What does this uninterruptible power supply (ups) annual checklist cover?

13 items across 5 sections, covering coordination and lockout, battery service, transfer and bypass, capacity proof, and more. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.

Who should run this inspection?

The UPS service tech on the annual, coordinated with a maintenance window for the protected load.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

Once a year, scheduled when critical loads can be moved to bypass and when a real discharge test won't leave equipment unprotected.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

10 of the 13 items call for photo evidence, 12 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.

What most often fails an uninterruptible power supply (ups) annual inspection?

Battery string judged by overall voltage while one weak block drags the real backup time far below the display. Bypass never actually exercised, so the day it's needed for service nobody knows whether the transfer is clean. Discharge test skipped, leaving runtime a spec-sheet number never proven against the aged batteries actually in the cabinet.

Can I use this checklist in RTI?

Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Free checklist

Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) annual maintenance checklist

The annual UPS service is the deep pass: the measurements, cleanings and tests a quarterly round doesn't reach. This checklist keeps the full service on record with the photos that make it defensible later. Work is commonly verified against NEC (NFPA 70), manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Start free with this checklist Download as PDF

The checklist

Every item, and the photo evidence it needs

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.

Coordination and lockout

Bypass window agreed with the owner for critical loads
Owner and the users of the protected loads told the window, the transfer sequence and the fallback, and their agreement recorded before any load moves to bypass.
No photo
Battery disconnect locked and tagged before cell work
Battery breaker locked and tagged; the string stays live, so insulated tools and acid PPE. Reclosed by whoever locked it once cell work is done, before the bypass and discharge tests.

Battery service

Individual cell or block voltage and impedance measured
Each block read and compared across the string, outliers on voltage or impedance flagged, readings logged for trending against prior years.
Battery terminals torqued and connections cleaned
Inter-cell links and terminals torque-verified or resistance-measured, re-torqued only where found loose, corrosion cleaned, anti-oxidant reapplied where specified.
Battery stands, trays and cabling inspected
Stands and trays sound and anchored, cable insulation not cracked or chafed on tray edges, no cracked jars or bulging cases on the rear tiers.
Battery date codes read against the design life
Date code or install label on the blocks read and compared with the manufacturer's design life, so replacement is budgeted before the string fails.

Transfer and bypass

Manual bypass operated and verified
Load transferred to bypass and back per the sequence, no interruption to the protected equipment, indicators tracking the actual path.

Capacity proof

Runtime confirmed by a discharge or load-bank test
Unit run on battery under a known load to a defined endpoint, actual runtime compared against the rating and last year's result.
Calibration and firmware checked
Runtime and load calibration verified, controller firmware level noted against the manufacturer's current release.

Module service and return

Module interior cleaned and cooling fans checked
Load on maintenance bypass in the agreed window, rectifier input, bypass input and battery breakers locked, the manufacturer's DC discharge wait kept, then dust cleared and fans spun.
Module input, output and bypass lugs torque-verified
Power lugs inside the module torque-verified or resistance-measured, re-torqued only where found loose, no heat discoloration or cracked insulation at the terminations.
Locks removed and UPS back in normal mode
Locks cleared by the person who hung them, module restarted, load returned from bypass in sequence, front panel in normal mode with no active alarm.
No photo
Annual results logged as next year's baseline
Battery readings, runtime result, torque and firmware level entered against the UPS and shared with the owner so next year is compared against this one.
No photo

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Battery string judged by overall voltage while one weak block drags the real backup time far below the display.
Bypass never actually exercised, so the day it's needed for service nobody knows whether the transfer is clean.
Discharge test skipped, leaving runtime a spec-sheet number never proven against the aged batteries actually in the cabinet.

Verified against

NEC (NFPA 70)

Common questions

6 answers

What does this uninterruptible power supply (ups) annual checklist cover?: 13 items across 5 sections, covering coordination and lockout, battery service, transfer and bypass, capacity proof, and more. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
Who should run this inspection?: The UPS service tech on the annual, coordinated with a maintenance window for the protected load.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: Once a year, scheduled when critical loads can be moved to bypass and when a real discharge test won't leave equipment unprotected.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 10 of the 13 items call for photo evidence, 12 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
What most often fails an uninterruptible power supply (ups) annual inspection?: Battery string judged by overall voltage while one weak block drags the real backup time far below the display. Bypass never actually exercised, so the day it's needed for service nobody knows whether the transfer is clean. Discharge test skipped, leaving runtime a spec-sheet number never proven against the aged batteries actually in the cabinet.
Can I use this checklist in RTI?: Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.

Related checklists

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Run it with the Photo Gate

A checklist nobody can submit half-finished

Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 12 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.