Causes of mains failure in ups while breaker in place

A very specific and interesting question!

When a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) has a breaker in place, it's designed to provide a safe and reliable backup power source in case of a mains failure. However, there are still some scenarios where the UPS might not provide a seamless transition to backup power. Here are some possible causes of mains failure in a UPS while the breaker is in place:

  1. Overvoltage: If the mains voltage exceeds the maximum allowed value, the UPS breaker might trip, causing a mains failure. This can happen due to electrical faults, grid instability, or equipment malfunction.
  2. Undervoltage: Conversely, if the mains voltage drops below the minimum allowed value, the UPS breaker might trip, causing a mains failure. This can occur due to electrical faults, grid instability, or equipment malfunction.
  3. Ground fault: A ground fault occurs when there's an unintended path to ground, which can cause the UPS breaker to trip. This can happen due to faulty wiring, equipment malfunction, or environmental factors like moisture or corrosion.
  4. Overcurrent: If the current drawn from the mains exceeds the maximum allowed value, the UPS breaker might trip, causing a mains failure. This can occur due to equipment malfunction, electrical faults, or overload conditions.
  5. Undercurrent: Conversely, if the current drawn from the mains is lower than the minimum allowed value, the UPS breaker might trip, causing a mains failure. This can occur due to equipment malfunction, electrical faults, or underload conditions.
  6. Mains frequency deviation: If the mains frequency deviates significantly from the nominal value, the UPS breaker might trip, causing a mains failure. This can occur due to grid instability, equipment malfunction, or electrical faults.
  7. Mains phase loss: If one or more phases of the mains power are lost, the UPS breaker might trip, causing a mains failure. This can occur due to electrical faults, equipment malfunction, or grid instability.
  8. UPS internal fault: In rare cases, a UPS internal fault, such as a faulty component or a software issue, might cause the breaker to trip, resulting in a mains failure.
  9. Environmental factors: Environmental factors like extreme temperatures, humidity, or electromagnetic interference (EMI) can cause the UPS breaker to trip, resulting in a mains failure.
  10. User error: In some cases, user error, such as incorrect configuration or maintenance, might cause the UPS breaker to trip, resulting in a mains failure.

It's essential to note that these causes are not exhaustive, and the specific circumstances of the failure might require further investigation to determine the root cause.