Hotel: a 30 kW Online UPS for the critical loads

Critical loads are usually those that support the “backbone” of the hotel's day-to-day operation.

Loss of power to these systems can affect:

• the hotel's ability to serve guests without disruption,
• the safety of the facilities, guests and staff,
• data availability and integrity,
• the operation of key service points, such as reception, POS terminals and booking systems.

Typically, the critical loads in a hotel include:

• Server & IT infrastructure: PMS, booking systems, databases, file servers and other applications that support the hotel's day-to-day operation.
• Network equipment & Wi-Fi: Routers, firewalls, core and edge switches, Wi-Fi controllers, as well as selected PoE loads for access points in critical areas, such as reception, management offices, common areas and technical support areas.
• Telephony: Phone systems (PBX), VoIP servers, gateways and reception consoles, so that the hotel's basic communications are maintained even during a power outage.
• CCTV & Access Control: NVR/DVR recorders, PoE switches for cameras, access controllers, card readers, key card servers or encoders, and control systems for critical zones.
• Workstations & POS: Computers and POS terminals at reception, back office, bar, restaurant and conference areas, where uninterrupted operation is essential for serving guests.
• BMS, automation & security systems: Building system controllers, automation units and central panels or auxiliary security systems where uninterruptible power is required.
• Selected lighting in critical areas: Reception, control rooms, main corridors or technical areas where continuous visual supervision is required.

It is important to make the following distinction: energy-intensive load groups, such as room air conditioning, kitchen ovens, water booster pumps or other large consumers, are usually covered by a generator set (genset) and not by a UPS.

The UPS focuses on keeping the hotel's communications, data, access and security running, providing clean, uninterrupted power to the connected critical loads with no noticeable interruption to their operation.

Case Study: A 50-room hotel on an island

TEOS 400 Online UPS, 30 kW, in an environment with frequent power outages

A 50-room island hotel operates with strong seasonality: in the summer months occupancy rises significantly and service demands are particularly high. During the same period, the island's power grid is under heavy strain, resulting in frequent:

• power interruptions, short or longer,
• voltage sags.

The property relies daily on PMS, booking systems, Wi-Fi in every room, telephony, POS, CCTV, access control and core BMS/automation infrastructure.

The problem

During peak periods, the hotel was experiencing:

• momentary reboots and repeated “glitches” that brought down the PMS, POS and phone system,
• Wi-Fi and network outages, with immediate guest complaints,
• momentary gaps in CCTV and access control coverage,
• the need to maintain basic functionality in the first minutes of each outage,
• an increased risk of damage to servers, network equipment and access control systems.

The separate small UPS units installed in some locations were not enough. Management asked for a central, professional solution that could handle:

• the frequency of outages on the island,
• the demands of the summer season,
• the need for stable, organized hotel operations.

Critical load inventory

Working with Tescom, the following loads were defined as critical:

• IT & servers: ~2.0 kW
• Network & Wi-Fi: ~1.8 kW
• Telephony: ~0.5 kW
• CCTV & access control — cameras, recorders, panels and access controllers: ~1.0 kW
• Reception & back office — PCs, monitors, printers and essential service equipment: ~2.0 kW
• F&B POS & terminals — bar, restaurant, event spaces: ~2.5 kW
• BMS, automation & security systems: ~1.5 kW
• Selected lighting in critical areas: ~4.0 kW

The total critical load comes to about 17.3 kW.

Given the particular nature of the island grid and the likelihood of future expansion, such as more cameras, access points and other loads, the design targeted about 30 kW.

The Tescom analysis

Taking into account:

• the frequency and severity of power outages on the island,
• the critical importance of the IT, network and security infrastructure and of key service points, especially during periods of high occupancy,
• the need for the hotel to remain operational in the first minutes of each outage,

Tescom proposed:

• a central double-conversion Online UPS solution,
• three-phase operation, suited to the hotel's electrical installation,
• a power rating that covers not only today's critical loads but also reasonable room for growth.

Specifically, an Online UPS with 30 kW of available power was selected, which:

• operates in an ideal load range,
• can handle peaks and future additions,
• allows runtime to be designed according to the property's policy, such as bridging an outage until a generator starts, or a safe shutdown.

The proposed solution: TEOS 400, 30 kW

A TEOS 400 solution with 30 kW of available power was selected as the central UPS, which:

• centrally powers the critical IT, network, telephony, CCTV, access control, BMS/automation, F&B POS and selected lighting loads,
• connects to a purpose-built central critical-load distribution board, with separate circuits to the server/telecom room, reception, F&B and technical areas,
• provides stable, “clean” power even through repeated sags and micro-interruptions, which are common on islands,
• offers monitoring & remote management capabilities, so the technician or support partner is alerted promptly to any event.

The system's runtime was set at a level that covers:

• bridging typical outages and sags,
• the time needed for the generator, where there is one, to start and stabilize,
• or, when needed, the safe shutdown of critical IT systems.

The result for the island hotel

With the TEOS 400, 30 kW in place:

• Frequent power outages and sags no longer “bring down” the hotel. PMS, POS, network and telephony keep running through the first critical minutes.
• Reception staff can complete check-ins, check-outs and payments without panic, even when the island's power grid is unstable.
• CCTV systems and selected access control points stay active, strengthening the security of the facilities and guests.
• Critical service points, such as reception, bar, restaurant and event spaces, stay operational for essential transactions and guest support.
• Damage to sensitive equipment is reduced, thanks to stable power and protection from grid disturbances.
• Management knows that, even on “difficult” days for the island's grid, the hotel has a well-structured business continuity strategy, based on a central Online UPS solution.

In other words, the hotel is no longer “hostage” to the instability of the local grid; it has shielded its critical infrastructure with a solution designed specifically for the particularities of an island environment.