Battery backup systems are used for a number of different applications ranging from backcountry power outages to office building computer backups. To find the right power backup system for your needs, you will need to determine the exact conditions under which you will be utilizing a backup system. According to WindandSunPower.com, battery backup systems come standard with a number of alternative energy systems. Obviously the system requirements will be different for saving and shutting down a high power computer system and keeping an entire house running in the event of a power outage.

Computers

Determining the amount of battery backup you need for a computer is not as simple as some other applications. Computers or servers are machines that could be running complicated processes and do not always draw a constant current. Some applications will be more intensive than others. For example, if you are a systems administrator who maintains a server bank for a wide range of applications, you may need the servers to stay on for a set time following a power outage so that certain systems can shut down. In this case it is important to pick a battery backup that can supply the minimum amount of power needed for a set amount of time, then multiply that by 10 percent to give yourself a good buffer zone. A useful tool that can be used for this estimation is provided in Resources.

Personal Use

If you have a cabin or a home that is in an area prone to power outages or long term loss of energy, battery backups can help you save food in your freezers or refrigerators or even run a heat pump. Battery backups are not meant to replace generators, however they can assist in running certain appliance for short bursts of time. Look on the packages or wiring diagrams attached to the appliances that you would need to use in the event that the power went out for a few minutes at a time. Determine the voltage that each appliance uses, then pick a battery backup that can supply two to three times that amount of energy. This should give you plenty of protection in the event the power goes off for just a short amount of time. For longer bouts you should look into a generator. If you run multiple appliances into one battery backup, obviously add the voltage for those appliances together and repeat the aforementioned process.

Backup for Alternative Energy System

Battery backups for alternative energy systems are common as they provide a way to transfer the alternative energy to the appliances that you need to run. In order to size the energy backup for a system that say, runs a house, look at a recent utility bill or track your electric meter to determine how much energy is used in a single day. Divide this by 24 to get the energy used in an hour and then multiply that by the number of hours you will need your battery backup to function in the event your energy system fails. The number you arrive at is your energy needs in case of failure. Convert that number into the equivalent number for the battery backup rating and choose the closest backup to it.

Source:

WindandSunPower.com: AEE Engineered Systems with Battery Backup

More Information:

APCC.com: Backup selector