Path-Q Solar
How should a business size a battery for short power interruptions?
Answer
Size the battery around the business's critical loads and the required ride-through duration, not the building's total connected load. For short interruptions, power capacity and transfer behavior may matter as much as energy capacity because the battery must start and support the largest loads without overload.
Key points
- List equipment that must remain on, equipment that can shut down, and equipment with high startup demand.
- Energy capacity is driven by critical load in kilowatts multiplied by required hours, with allowance for losses and reserve.
- Power quality, transfer time, and compatibility with sensitive equipment may require a UPS or specialized controls.
What it depends on
- Critical continuous and surge load
- Required ride-through duration and acceptable transfer time
- Power-quality requirements of computers, networking, machinery, and controls
- Desired recharge method and future load growth
Risks and trade-offs
- Sizing only by average load may fail when motors, compressors, or power supplies start.
- Oversizing increases cost and may reduce utilization.
- A short-interruption system may not provide meaningful protection during a prolonged outage unless additional energy or generation is available.
Information you may need
- Critical equipment list and nameplate or measured demand
- Largest startup loads
- Required ride-through duration
- Power-quality, transfer, and future expansion requirements
Your next step
What to do next
Measure or estimate the critical loads and startup demand, then ask for a design showing both continuous power and usable energy margins.
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