Help on calibrating Smart-UPS

Anonymous user · ‎2021-06-29

Hi

I need guidance on calibrating UPS. I have onsite three types of UPS

Smart UPs 750

Smart-UPS 3000

Symmetra LX 16000

I want to calibrate all 3 and do this from the Network card/Web interface. My question is this. I can see from other discussions mention of a 30% load. However I think this might apply to doing the calibration manually and on older UPS. Do I need to have a 30%+ load on these types when doing it via the webpage. If so why and where is the APC guidance on this (as I have yet to find it).

BillP · ‎2021-06-29

For any UPS, there are certain conditions that need to be met in order for the UPS to accept a command to run a runtime calibration to ensure the calibration is as accurate as possible and worthwhile. Make sure you only do a runtime calibration 1-2 times a year or after you replace the batteries.

In general, you can find some of this information in the knowledge base and within the product user's guides.

The UPS must be online and report 100% charged. Specifically the symmetra LX, typically you will see 99% where the UPS does not report 100% because conditions are not suitable (constant load fluctuations, modules have been been inserted/removed, etc). You'll need to wait until it shows 100% on any UPS though which can be maybe later at night after load fluctuations calm down.
In a manual calibration we do suggest 30% load and it cannot fluctuate +/- 5% to ensure accuracy of runtime. I would say the minimum is 20% load and any lower will be a waste of time. I'd go with 30% and make sure it does not fluctuate more than the +/- 5% to ensure accuracy if you can. Certain model Smart UPS will also refuse the calibration if the load is below 10% but again, the lower the load, the less accurate the results.
If you do a manual calibration, you won't need to wait for the UPS to say 100% vs. 99% but you'll need to sit and watch the UPS and make sure you reapply AC power to it when its complete. The software command will discharge the UPS down to 10-20% and charge itself back up with out you sitting there. If you choose manual calibration, you should remove any data cables and management cards during this process and let your UPS discharge until it turns off then re-connect it to AC power. This is not preferred when you can just meet the criteria in #1 and #2 and just use the command via management card/software.
Keep in mind that any time the UPS goes to battery during long power outage (when it gets discharged to around the same 20% battery capacity), it is ultimately calibrating itself at that point too. Runtime accuracy is updated when the UPS goes on battery at any point while when it is online, it is a really good estimate.

Hope that helps.

See Answer In Context

BillP · ‎2021-06-29

For any UPS, there are certain conditions that need to be met in order for the UPS to accept a command to run a runtime calibration to ensure the calibration is as accurate as possible and worthwhile. Make sure you only do a runtime calibration 1-2 times a year or after you replace the batteries.

In general, you can find some of this information in the knowledge base and within the product user's guides.

The UPS must be online and report 100% charged. Specifically the symmetra LX, typically you will see 99% where the UPS does not report 100% because conditions are not suitable (constant load fluctuations, modules have been been inserted/removed, etc). You'll need to wait until it shows 100% on any UPS though which can be maybe later at night after load fluctuations calm down.
In a manual calibration we do suggest 30% load and it cannot fluctuate +/- 5% to ensure accuracy of runtime. I would say the minimum is 20% load and any lower will be a waste of time. I'd go with 30% and make sure it does not fluctuate more than the +/- 5% to ensure accuracy if you can. Certain model Smart UPS will also refuse the calibration if the load is below 10% but again, the lower the load, the less accurate the results.
If you do a manual calibration, you won't need to wait for the UPS to say 100% vs. 99% but you'll need to sit and watch the UPS and make sure you reapply AC power to it when its complete. The software command will discharge the UPS down to 10-20% and charge itself back up with out you sitting there. If you choose manual calibration, you should remove any data cables and management cards during this process and let your UPS discharge until it turns off then re-connect it to AC power. This is not preferred when you can just meet the criteria in #1 and #2 and just use the command via management card/software.
Keep in mind that any time the UPS goes to battery during long power outage (when it gets discharged to around the same 20% battery capacity), it is ultimately calibrating itself at that point too. Runtime accuracy is updated when the UPS goes on battery at any point while when it is online, it is a really good estimate.

Hope that helps.