FEAS SSE30 DC UPS Range Expansion

The FEAS SSE30 Series

The FEAS SSE30 series (and related SSE “buffer modules”) are maintenance-free DC uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or buffer modules that use supercapacitors (also called ultracapacitors) instead of traditional batteries.

Their intended role is to provide short-term bridging of power interruptions, smoothing transients, supporting peak loads or switching operations. The modules are fully encapsulated in aluminum housings. The housings are vibration-resistant, suitable for industrial environments and designed for DIN-rail or wall mounting if required. The SSE30 line covers a range of DC output voltages such as 24 V, 48 V, and so on. The recent SSE6030 expands this range to 60 Volt systems.

These units are not meant for long-duration backup over hours, but to bridge short gaps and allow controlled switching. Because supercapacitors have long cycle life and fast charge/discharge, they avoid many battery maintenance issues.

Firstly What is an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)?

An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) module is a device that provides emergency backup power to connected equipment during a power failure or voltage change. UPS modules are essentially designed for reliable power backup in demanding industrial environments.

A UPS contains a battery and control components to provide a seamless transition to power. They are often housed in UPS System Enclosures and offer protection against surges, sags, and other power quality issues is the main function. It gives users time to safely shut down equipment or allows critical systems to continue operating until the primary power source is restored.

Your Questions Answered!

Type of voltage?

The SSE30 / SSE series are DC buffer (UPS) modules. Their inputs and outputs are DC and they operate in parallel with a DC circuit to maintain DC supply when the primary DC source fails.

What industries are they used in?

Because of their industrial robustness, vibration resistance, encapsulation, wide temperature capability, and fast response, the SSE series is perfect for use in automation, industrial control systems, telecommunications infrastructures, process plants and harsh-environment installations. Additionally any environment requiring DC systems with transient protection or bridging such as factory control panels, remote automation or safety circuits.

What type of housing do they have?

The modules are housed in fully encapsulated aluminum housings and potted or cast with epoxy. This offers protection against humidity, vibration and shock, etc. The enclosures are designed to meet high ingress protection (IP68 for the housing). However the connection terminals may be rated lower.

What dimensions are each unit?

For many of the SSE30 series buffer modules (SSE2430, SSE4830 and SSE6030), have dimensions of 110 mm (width) × 132 mm (height) × 138 mm (depth). Weight is approx 3.6kg for the SSE6030.

How many could be installed in a 20ft converted shipping container?

This depends heavily on your container layout, spacing, cooling, and service clearances, but a rough ballpark estimate can be made. 300-600 units could be installed in a 20ft container, allowing for cabling, ventilation, service aisles and so on. The level of cooling required greatly determines the number of units due to space needed for cooling systems. In cooler regions less mechanical cooling would be needed which would provide more space for extra units. In hotter parts of the world where extra cooling equipment if needed less space will be available for UPS units.

What operating temperature range can they cope with?

The SSE30 series modules (e.g. SSE2430, SSE4830, etc.) are rated for -30 °C to 5 °C operation. The same range is quoted for the SSE6030 (-30 °C to 5 °C) in multiple sources.

How quickly can they come online when power output is required?

Supercapacitor-based UPS respond almost instantaneously (within microseconds to milliseconds). The SSE modules monitor the DC input and, when a failure is detected, the buffer capacitors immediately supply the current. Their design is such that they are connected in parallel with the DC bus so the switch-over is essentially seamless. The manufacturer states < 10 ms regulation time when load changes 10…90% for SSE30 series.

Are SSE30 DC UPS series an economical solution?

From a lifecycle cost standpoint, they can be quite economical in applications suited to short-duration buffering: No battery replacements or maintenance, which reduces operational cost and downtime. High efficiency in normal operation (~98% for SSE6030 in mains operation) helps reduce losses. Compact footprint and modular scalability (you can parallel modules) gives flexibility. However, for long backup durations, batteries or other energy storage solutions still outperform in energy-to-cost ratio.The capital cost per module is nontrivial (e.g. SSE6030 ~ £700 ex-works) So they are economically advantageous in systems where short bridging, high reliability, minimal maintenance, and fast response are key constraints.

Do SSE30 DC UPS series work well in converted steel enclosures?

Yes – they are designed for harsh industrial environments, including enclosures that may be metal (steel) so long as proper grounding, ventilation, and insulation are provided. Their aluminum encapsulated housings and vibration resistance suit metal cabinets. The main considerations are thermal management (heat dissipation) and ensuring that electromagnetic interference or grounding paths do not degrade performance. Because they are encapsulated, they are less sensitive to enclosure environment than traditional battery modules. So yes, with proper design, they should integrate reasonably well into steel enclosures.

Benefits of the new FEAS 60 V SSE6030 model compared to earlier/uninterruptible battery-based solutions or earlier SSE models

Here are the key advantages and trade-offs of the SSE6030 relative to prior battery UPS or older modules:

Benefits / strengths:

Voltage support extended to 60 V: The SSE6030 fills a gap in the SSE line for 60 V DC systems, allowing a unified supercapacitor solution across 24 V, 48 V, and 60 V systems.
Maintenance-free (no batteries): Eliminates battery replacement, maintenance, aging, thermal runaway, leakage, etc.
Robust environmental tolerance: -30 °C to 5 °C, resistance to vibration, encapsulation, etc.
Compact footprint: The same physical dimensions as other SSE units (110 × 132 × 138 mm) but for 60 V class.
Good buffer time for short interruptions: At 4 A draw, about 185 s (typical) of buffer time.
High mains operating efficiency: ~98% efficiency during regular operation.
Scalable via parallel connection: Multiple modules can be run in parallel to increase capacity or redundancy.

Comparisons / trade-offs vs battery-based UPS or older SSE modules:

Shorter backup duration vs battery systems: The SSE6030, like other supercapacitor buffers, is optimized for short-term hold-up (seconds to a few minutes), not long-duration backup (hours) as a battery system would provide.
Cost per stored energy may be higher: In terms of £/kWh of stored energy, supercapacitors are usually more expensive than batteries.
Voltage drop as capacitor discharges: The module must maintain a buffer voltage window; the design must ensure the load remains within the supported range as voltage decays.
Limit in maximum current: The SSE6030 is rated up to 5 A output current. For higher loads, multiple modules or a different solution may be necessary.

Overall, the SSE6030 extends FEAS’s supercapacitor UPS technology into higher-voltage DC domains, bringing the same benefits-maintenance-free, fast response, modularity-to 60 V systems. In applications where only short bridging is needed and reliability/maintenance costs are a priority, it is likely to be a compelling solution.

Introducing FEAS SSE30 DC Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Expansion