Power supply with Supercaps protects against downtime

This allows the fail-safe power supply of embedded IPCs, drives and actuators, sensors, cameras as well as measurement, control and regulation technology can be ensured in safety-relevant systems. The risk of costly system downtimes or data loss can be significantly minimised by using the intelligent DC UPS solution UPSI-2406DP2.

The compact UPSI-2406DP2 for DIN-Rail mounting is ideally suited for long-term 24/7 continuous operation in switch cabinet applications and decentralised, self-sufficient solutions. Areas of application include Industry 4.0, automation, robotics, image processing, medical and laboratory technology, transportation, process and safety technology, inspection, traffic monitoring, energy, communication, POI / POS, vending and payment systems.

The DC UPS UPSI-2406DP2 has international safety certifications for worldwide use: ETL UL61010-1 / -2-201, CSA C22.2 61010-1-12 / -2-201, CB Scheme IEC 61010-1 /-2-201.

For uninterruptible DC power supplies with short and medium backup times, there are absolutely maintenance-free longlife Supercaps available as highly efficient and particularly durable energy storage devices with more than 500,000 charging and discharging cycles. In contrast to batteries, which store energy via a chemical reaction, Supercaps (ultra-capacitors) are based on electrophysical principles and are charged and ready for use within a very short time (UPSI-2406DP2 charging time only two minutes).

Under comparable conditions of use, Supercaps have a service life that is up to ten times longer than classic lead-acid batteries. The energy storage with Supercaps also impresses with its high current carrying capacity and power density. The UPSI-2406DP2 works reliably and safely both at minus temperatures down to -20°C and in the extended temperature range up to +65°C. In addition, the Supercap cell balancing ensures optimal charge distribution and high capacity stability.

In normal operation, the system electronics of the UPSI-2406DP2 make the nominal voltage supplied by the mains available at the output, charge the Supercap energy storage device and monitor the voltage thresholds at the input. If the voltage falls below the defined threshold, the system switches over to UPS backup mode within fractions of a second and ensures an uninterrupted and regulated power supply for the connected 24V DC application. With a nominal capacity of 160 F (usable 0.972 Wh or 3.5 kJ) the integrated Supercaps provide enough energy to backup a load of 96 W for approx. 30 seconds or a load of 25W for approx. 120 seconds.

The intelligent distribution of the charging currents (PowerSharing) ensures that the upstream AC/DC power supply does not have to be oversized, but that the input power of the UPSI-2406DP2 is kept constant and distributed accordingly to the load and Supercap charger. With a low load at the output, more energy flows into the charger and vice versa. In this way, energy consumption, space requirements and costs in the application can be reduced.

The DC UPS module has an integrated USB interface for connection to an IPC system. The UPSI-2406DP2 is recognised directly by the operating system as an UPS - without additional driver or software installation.

The ‘UPS Gen2 Configuration’ software is available for free download and used for setting and preprogramming all parameters of the UPSI-2406DP2 as well as real-time monitoring with charge status display. The adjustable parameters include load sensor (mA), shutdown delay, maximum backup time, minimum battery capacity before power up, ignition timer and restart delay. The data connection to the IPC system is established via the integrated USB interface.

In the event of a ‘PowerFail’, the UPSI-2406DP2 signals the failure of supply voltage via integrated interface, so that a controlled shutdown of the computer system can be initiated and valuable data can be saved. The integrated reboot function of the DC-UPS automatically initiates the restart of the supplied IPC after the supply voltage has returned, without the need for costly on-site intervention by service staff, e.g. with completely self-sufficient computer systems at inaccessible locations.

All inputs and outputs are arranged on the front of the UPSI-2406DP2. In addition to the connections for input and output voltage with status LED, this includes a relay contact (PowerFail), an RS232 communication interface and a USB interface. The compact and high-quality aluminum housing (63x120x100mm) is equipped with a DIN rail holder on the rear for flexible and quick top-hat rail mounting.

In addition to the three-year device warranty, Bicker Elektronik GmbH guarantees long-term availability of at least five years on the new DC UPS UPSI-2406DP2. In particular, applications with a correspondingly long runtime benefit from optimal investment protection with first-class design-in advice and extensive service & support from the specialists at Bicker Elektronik. On request, the development engineers at Bicker Elektronik can implement customer-specific and special solutions and also offer extensive laboratory and measurement services for complete customer systems.

Bicker UPSI-2406DP2 features

• Supercaps as maintenance-free energy storage
• Cycle Life ≥500,000 charge and discharge cycles
• Quick charge in just two minutes
• Operating temperature range -20 to +65°C
• Intelligent input current detection
• 'Power sharing' between charger and DC load
• Regulated output voltage in backup mode
• Minimum load detection
• Relay contact for power fail
• Power fail timer function
• Shutdown & Reboot function (IPC)
• USB and RS232 interface
• Plug&Play – recognised as UPS by operating system
• Extended functionality by UPSGen2 configuration software
• Approved to UL/IEC/CSA 61010-1 / -2-201 
• Price-performance ratio
• Three year warranty