Do I need a UPS for a gas boiler: 5 reasons for installation

When installing a volatile heating boiler with a circulation electric pump and an electronic control unit, manufacturers recommend buying an uninterruptible power supply for a gas boiler (UPS). This electrical device will provide an opportunity not only for the heat supply system to function in the absence of voltage at the input of the subscriber unit, but is also able to protect the control unit and automatic protection against power surges in the network that can disable the boiler electronics.

The need for a UPS for heating boilers

The technological process of generating heat by modern heating units requires a constant supply of electrical energy to such important elements of the thermal circuit:

1. Centrifugal electric pump for circulation of the coolant in the heating circuit;
2. control unit and automatic protection of the boiler from emergency situations in the system;
3. gas fuel ignition unit;
4. an axial fan for supplying air to the flare mouth and organizing the movement of flue gases along the gas path of the boiler and removing them into the atmosphere through the chimney;
5. GMS modules for remote control of temperature conditions.

In the event of an emergency power outage in the electrical network, an autonomous power supply in the form of a UPS is required for gas heating boilers. Its integration into the scheme of operation of boiler and auxiliary equipment will prevent emergencies in the heat supply system of the house from arising. Low freezing temperatures of the outside air, even for a couple of hours, can lead to defrosting of steel pipes located next to the street. In this regard, ensuring a continuous operation of the unit with UPS protection is not considered a newfangled fad, but a reasonable solution that helps to save financial costs.

UPS of Russian manufacturers

When choosing an emergency power supply unit for a private house or summer cottage, you should give preference to devices from well-known companies, whose brand has a large number of positive reviews. Among such manufacturers, one can single out Russian products that have been trusted among buyers for more than a year.

As an example, we will give a simple model of the UPS "Energy PN-1000" with a 75A / h battery. This device is protected against overload, short circuit, overheating and complete battery discharge. Due to the presence of a built-in relay stabilizer, the uninterruptible power supply outputs a pure sine wave at the output, which has a beneficial effect on the service life of heating equipment, especially with unstable voltage. The input voltage range of this UPS is within 155-275V, the switching time to battery operation is 8ms. You can find detailed characteristics on the official representative's website.

Read with this:

How to choose a three-phase voltage regulator?

Which voltage regulator is better: the main types and their features

Stabilizers - popular models

Types and circuits of voltage stabilizers
Did you like the article? Share with your friends on social networks!

The principle of operation of the uninterruptible power supply

The primary task of the UPS operation is to supply the boiler unit power supply network with a voltage with standard parameters, when the main power source is disconnected. At the same time, modern UPSs are able to switch to autonomous power supply from storage batteries (AKB) in a matter of fractions of a second, so that the connected auxiliary electrical equipment is not shut down by emergency protection of the boiler.

An uninterruptible power supply for a gas boiler, in addition, has the ability to stabilize the voltage parameters, rectify the sine wave and maintain the current frequency of the current within acceptable limits. In order for the protective device to perform its functions, the UPS is equipped with the following components:

• UPS case;
• Accumulator battery - rechargeable battery;
• current-voltage converter;
• UPS options switch;
• unit for setting and controlling modes with a control microcircuit.

Types of uninterruptible power supplies

Uninterruptible power supplies have different functions and autonomous operating time, and, accordingly, the cost. UPS manufacturers offer a wide variety of models. Devices are divided into 3 types: backup (of-line), line-interactive and continuous (on-line).

Let's consider each type in more detail:

The standby UPS acts as an intermediary, as it transfers current and voltage with the same characteristics as the input to the device. If a power outage occurs, the uninterruptible power supply switches the equipment that is connected to battery power. Almost all redundant UPSs have only one button, with which you can regulate the operation of the device. For continuous operation of the boiler for 15-30 minutes, it is enough to use a backup UPS battery with a capacity of 5 to 10 Ah. Such a device instantly prevents the boiler from stopping and gives some time for a correct manual stopping.

The benefits include:

1. High efficiency when powered from the mains.
2. Low cost.
3. Lack of noise.

Disadvantages of a redundant UPS:

1. Switches to battery from 4 to 12 m.
2. It is unsafe to work from a gas generator for a heating boiler.
3. You cannot adjust the characteristics of current and voltage.
4. Low battery capacity.
5. In some UPS models, an external battery can be installed, which will increase the battery runtime. But such devices, in any case, will remain the power switches for the heating boiler from the network to the autonomous one.

The Line Interactive UPS has more features than the previous design. This type of uninterruptible power supply is equipped with a voltage stabilizer, and, accordingly, is provided at the 220V output. Expensive models are available that can analyze the shape of a sine wave, and also switch power to batteries when its distortion is about 5-10%. During operation from the network, the linear-interactive UPS cannot correct the shape of the sinusoid. It is much more difficult to control and manage the operation of such a device. You can set the limits of the input voltage range, as well as set the delay time for turning on the device. Such models are usually installed at the entrance to the house. Capacious external batteries are often connected to such devices.

The benefits include:

1. High efficiency when powered from the mains.
2. The interval for switching to stand-alone mode is 2 to 10 m.
3. It is possible to stabilize the voltage without a battery.

Disadvantages of Line-Interactive UPS:

1. Capacity up to 5 kVA.
2. Cannot influence the shape of the sinusoid during mains power supply.
3. No current frequency correction.

This model is more popular than the backup one, as it has an additional voltage regulator. Thus, the heating boiler works more efficiently.

Continuous uninterruptible power supply. In such devices, all output parameters are independent of their input characteristics. The equipment that is connected is powered by the battery, regardless of whether there is voltage at the input. This happens due to the conversion of electricity in 2 stages. First of all, the incoming voltage begins to decrease, then the alternating current is rectified, and electricity is used to recharge the battery.It is advisable to use this type of uninterruptible power supply for high-power heating equipment. In other cases, the purchase of such a UPS is not economically justified.

When electricity is released, the reverse process begins. As a result, the equipment goes completely offline with stable electrical parameters. An uninterrupted UPS is not subject to surges, lightning strikes and sinusoidal distortion. Some external factors can damage the uninterruptible power supply, but not the boiler.

The benefits include:

1. Correct sine wave, stable frequency and voltage characteristics. These factors are very important when connecting the boiler.
2. If a power outage occurs, the power to all connected devices will not be interrupted.
3. The UPS protects your equipment from unexpected voltage surges.
4. The output voltage can be corrected.
5. In order to replenish the charge, you can connect the device to a gas generator without any problems.

But a continuous uninterruptible power supply has a number of disadvantages:

1. Low efficiency. Approximately 80 to 94%.
2. When the fan is running, there is increased heat generation and noise.
3. This type of UPS is the most expensive. It exceeds the cost of line-interactive by about 2-3 times.

If you connect a large-capacity battery to an uninterruptible power supply, the heating boiler will work without interruption even in the event of a power outage. Although a continuous UPS is expensive, it provides high-quality electrical protection for the boiler.

How to choose a UPS for a boiler professionally

The selection of UPS modifications for gas heating boilers is very laborious due to the variety of important technological parameters, in addition, the Russian market is oversaturated with various modifications of UPS, both Western and domestic.

For the operation of heating equipment with a gas heating source, the most important parameters for choosing a UPS are:

• The type of curvature of the output voltage is approximated / traditional sine wave. The first one is less desirable, since it is not suitable for the overwhelming mass of electronic devices and causes their rapid wear.
• Maximum output power. Electric motors of a centrifugal electric pump and a blower electric fan have significant starting currents, in this regard, the maximum productivity of the UPS must be 2 times higher than the total electricity consumption of the boiler and its auxiliary devices.
• The value of the speed of transferring power to the spare source.
• Electric capacity, on which the duration of the operation of the heat supply system will depend. To increase its size, auxiliary external batteries can be integrated into the UPS circuit.
• Service life, which is determined by the mode of operation of the UPS system and the internal arrangement of the batteries.
• The range of permissible input parameters of the mains, which allows the UPS to generate the permissible current parameters without switching to the battery.
• The presence of a "through" zero.

The best set of UPS + battery

An uninterruptible power supply for a gas boiler is produced only with lead-acid storage batteries (SLA), which are significantly heavier and have large dimensions. than lithium. The preference for their installation is due to their low cost indicator. In addition, the advantage is the possibility of hermetic manufacturing, which significantly increases the safety of operation. The latter also contributes to the fact that the ALS does not need service repair.

Many UPSs take into account the possibility of connecting external storage batteries - accumulator batteries. In schemes with parallel connection of a number of batteries, it is important that they have the same technical parameters. This will enable the batteries to discharge / recharge in an orderly manner and increase their service life.

There are 2 types of UPS batteries available in the retail network:

• Gel accumulators, multi-gel (GEL);
• fiberglass battery mat (AMG).

Silicon additives are added to the GEL electrolyte, for this reason it has an increased density. Therefore, the filling cannot spill out when the appliance is turned over. Oxygen and hydrogen, which are released during the operation of the battery, are absorbed by the gel and gradually interact with each other to release water. This principle of operation guarantees the absolute safety of this type of battery.

UPS Connection Recommendations

How to connect correctly

Many gas heating boilers require correct phase and neutral connection. If connected incorrectly, the boiler electronics will not detect the presence of a flame on the burner. The uninterruptible power supply must also be connected to the mains correctly. For the correct connection of the UPS, you need to do the following simple procedures:

• 1. Start the UPS in offline mode (without mains)
• 2. Determine the phase at the output of the UPS with an indicator screwdriver
• 3. We connect the UPS to the network
• 4. If the phase remains on the same contact of the output socket as in stand-alone mode, then the UPS is connected correctly (if not, turn the input mains plug of the UPS 180 degrees)

How to check correctly

When checking the operation of the uninterruptible power supply system, turn off only the phase packet switch (do not remove the mains plug of the uninterruptible power supply from the socket). The system should be checked at a time when the heating boiler does not work for heating (it is waiting for a restart after the water in the circuit has cooled down). Only in this case, you can be sure that everything is connected correctly (phase, zero) and the boiler starts up from the UPS.

Professional advice when choosing a UPS for boilers

The most important thing with the correct selection of UPS is to calculate the power characteristics. For the calculation, the starting power of the electric pump and fan is found in the data sheet, paying attention to the energy efficiency class from A to G. Professionals advise increasing the power consumption by five for all classes, except for A - for it the indicator increases by 1.3.

Next, the total consumed power of the boiler unit and auxiliary equipment is summed up and multiplied by a margin of 1.2.

For example:

• Boiler unit -200 W;
• electric pump from class C - 40 W;
• fan with class A - 30 W.

Determine the total capacity of the system:

200+ 40x5 + 30x1.3 = 403.3 W

Minimum UPS power:

403.3x1.2 = 484 W

Is it possible to install an On-line UPS to power the boiler

There is an opinion that off-line UPS cannot be used for emergency power supply of boilers due to the fact that they have an extremely long period of switching to the battery. Actually, this is not entirely correct, which can be easily proved. To do this, remove the boiler power plug from the mains. Typically, the switching time of such a device does not exceed half a second, and the unit does not report a failure, since it is not able to catch such an instant shutdown. Even if it is 50ms, then under any circumstances, it will be much less than done manually.

The only thing that really upsets the off-line UPS system is that it lacks the stabilization function. Despite the fact that some modifications have 2 steps for adjusting the output voltage, however, the transition, as a rule, is made using a relay and is optimal for options when the voltage is stable high or low. In the event that it continuously jumps, then very soon the resource of the relay of the device will be exhausted, especially when it operates at its maximum power. In this case, it is recommended to integrate a voltage regulator into the boiler power supply upstream of the UPS.

Why it is unacceptable to use a computer UPS for emergency power supply of boilers

Basic points that prevent the use of a computer UPS for emergency power supply to the boiler:

1. The UPS reserve is an obstacle for the operation of boilers due to the low capacity of the internal batteries, and as a result, they cause a limitation of the emergency period of the heating system. In addition, this device lacks the required protection of transformers against overheating. It is possible to resolve the problem by using external powerful batteries with an active cooling system.
2. Weak charger. Installing the most powerful batteries extends the charging period, which can become a problem when supplying electricity to different boiler electrical equipment.
3. Parallel or series connection of batteries. It is believed that the sequence of connection involves preliminary balancing of the batteries.
4. The need to calibrate the UPS after replacing the batteries with the most powerful ones. In certain versions, calibration is possible by pressing a key, in others through the control menu. An inaccurate calibration reproduces an inaccurate representation of the percentage of charge remaining, which will affect the performance of devices attached to the chassis interface connectors.

   

Determining the power of an uninterruptible power supply

For high-quality operation of an uninterruptible power supply, you must choose the right power. First of all, you need to summarize the power of all devices that ensure the operation of the heating system. For example, pumps, automation, etc. To the resulting amount, it is necessary to add about 20-30% as a margin for peak loads that occur when the system is started.

Heating boilers consume little electricity. For a boiler with a pump, an average of 150 watts is sufficient. To operate a boiler with one pump, a 300 W uninterruptible power supply is required. If the system is equipped with two pumps, then a 400-500 W device is required.

If an accident occurs on the power line, several storage batteries are needed to maintain the boiler's operation. The larger the battery capacity, the longer the operating time. When choosing a battery capacity, you should pay attention to the power of the charger.

In order to correctly determine the capacity of the battery that the uninterruptible power supply will charge, you need to multiply the charge current by 10. For example, the charge current is 7.5A, respectively, the battery capacity can be 75 A / h.

You can charge a battery with a larger capacity, but the charge will not be full. Therefore, the battery will fail faster. The service life is significantly reduced if you charge a battery with a lower power with high currents.

Therefore, it is not recommended to use a battery with a large capacity. In some cases, the boiler may not work from an uninterruptible power supply, as the charging current is insufficient and power is not supplied.

There are two types of battery: liquid (conventional) and helium. Helium have a long service life, and are also distinguished by their reliability. But the disadvantage of such batteries is their high cost. All devices must be sealed and maintenance-free. This is due to the fact that you are using the battery in a residential area.

It is more profitable to purchase a maintenance-free car battery. It is easier to change it to a new one than to buy an expensive helium device.

Rating of the best on-line UPS for gas heating boilers

Acquaintance with the technical parameters of popular UPSs will help the user to make a professional choice of the desired modification. This rating shows a list of the most rated UPSs that can guarantee a long and stable operation of a gas-fired heating boiler.

The greatest demand is for UPSs for gas heating boilers from the following manufacturers:

• Energy Garant 500, a Russian manufacturer with an output power of 500 VA / 300 W. These are high-tech very accurate devices with an efficiency of 98%. Time to switch to battery - 8 ms.They operate in the input voltage range of 155/275 V. The UPS is equipped with an intelligent charging mode that monitors the battery capacity and its technical condition, the price as of 1.01.2020 is 8.250 rubles.
• HeliorSigma 1 KSL is a 1000 VA / 800 W device with a pure sinusoidal output voltage and an efficiency of 98%. A device with a convenient control system and stable operation during power surges, the price as of 1.01.2020 is 18.950 rubles.
• StarkCountry 1000 Online with 1000 VA / 800 W output. The devices provide ideal output voltage with 98% efficiency. They activate work automatically when there are difficulties in voltage parameters. The equipment is equipped with a display that reflects the battery capacity and other characteristics. Equipped with 3 power connectors, price as of 1.01.2020 - 19.395 rubles.
• Lanches L900Pro-H 1 kVA, with an output power of 1000 VA / 900 W and a dual current conversion system. For use with external batteries. It has a large input voltage range of 110 - 300 V, although it operates at a low efficiency - 85%. The device is equipped with a suitable control panel, the price as of 1.01.2020 is 15.057 rubles.
• BASTION SKAT-UPS 2000/1200, with an output power of 2000 VA / 1200 W, operates in a wide range of input voltage from 170 to 270 V, while operating with a low efficiency of 85%. The device has a UPS, which will allow you to connect the load directly, the price as of 01.01.2020 is 18.300 rubles.
• PowercomImperial IMD-825AP, with an output power of 825 VA / 495 W. Manufacturing technology is the most modern. The equipment works in an autonomous version for several hours, while it has a rather long period of self-charging - 6 hours, the price as of 1.01.2020 is 6.590 rubles.
• Calm SW1000SL, with output power - 1000 VA / 900 W and online technology. Rechargeable batteries are continuously used in operation, for this reason, changing the power source is carried out almost instantly, with an efficiency of 95%. The device has an elegant and small-sized case with a backlit LCD display and an abundance of options, the price as of 1.01.2020 is 23.950 rubles.
• CyberPower VALUE1500ELCD, 1500VA / 900W output. The first of the favorites for gaseous heating units. It guarantees reliable transmission of electricity, maintaining the long-term operation of the boiler even with prolonged emergency outages in the power grid, the price as of 1.01.2020 is 12.950 rubles.
• Energy PN-500, with an output power of 500 VA / 300 W. Multifunctional device that automatically controls the input voltage parameter. Belongs to the class of interactive UPSs, with high operating efficiency with an efficiency factor of 98%. It charges very quickly and guarantees the standard performance of the gas boiler, including with powerful voltage surges, the price as of 1.01.2020 is 8.100 rubles.

How to choose a UPS for a gas boiler

When we have figured out the power consumption, the amount of battery charge and how to equalize the voltage, we can proceed to the choice of the "uninterruptible power supply" itself. Online stores offer power supplies with 3 types of architecture:

• off line devices;
• line-interactive UPS;
• blocks of continuous action type on line.

The principle of operation of offline "non-reibonics" is simple - what voltage enters the block, this is what comes out. If the mains drop dramatically, the device uses battery power. The online device works differently: first, the input current is rectified, "driven" into strict limits - 220 ... 230 V, 50 Hz, then again converted into alternating current and sent to the consumer. Line-interactive UPS is an off-line unit with a built-in stabilizer.

Reference. The cost of uninterruptible power supplies depends on the architecture, power and input voltage range. Example: Chinese UPS "Luxeon" (Luxeon) 0.3 kW type online costs about 60 cu. That is, a similar interactive one - $ 100 e. If you need a power of 700 W, then the cost increases to 210 and 160 cu. e., respectively.

A UPS designed for heating equipment must provide the correct sinusoidal signal at the output. Luxeon's online UPS meets this requirement.
Which "uninterruptible" is better to choose for a gas boiler:

1. To maintain the operation of the heat generator, uninterrupted (online) UPSs with the ability to connect external batteries are best suited. Off line devices are not suitable.
2. If the power consumption does not exceed 0.5 kW, and the shutdown duration is 1 hour, a line-interactive unit with a built-in battery will do.
3. The backup source should give a pure sine wave at the output, this is important for the normal operation of the pump motors. UPSs for household appliances or computers are not suitable for boilers, since they produce a so-called approximated sinusoid or quasi-sinusoid.
4. In order not to buy a separate stabilizer, choose a device that can smooth out voltage drops in the mains. There are models that equalize the voltage in a wide range - from 120 to 300 volts, however, such UPSs are more expensive than conventional ones.
5. When using a generator, it is necessary to stabilize not only the voltage, but also the frequency of the current. Here you need an "uninterruptible" type online with an inverter, others useless to use.
6. Imported wall mounted boilers are often phase sensitive. If you insert the plug into the socket incorrectly, the unit goes into error. For such a heater, look after a power supply unit with a through "zero".

Stepped and approximated output waveform is not suitable for heating technology
Clarification about computer UPS. The approximated sinusoid at the output of such devices is well accepted by the electronics, but the asynchronous motors of the pumps get very hot, hum and quickly fail. That is why an uninterruptible power supply with a correct sine wave is needed.

It is better to check the new backup power supply immediately. Connect the device to the gas boiler according to the instructions and try to start the unit in heating mode. If automatic ignition does not work, the unit must be changed to another model.

A household UPS for a solid fuel boiler is selected in the same way - the power of electrical installations and the controller, the quality of power supply and the duration of the autonomous mode are determined. Then follow our advice or recommendations voiced in the video: