Micro-interruptions and voltage sags/dips are a major cause of failures and malfunctions in industrial and IT systems. If your company depends on sensitive machinery, servers or electronic equipment, protecting the power supply is crucial.
It only takes a power failure of a few milliseconds to cause a sudden shutdown of a PLC, the interruption of an automated production cycle or the crash of an industrial server. In many cases, restarting takes time, manual checks and can generate significant costs in terms of lost production and technical resources deployed.
But what is the best solution?
Let’s compare two technologies: UPSs with batteries and compensators without batteries.
UPS WITH BATTERIES: CONTINUITY AND LONG-TERM PROTECTION
UPSs (Uninterruptible Power Supply) with batteries are the most popular solution for guaranteeing continuous power in the event of prolonged interruptions.
How UPSs work?
When the mains power supply suffers an interruption or voltage variation, the UPS intervenes by supplying energy from the batteries, keeping the power supply stable and uninterrupted.
✅ Advantages:
- Complete protection from blackouts.
- Voltage stabilisation to protect equipment.
- Customisable runtime based on battery capacity.
❌ Disadvantages:
- Batteries subject to wear and tear, requiring periodic replacement.
- Higher energy consumption, especially in online UPSs.
VOLTAGE SAG/DIP AND MICRO-INTERRUPTIONS COMPENSATORS WITHOUT BATTERIES: EFFICIENCY AND INSTANT RESPONSE
Considering that most interruptions are of very short duration, voltage dips and micro interruptions compensators without batteries are the ideal alternative solution.
How do voltage sags and micro-interruptions compensators work?
These systems instantly correct voltage dips by drawing energy from supercapacitors, advanced transformers or mechanical flywheels, without the need for batteries.
✅ Advantages:
- Very fast intervention (<1 ms) to eliminate voltage dips and micro-interruptions.
- No batteries to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs.
- Increased energy efficiency, no continuous conversions.
❌ Disadvantages:
- Does not protect against prolonged blackouts, only short interruptions.
COMPARISON TABLE
| Characteristic | UPS with Battery | Compensator without battery |
| Micro interruptions protection (<1s) | ✅ Very good | ✅ Excellent (immediate response) |
| Blackout protection (extended) | ✅ Yes, for battery life | ❌ No |
| Response time | ⚠️ Milliseconds (if not online) | ✅ Sub-millisecond |
| Dimensions and weight | ⚠️ High due to batteries | ✅ Compact and lightweight |
| Maintenance | ❌ Batteries to be replaced periodically | ✅ Low, no battery |
| Energy efficiency | ⚠️ Lower, especially in online UPSs | ✅ High, no conversion losses |
| Initial cos | ⚠️ Medium-high (depends on battery capacity) | ✅ More economical in the long run |
WHICH SOLUTION TO CHOOSE?
The choice between an uninterruptible power supply with batteries and a voltage compensator without batteries depends on a careful assessment of your company’s operational needs.
If your plant needs to be protected against prolonged blackouts, the UPS is the most complete solution, capable of keeping machinery and infrastructure running even in the absence of a mains power supply.
Conversely, if the main problem concerns voltage sags/dips and frequent micro-interruptions, without the risk of long blackouts, the compensator is a more efficient, immediate and low-maintenance technology.
Analysing the type of disturbances present on the network and the impact they have on your processes is the first step towards finding the ideal solution.
In general:
- If you want total protection against blackouts, choose a UPS with batteries.
- If the main problem is voltage sags/dips, micro interruptions and network instability, a compensator without batteries is the most efficient choice.
DISCOVER THE IDEAL SOLUTION WITH ORTEA NEXT
At Ortea we offer state-of-the-art solutions for power supply protection. Contact us for a personal consultation and find out which technology can optimise your company’s performance.
Learn more about Oxygen’s solutions for protection against voltage sags/dips and micro-interruptions.
