A UPS, or uninterruptible power system, provides backup power when your regular power source fails or voltage drops to an unacceptable level. A UPS is like a backup battery, designed for the safe, orderly shutdown of a computer and connected equipment.

For each type of electrical equipment, there is a different tool to test if everything is working. Multimeters, or VOMs, are portable handheld electrical testing devices that survey a range of measurements for industrial and household electronics. Load banks are used to test power generation equipment to ensure proper functionality.

To accurately calculate backup power, calculate average power consumption, critical loads and backup duration first. Calculate average power consumption by multiplying the power in kilowatts by the hours of use per day, week or month. To calculate critical loads, add the power consumption of all critical loads that require backup power and multiply the sum by the number of hours you need the backup power to last. To calculate backup time, consider battery age, type and temperature. Use the following formula for a rough estimate: battery time equals battery capacity divided by discharge rate. Once those numbers are calculated, backup power can be found by adding up the power consumption of all critical loads that require backup power and multiplying this by the number of hours you need the backup power to last. Learn about how United Rentals’ Climate Solutions team can help create a mobile power solution that’s custom to your project requirements.