UPS or generator: what your business needs

The question always arrives the same: “I need a backup – should I go with a UPS or a generator?” The short answer is that it rarely comes down to one or the other; it depends on how long you need to keep operating without a network. In most businesses in Magallanes, the real solution usually involves combining both.

What is everyone doing?

UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply): It delivers power from batteries, instantly, without any noticeable interruption. Its limit is the battery’s autonomy – typically between a few minutes and a couple of hours, depending on the battery size and the load being connected. It’s the component that maintains the precise moment of the cut-off, whether a larger device comes into play or when the grid is restored.

Generator It generates power by burning fuel, as long as fuel is available. It doesn’t have a time limit like a battery, but it takes between a few seconds and a couple of minutes to start and stabilize. During that period, without a UPS to cover it, it’s a real outage for your equipment.

When is each combination advantageous?

• Just UPS. Short and frequent outages, lasting just a few minutes, occur in offices and retail environments where cash handling, network connectivity, and specific equipment are critical. A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) ranging from 1 to 3 kVA, costing around $700,000, is typically sufficient.
• UPS with an additional generator, featuring automatic transfer. Cuts that can last for hours, in operations where the work cannot stop – such as hotels, plants, and cold storage facilities. The UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) handles the moment of the cut and the start-up of the generator; the generator then maintains the power. automatic transfer It’s the component that enables a font change without anyone needing to physically connect anything.
• Just a generator. Not particularly recommended as a sole solution: the starting point creates a real gap, although it may be brief, which can be sufficient for causing damage or data loss in sensitive systems (servers, payment systems, precision cooling).

The hotel case.

For a hotel with 20 to 50 rooms, the optimal solution observed on-site is a 6-10 kVA UPS, with an installation cost ranging from $3,500,000 to $4,200,000 This is sufficient to maintain reception, cooling, and the network while a power outage is being resolved, without the need for a generator, unless in areas with very prolonged or scheduled outages by the electricity provider. This decision isn't generic; it depends on the actual load measured on each hotel's electrical panel, not a standard table.

How is sizing done, in practice.

The most common mistake we see is sizing things based on intuition: “let’s get a really big UPS, just in case.” This unnecessarily increases the project’s cost without actually addressing the real problem, because an oversized UPS for a small load doesn’t actually provide any more runtime than the battery allows.

The path we took in the… critical backup evaluation Upside down.

1. We measured the actual load of each circuit on the board.
2. We define what needs to continue working first if the lights go out (for example, the refrigerator before decorative lighting).
3. We calculated how long you need to hold that weight.
4. Just then, the size of the UPS is determined, and if, in addition, a generator with automatic transfer is also needed.

The final bill.

If your outages are brief and infrequent, a basic UPS will likely solve most situations with a limited investment. However, if your outages extend for hours, or your operation absolutely cannot stop under any circumstances (such as a hotel with guests, a production line, or a refrigerator with perishable goods), a combination of UPS and a generator with automatic transfer is the solution that prevents a power outage from becoming a significantly greater loss. A thorough assessment should measure your specific needs before purchasing anything, based on the actual load of your equipment.