What is a battery cabinet?

A battery cabinet is a particular type of storage cabinet that reduces the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries. These innovative cabinets create a safer environment in which workplaces can charge and store their li-ion cells.

Why do you need a battery cabinet?

Ease of use is one of the principle selling points for battery cabinets. It is convenient to service the equipment when the UPS and the battery (ies) are right next to each other. Conversely, it is inconvenient to have to go to a separate room when open-rack batteries are installed.

Do battery cabinets need to be locked?

Battery cabinets must enclose the batteries behind locked doors accessible only to authorized personnel. As long as the cabinets are kept locked, they can be located in a computer room or other rooms accessible by non-battery technicians.

Should UPS batteries be installed on racks or in cabinets?

Early on in a UPS design a decision must be made on whether batteries should be installed on racks or in cabinets. Both have pros and cons. The following are typical design considerations.

Can you put a battery in an electrical room?

Local or regional codes may dictate whether batteries are permitted in an electrical room. Smaller UPS systems (e.g, up to 250 kVA) are commonly installed directly in the computer room along with their respective battery cabinets. The UPS and/or battery cabinets might be configured to look like standard computer equipment racks.

How many cells can a battery cabinet hold?

One cabinet should be able to hold at least one complete string of cells. Best practice is that strings should not be split between two cabinets in order to ensure reliability of the entire string. Figure 1 - Battery cabinet with top terminal cells