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Uninterruptible Power Supply Types

Most people know that UPSes exist, but many seem to think that there is just one kind of device that goes by that name. In fact, there are several different major designs in use for UPS models. Those who sell these devices share much of the blame for this situation, because too often, the different kinds of UPS are all called the same, generic name. (Although it is usually possible to determine which type of UPS a given model is, if you do your homework.)

This section takes a look at the different UPS types, discusses their basic design principles, and attempts to draw comparisons between them to help you understand them better.

Note: In addition to the types I cover here, there are some other, esoteric designs, some of which are hybrids of the units described in this section. I don't cover every variant here, just the most common architectures.

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