Sales: 0800 978 8988

Service: 0845 519 3611

sales@criticalpowersupplies.co.uk

Working with our Trade Partners

Come and talk to us

WE POWER IT

Visit us at: www.criticalpowersupplies.co.uk

We recognise that you’ve only got one chance

to get it right with your customers. You need

to be sure the suppliers you partner with can

be trusted to match your standards of quality

and service.

This is what we call ‘the partner principle’ and it

means that when working with our trade partners

we set high standards and aim to equal theirs in

terms of quality, care, attention to detail and

getting it right first time.

We are manufacturer-independent, which means

we supply a range of power protection, energy

management and cooling products from leading

manufacturers. We are also accredited to ISO

9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, Environment

Agency and SafeContractor standards. Being

independent means we can supply you with the

products that do the best job for your customers,

meet their requirements and do so within budget.

Our industry-leading expertise ensures we can

offer you the best advice in order that you provide

your customers with the best solution they can

get. We have the systems in place to support your

needs and those of your customers.

This brochure offers an overview of what we do

and how we support our trade partners.

We also offer profitable trade terms.

Complete solutions for: IT Industrial MOD Marine Retail Telecom Health

Critical Power Supplies – who and what we areWe are a value added reseller of power protection, energy management and

cooling system products and services and we hold a range of stock in our

warehouse - from small power cables to 800kVA UPS (uninterruptible power

supply) and generators – plus everything in between (for a full product list,

see page 6). We work with a network of trained, registered and accredited

sales and service engineers throughout the UK, Northern Ireland and we also

supply products internationally. We can take orders online or over the phone

and offer a range of delivery options to suit schedules, logistical

requirements and budget.

We are also a third-party provider of maintenance management plans, which

means we manage and keep on top of service and maintenance agreements

on behalf of customers. In many cases, we are the first port of call for alarm

or fault response and emergency call out.

We are established to ensure customers get a better than expected

experience from us and from you - our trade partners.

Seven Reasons to Trade with us:

Impartial and expert advice – we’ve been in the industry a long time

and can offer independent and yet authoritative advice on choosing

products and services to meet your clients’ requirements.

Convenience – you can place orders easily and effortlessly online or over

the phone and receive a fast response.

Extensive range - choose from our comprehensive array of products and

solutions. We have one of the largest ranges in the business and this

means we can usually ship quickly.

Options – you can choose how to order from us and choose from a

selection of delivery options – from 2-3 business days to same day -

depending upon urgency and budget.

Profitable trade terms – we want your relationship with us to be

profitable. We buy in volume so we can negotiate favourable terms and

can often provide products at lower-than-expected prices.

We’re with you all the way – we don’t just shift products, we offer much

more - such as access to our 24/7 telephone support hotline for the

lifetime of the products you buy from us, alongside pre-sales advice and

services (such as site surveys), support and on-site services during the

sale (such as factory testing, installation and commissioning) and after-

sales support (such as monitoring and maintenance).

Diversified Field Estate Management – as we are independent from any

single manufacturer – and we deal with most of the industry leaders - we

can support customer sites that have products from lots of different

makers and suppliers – the more diversified the better.

Contents

Critical Power Supplies –who and what we are

Seven Reasons to Trade with us

Power Problems

The Different Types of UPS

UPS Applications

Products We Supply

Our Services

Trusted Advice

Power ProblemsA UPS performs two primary functions:

Protects connected loads from the effects of mains electricity power failures by providing an instant source of back-

up power in the event of a mains failure.

Filters and conditions mains power to protect connected loads from the effects of mains-born and system-introduced

power problems associated with electricity networks.

The following table gives an overview of the most common power problems, symptoms and their causes.

Problem

Power Blackout

Power Sags & Brownouts

Power Surge

Undervoltage

Overvoltage

Power spikes

Power Transients

/Switching

Line Noise

Frequency Variations

Harmonic Distortion

Symptoms

As the name suggests, a complete blackout and

failure of the power system for over 2 cycles,

which can result in system crashes, data loss

and/or corruption and hardware damage

Short duration undervoltages (75-86% below

what they should be), which last for a short

duration but can cause equipment to

malfunction or shut down and lead to data

and memory loss, data and equipment errors

and flickering lights.

This is where the voltage rises above normal for

short periods and can result in data and memory

loss, equipment malfunction or breakdown.

An undervoltage is similar to a power sag except

that it lasts for longer in duration and can cause

equipment to lock up, break down and lead to

data loss and/or corruption.

This is a sudden, rapid rise in voltage, the

duration of which lasts for a while and can have

devastating results such as data loss, equipment

breakdown, burned out circuit boards and a

total or partial electronic system failure.

A power spike is the same as an overvoltage

except much higher in voltage rise (up to

6000 volts).

These are rapid voltage peaks of up to

20,000 volts lasting a duration of 10-100

microseconds. Even though they last for less

than a second, it is enough to lead to equipment

damage, breakdown, data loss and component

stress, which can lead to future breakdown.

If not filtered out, line noise can cause system

and keyboard lock ups, data loss and errors

and data storage losses

This is a change in frequency from the normal

(50/60Hz). It can cause hardware to crash,

data corruption and loss, keyboards to lock

and software program failure.

Distortion of the normal sinewave waveform,

which can cause hardware damage, equipment

to overheat and communication errors.

Cause

• Utility or mains power failure.

• Tripping of downstream circuit breakers.

• Failure of the power distribution network.

• Large motor loads starting up.

• Heavy equipment starting up.

• Internal or mains power switching.

This can be caused by large motor loads or heavy

equipment being switched off.

The most usual cause of this is heavy demand

for utility power.

• Lightning strikes.

• Supply faults.

• Lightning strikes.

• Supply faults.

• Heavy equipment being switched on causing

high in-rush current.

• Utilities correcting line problems.

• Arcing faults and static discharge.

Electric motors, motor controls, relays, broadcast

transmission, microwave transmission and electrical

storms, which can result in Radio Frequency

Interference (RFI) and Electromagnetic Interference (EMI).

Power sources that are unstable, including generators.

Switch-mode power supplies and variable speed drives. Any

equipment that introduces a non-linear load transmission into

the system (i.e., printers, copiers, faxes and even some UPS).

Modular UPSModular UPS is a relatively new

phenomenon that allows for better

‘right-sizing’ of UPS systems. Several

leading manufacturers such as EATON

and Riello UPS now offer modular UPS

systems. Historically, UPS has had to

be oversized in order to build in

redundancy (using parallel

configurations) and to allow for future

system expansion, and this has

resulted in each unit within the system

running inefficiently. The call for

efficiency, particularly within the data

centre community, is loud and clear

and so modular UPS now enables UPS

systems to be right-sized and to run

efficiently while capacity and increased

redundancy can be introduced

incrementally. Small units of 12-15kVA

(depending upon UPS brand) can be

stacked or slid together using a

drawer-style approach within a

standard data centre rack. Each 12 or

15kVA unit is an independent UPS in

its own right with all of the associated

internal workings to enable it to

operate independently if required.

However, several units (6-8 per rack)

can be run together to provide

increased capacity and redundancy.

Some modular designs enable multiple

racks of units to be paralleled together

for further capacity. Modular UPS

carries a higher capital outlay but

because it enables more accurate

right-sizing is gaining ground in

applications (such as data centres)

in which progressive growth is

anticipated but impossible to predict.

Complete solutions for: IT Industrial MOD Marine Retail Telecom Health

The Different Types of UPSUPS are classed as either static or rotary. Within the static UPS category,

there are three types: online, line interactive and offline.

Online UPS (also known as VFI – Voltage and Frequency Independent)

This type of UPS continuously powers the load through its inverter, creating

a break-free supply in the event of a mains failure. It employs double-

conversion technology to convert the voltage twice, from mains ac to dc,

using its rectifier, and from rectifier dc to ac using its inverter), which

enables voltage and frequency levels to be tightly regulated. This type of UPS

continuously conditions power to ensure loads receive a clean, problem-free

supply. Newer designs of online UPS offer several operating modes in order to

improve economy and reliability. This type of UPS typically ranges in size from

single 700VA units to 800kVA modules, the larger of which can be employed

in parallel configurations to build in redundancy.

Line Interactive UPS (also known as VI – Voltage Independent)

This type of UPS is a step up from online designs and offers enhanced power

protection and additional line conditioning. When mains power is present, UPS

output is supplied via a built in Automatic Voltage Stabiliser (AVS), which

operates within a set input voltage window. An EMI/RFI filter is employed to

protect the AVS and load by clamping peak voltages to acceptable levels.

When mains power supply fails, the inverter is powered up and a relay

connects the load to the inverter output. Line Interactive UPS have internal

battery sets that provide a short duration runtime at full load. Runtime can

be extended with the connection of external battery extension packs.

Offline UPS (also known as VFD – Voltage and Frequency Dependent)

This type of UPS offers basic power protection, some line conditioning and

filtering and is used primarily for small, essential loads (such as work stations,

terminals, PCs) below 1kVA. When mains power is present, UPS output is

supplied via a built in EMI/RFI filter that provides limited protection from

spikes and transients. A simple charging circuit charges the internal battery.

The inverter is usually in offline or standby mode. When mains power fails,

the inverter powers up and a relay connects the load to inverter output. The

internal battery within and offline UPS offers 5-7 minutes of back up power

and there is no facility for adding runtime extension. This gives enough time,

however, in the event of a mains failure, to gracefully shutdown equipment

and spare it from damage.

Line Interactive and Offline UPS do not provide a break-free supply like Online

UPS does and this makes them unsuitable for some types of sensitive load.

Rotary and Flywheel UPS

Rotary UPS and flywheel UPS are mechanical devices that convert kinetic

energy into electrical energy using a rotating transformer, induction coupling

or a flywheel engine. They usually start at 500kVA in size and can range in

excess of 2MVA. Coupled with the fact that they typically carry a high capital

outlay cost, they are designed primarily for very large installations. The

advantages of these technologies are that they generate little in the way of

harmonics, offer a very high meantime between failure (MTBF), have better

fault clearing capabilities and can cope with leading power factor loads, such

as high-end Blade servers of the type used in data centres. In the right

setting, and for the right application, they also offer greater operating

efficiency, higher reliability and lower lifetime costs compared to equivalent

static UPS designs.

UPS ApplicationsThe UPS market has opened up in the past few decades and continues to

do so as more and more businesses and operations rely on electrical

equipment for their very continuity. If you think about it, everything we use

at work these days needs to be plugged in somewhere – even if it’s just to

recharge a battery.

The good news is that this opens up a whole raft of opportunities for us and

our trade partners and we are all geared up to help you make the most of it.

In any situation where a power loss or poor power quality will result in

business disruption, data loss or corruption or a breach in safety, some form

of power protection and alternative power source is required. The most

common form is UPS power protection alongside an onsite diesel generator,

both of which can be paralleled (two or more UPS and generators operating

together making up and parallel configuration power protection system) to

offer extended runtime and redundancy.

Below are outlined some common applications for UPS power protection:

ComputersMany businesses rely on computer systems today. Some, such as data

centres, sell hosting to customers and have to ensure specific levels of

uptime and availability. This category of application also includes file

servers, telecoms and communications equipment such as network servers,

switches, routers, PBXs and so on.

Financial SystemsSuch as those that run and operate retail EPoS (Electronic Point of Sale)

terminals and ATM (Automatic Teller Machines).

IndustrialEquipment that runs industrial processes, pumping equipment and so forth,

plus medical machinery and life support systems.

Security/Entry SystemsDoor entry systems (access control) are often controlled electronically and if

the power goes off they will either open (thus creating a potential security

breach) or stay locked (thus creating a safety issue for the people within).

Other systems that fall into this category are CCTV, automatic gates and car

park barriers.

Safety Emergency lighting, lifts, public address systems.

Remote applicationsRail signalling equipment, remote telecoms equipment, unmanned safety

and communications systems, broadcasting equipment and monitoring

systems.

Complete solutions for: IT Industrial MOD Marine Retail Telecom Health

Products We SupplyUPS – 300VA – 800kVA

STS (Static Transfer Switches)

Generators

Flywheel UPS

Modular UPS

PDUs – the full range from basic socket strips to online monitored.

Smart Meters

Renewable Energy – Fuel Cells, Solar Inverters, Solar Panels,

Wind Power Inverters.

UPS Batteries

UPS Spares/Crash Kits

UPS Battery Extension Packs

Emergency Lighting Solutions

Maintenance Bypasses

Power Cables

Remote Monitoring Panels

DC Power Solutions

Power Conditioners – from domestic surge protection to industrial

surge protection and medical power conditioners.

Our Services

Pre-sale

Strategic Power Protection Consultancy

Site Surveys

Delivery

During

Factory Testing

Installation

Commissioning

After-sales

Power Protection Upgrade

Repair

De-commissioning

Emergency Call Outs

Preventative Maintenance

Fixed Cost Maintenance Pricing

Battery Maintenance & Monitoring

Remote System Monitoring

Diversified Field Estate Management

Crash Kits to Site

Remote Fault Logging

Call Centre Fault Logging

Progress Updates.

Trusted AdviceAlongside our nationwide and international reach, extensive product range,

quality-focussed services and proven expertise, we offer our trade partners

trusted advice. You can approach us at any stage of the sale for advice on

any aspect of power protection, energy management, cooling and associated

products and services. Here is a list of just some of the subjects we have

helped our trade partners with:

Power Quality Problems and Solutions

UPS Sizing and System Design

Selecting the right UPS for the Application

Building Reliability and Resilience into a UPS System

UPS Operation and Efficiency

Installing Back Up Power (batteries and alternatives

such as flywheels and fuel cells)

Choosing a Generator

Power Protection Project Management

Power Protection Logistics

UPS Installation

UPS System Monitoring

Power Maintenance

Electrical Installation

Everyone at Critical Power Supplies is experienced in all aspects of power

protection and offering our trade partners an expert ear is all part of our

partner principle. We will work closely with you to ensure your customers

acquire the systems, products and services they need and expect and that

it’s profitable for you to provide it for them.

As soon as you know the basics of what your customer might need in

terms of application, required runtime, installation (rack-mounted or

free-standing), power capacity required to power connected loads and

whether or not they have an existing generator onsite, get in touch.

Call: 0800 978 8988

Visit us at: www.criticalpowersupplies.co.uk

QMS175 / 3.2012A

WE POWER IT

Sales: 0800 978 8988Service: 0845 519 3928

Email: sales@criticalpowersupplies.co.uk

What our Trade Partners/

Customers Say about us:

“A fantastic customer experience –unparalleled!”

“First class service – I’m impressed!”

“Very prompt – processed order, payment and delivery within 24-hrs.”

“Excellent service!”

“Easy to use website and fast delivery.”

“A very good company.”

“Good prompt service.”

“Friendly service and honest.”

“I found the company very helpful and liked the fact that they were open seven-days-a-week.”

“Good selection, competitive price and delivered on time.”

“From the helpline to delivery – first class service all the way.”

“Outstanding!”