Powerware 9330-40 UPS

Uninterruptible Power Systems (UPSs) run the gamut from little boxes that can keep my home systems running during California's rolling blackouts to those that can keep a whole network up and running long enough to backup critical data and let you power down correctly. Obviously, those big systems need a bigger, more powerful, and more expensive UPS than I could ever need, but Invensys just announced that it's ready to ship one of the big fellas, called the Powerware 9330 Model 40, for solutions in the 20 - 40 kVA range. Invensys says that big name e-business clients like E*Trade, AboveNet, CitiBank, and Goldman Sachs all use its Powerware 9330 series UPS. Features of the Powerware 9330 Model 40 include double conversion online design that adheres to IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standard 62040-3; Powerware Hot Sync, which allows paralleling for redundancy and capacity (up to four modules) with no system-level-single-point-of-failure; 93% efficiency (not exactly sure what that means); Pulse Width Modulation; local or remote management; a built-in battery monitor that measures chronological time, number of battery discharges, battery temperature, and system loading; three-stage charging that Invensys says doubles battery service life and optimizes recharge time; a Battery Circuit Test (BCT) that performs a periodic pulse test of the battery string to ensure that there are no open circuits; Temperature Compensated Charging (TCC) that monitors the battery temperature and adjusts the rate of charge accordingly; and service coverage. The Powerware 9330 Model 40 (20-40 kVA) is available now, starting at less than $15,000 for 20kVA and includes 12 minutes of internal battery run-time. It's far more firepower than I need, but if you need it, you really need it.