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When seeking an uninterruptable power supply (UPS), many operators worry about whether they’ll need to sacrifice reliability for efficiency. With its 9PXM UPS, Eaton is finally resolving this worry. Combining online double-conversion technology, advanced battery management technology, and a high-efficiency mode, the 9PXM delivers a high level of reliability with a low cost of ownership in the 4-20 kVA range, all while achieving a 94% efficiency rating at full load.
New Equipment Digest Spoke with Jay Queen, Product Manager for Eaton’s Modular IT and Industrial OT Uninterruptible Power Supplies to discuss what exactly makes this latest UPS invention stand out from the crowd.
NED [New Equipment Digest]: What is the 9PXM and what industry/workers will find it the most useful?
JQ [Jay Queen]: The 9PXM is an uninterruptible power system (UPS) and is ideal for data center operators and IT managers across vertical industries, including healthcare and education.
NED: What are the main features of the UPS?
JQ: The power system provides a scalable, modular backup power solution for a wide range of data center, industrial, and commercial applications. With plug-and-play power and user-replaceable battery modules, it gives data center operators and IT managers a flexible solution for delivering reliable backup power that can be scaled to meet their exact needs.
NED: What is your favorite feature and why?
JQ: My favorite part about the product is its versatility. We engineered the 9PXM to be modular and flexible, allowing users to start small and, as their business needs grow, expand while still maintaining a compact footprint.
NED: How is this UPS different than similar products on the market?
JQ: Compared to similar products on the market, our UPS offers higher efficiency at full load, provides universal slots for extended runtime in a single chassis, and has a longer battery runtime at full load.
NED: In pilot projects, what supporting data indicated that you have a product the industry will find useful?
JQ: The 9PXM represents a significant leap forward over its predecessor, the 9170+. The industry has a need for a scalable UPS with extended runtime capability, as the 9170+ has occupied this space for almost 20 years. Pilot programs and early adopters have been extremely receptive to its compact size, and high-power density.
It packs more power in a smaller footprint, allowing users to reclaim vital rack space. Additionally, its compatibility with Eaton’s Intelligent Power Manager software provides best-in-class business continuity as well as disaster planning and recovery.
NED: When was it developed and what manufacturing challenges is it meant to solve?
JQ: The product was launched in September 2018 and is designed to help data center and IT managers with scaling their infrastructure as business needs demand. This can be a challenge because so much data center infrastructure takes a one-size-fits-all approach.
NED: What’s the biggest innovation of the 9PXM?
JQ: Of the many innovations we’re providing with the 9PXM UPS, our smart extended battery module technology may be the most exciting. The technology itself isn’t new, but it’s paired with hot-swappable power and battery modules that reduce the need for service calls or redundant system bypass. This means operators can know when batteries need replacing and proactively change them without disrupting operation, a critical feature for companies requiring 24/7 uptime.
NED: Can you tell us something interesting about it we won’t find on your website?
JQ: The high-power density of the 9PXM is one of the most intriguing design features. The ability to have up to 20kVA of N+1 redundant power in just 21U of rack space is going to turn a lot of heads and save IT managers and integrators time and money when planning their next infrastructure upgrade.
