Requirements for separation of UPS and battery cabinet

Ensuring the safety of service personnel is a mandatory requirement for UPS equipment and installations. Safety must be designed in to UPS systems; the only question is how to implement the safety design to achieve the maximum additional benefits in the form of improved system level resiliency.

For voltage drop considerations, the UPS modules and battery systems should be in adjacent spaces— either side-by-side or vertically stacked. Battery room layouts should be clean and designed to maximize space usage. Proper code clearances must be maintained in and around battery strings for required maintenance support and life safety systems.

Individual battery rooms should be treated as separate zones for fire detection and suppression purposes. Each room should have a digitally addressable, early warning fire detection system installed and connected into the central fire detection system.

Employers must consider exposure to these hazards when developing safe work practices and selecting personal protective equipment (PPE). That is where Article 320, Safety Requirements Related to Batteries and Battery Rooms comes in.

Battery racks and cabinets should be designed and installed to meet the requirements for the seismic zone they are installed in. The racks and cabinets should be designed and purchased to accommodate the weight and size of the batteries ordered and the quantity of batteries to be installed. (See attached picture.)

Floor Space Requirements. Preferably the UPS has to be installed close to the loads. If the distance between the load and the UPS is higher, we must consider the voltage drop based on the distance of the cable and suitable action like oversizing the cable needs to be considered.