) and high voltage with basic (d230), metered (dm230) and switched (ds230) styles.

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