Asset management strategies for battery and rectifier systems

Battery and DC power system assets management is a critical and important part of any operating Telco's service reliability and availability plans. This needs to be addressed within tighter constraints on CAPEX for assets that don't directly generate revenue and in an environment of an aging infrastructure. This paper will review flooded and VRLA battery management coupled with twenty years of field experience at MTS Allstream. It will discuss questions raised by recent battery failures and steps taken to avoid future such events. The paper will take a similar look at rectifier systems and experiences at MTS Allstream and discuss the management actions initiated to mitigate availability risks.