Does a UPS Itself Include a Battery?The answer is yes: the battery is an indispensable core component of a UPS.
Battery: The "Heart" of a UPS
A UPS releases the electricity stored in the battery when the mains power is abnormal or interrupted. The battery plays a crucial role in energy storage.
A UPS system typically consists of the following components:
1. Rectifier: It is responsible for converting the input AC mains power into DC power. On one hand, it provides the operating voltage for the inverter; on the other hand, it charges the battery.
2. Inverter: It converts the DC power from the rectifier or battery back into stable and clean AC power, which is then supplied to the load equipment.
3. Battery: As the energy storage unit of the system, it takes on the important task of supplying power when the mains power is interrupted.
UPS units of different brands and models use different types of batteries based on their design positioning:
- Traditional lead-acid batteries: This is a technically mature and widely used solution with relatively low cost.
- Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries: A case in point is the lithium battery UPS ET3K. Compared with lead-acid batteries, lithium iron phosphate batteries have a longer service life (with cycle charge-discharge times reaching over 3,000), lighter weight, faster charging speed, and better high-temperature stability. Although their initial purchase cost is slightly higher, they are a more valuable choice for users (such as those in security monitoring and small data centers) who pursue long-term reliability and total cost of ownership.