Medical UPS battery backups are designed specifically to provide backup power for medical equipment like fridges that store temperature sensitive medications, vaccines and biological samples. Temperature sensitive medications must be stored within a specific temperature range to remain viable. It is important to have a UPS battery backup to prevent medications and temperature sensitive biological samples becoming ruined in the event of a power outage or surge. This article is a complete guide to medical UPS battery backups, explaining what they are, why they are needed and how to choose the right UPS battery backup for a medical refrigerator.

What is a Medical UPS Battery Backup?

A medical UPS battery backup is essentially an extra battery that provides power to medical equipment like vaccine fridges, freezers, and CO₂ incubators if there is a disruption to the power source. UPS is an acronym for uninterruptible power supply because the device is designed to provide continuous power regardless of whether or not it is connected to the main grid. When a power disruption occurs, the UPS immediately switches to the battery backup so that no electrical interruption occurs to the medical equipment. Medical UPS battery backups can be either a separate unit or integrated within the fridge.

There is a difference between a Medical UPS battery backup and a normal UPS which is why normal UPS should not be used for medical equipment. Medical UPS battery backups have strict requirements and guidelines and must be tested to meet UL listing 60601-1 standards, the international product safety standards for medical devices.

Types of Medical UPS Battery Backups

There are different types of UPS battery backups, from line interactive to battery backups that are built into the medical equipment. The cost of each UPS battery backup system varies considerably depending on the type and capacity. An offline UPS is the most affordable but not recommended for medical equipment while the line-interactive and online double conversion backup systems increase in cost due to their superior features and power protection capacity.

• Built-in UPS: The most recent technology is the Powerguard Premium Refrigerator which is a ground-breaking medical fridge and the first of its kind in Australia with a built-in UPS battery backup. The in-built battery ensures compliance with the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines. The UPS seamlessly switches to battery power during an outage to make sure the medical fridge maintains the required temperature for temperature sensitive medications, vaccines and biological samples. *Features and Specifications – Powerguard Premium Refrigerator with In-built Battery
  • 2-8°C Medical Refrigerator
  • Integrated UPS battery backup
  • Minimum 5 hour run-time option
  • Dual LED display
  • USB data
  • Audio and visual alarms
  • Lockable

• Offline UPS: An offline UPS is used in smaller pieces of equipment that do not have critical need for temperature consistency. It is the most basic of power protection devices and often used for game console backup, computers, workstations or home office equipment. Offline UPS is not recommended for medical use.
• Line-interactive UPS: This type of UPS battery backup is often used for computers, servers and network equipment. It incorporates voltage protection, battery backup and power conditioning so when power fails it will switch to backup immediately.
• Online double-conversion UPS: This type of UPS battery backup provides a high level of power protection for all devices including medical fridges. It is ideal for critical equipment where temperature consistency is crucial. Online double conversion UPS continuously converts AC power to DC and then back again which ensures a stable and consistent power supply.

Benefits of Medical UPS Battery Backup

As medical fridges are designed to ensure specific temperature parameters for temperature sensitive medications, vaccines and biological samples, the addition of a UPS battery backup provides further assurance the temperatures will be adhered to. Should the power be interrupted, a UPS battery backup ensures the temperatures stay electronically controlled to keep sensitive medications and biological samples at a safe and secure temperature. The benefits of UPS battery backup include:

• Reduced medical fridge downtime. With a UPS battery backup, continual operation of the medical fridge is assured. With the importance of temperature continuity for some medications and biological samples paramount, a UPS battery back ensures the temperature stability required
• Protects against a cold chain breach. One of the most important guidelines for safekeeping of medications, vaccines and biological samples is that they must be stored between 2°C to 8°C at all times. Should this not occur, a cold chain breach occurs and the products inside the fridge will be most likely ruined. Usually the main reason for a cold chain breach will be a power outage which is unavoidable. A UPS battery backup will ensure that medications, vaccines and biological samples stored inside the medical fridge remain viable and safe for use.
• Saving costs on typical back-up protocols. Backup protocols are when medications and biological samples need to be stored outside the setting of the usual medical fridge in the event of a power disruption. This can be an expensive exercise as it often requires transportation to another facility on a temporary basis. With a UPS battery backup there is no need for another facility or the expense of transportation as the original medical fridge still operates efficiently.
• Protection for Medical Equipment. Protection for medical equipment against damage and inaccurate data readings should a power outage occur.

How Does A Medical UPS Battery Backup Work?

Both external and built-in UPS battery backups work on the same philosophy – a power interruption is noticed immediately and the backup power kicks into action. However, the two types differ in their design and integration. For both types of backups, when the power source is working the UPS continues to provide power to the battery. However when a voltage drop is noticed and the power goes out, the UPS then switches to backup mode. There are some technological advances with UPS battery backups that can automatically provide voltage regulation during brownouts and will only fully go into backup if there is a power outage.

An external UPS battery backup is connected to the medical fridge with cables and power cords. It is then plugged into a power point near the medical fridge. The unit is usually a separate unit that needs its own location and can take up more space. A built-in UPS battery backup is integrated within the medical fridge, usually within the fridge’s housing. A built-in system is often easier to use and requires less maintenance.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Battery Backup System

When choosing a UPS battery backup system, there are a number of factors to take into account. The power requirements, type of UPS battery backup, desired runtime, location and space all need to be considered before deciding on the right UPS battery backup system for a medical fridge. We examine everything to take into account to make sure you choose a UPS battery backup that will suit your needs here:

• Wattage. To make sure the medical fridge has sufficient backup power, you need to consider the fridge wattage and the power capacity of the UPS. When talking about wattage of a medical fridge, it refers to the amount of power it consumes. A large fridge like the 1006 litre Vacc-Safe Premium Refrigerator will have a higher wattage of about 300 watts. The UPS battery backup must be able to handle the wattage of the fridge to ensure adequate backup protection.
• Runtime. The runtime of the UPS battery backup is how long the device can supply power to the fridge during a power outage. The time the battery backup takes to lose charge from full to empty is the runtime. Consider how much battery backup you think you will require and choose a UPS battery backup with the required capacity.
• Power issues. Think about whether or not your area has many power issues. If you have experienced multiple power disruptions or surges, you might want to consider a larger size UPS battery backup system.
• Installation. Consider where the UPS battery backup will be installed if it is an external device. UPS battery backups can take up a large amount of space so make sure you have the room to install it safely. Alternatively consider a medical fridge with a built-in battery back for space saving convenience.
• Space. The amount of space you have for a UPS battery backup is an important factor to consider. If space is limited, a built-in UPS battery backup system is ideal.

In today’s healthcare environment, it is crucial to ensure equipment like medical fridges have uninterrupted power. Medical fridges are purpose built to ensure the safe and secure storage of temperature sensitive medications, vaccines and biological samples. These medical supplies must meet the standards set out by the Australian Government’s National Vaccine Storage Guidelines that some medications, vaccines and biological samples must be stored within the safe parameters of 2°C and 8°C. In the event of a power outage or disruption, a medical fridge will not be able to maintain the strict temperatures required without the assistance of a UPS battery backup. With so many types of UPS battery backup options, it can be difficult to decipher the right one for a medical fridge. With the technology constantly improving, there are now in-built UPS battery backups that can save precious space and money and ensure a higher level of security for a medical fridge. There are also external UPS battery backups available as an alternative. Our guide to UPS battery backup systems explains what a UPS battery backup is, the types of battery backups available, how a UPS battery backup works and what to consider when choosing the right UPS battery backup for your medical fridge. For further details, the experts in medical fridges at Vacc-Safe are always on hand to assist.