Piso WiFi Power Backup UPS
Answer first: A UPS can keep a Piso WiFi machine running through a short outage and give time for a safe shutdown, but it is not a generator and it is not a guarantee of continuous service. Any runtime must be supplier stated in writing for your exact load and tested on your machine.
Part of the Piso WiFi Business pillar. Also in Business, Vendo and Setup: Best Location and Permits.
Power cuts, brownouts, and brief outages are a normal risk for Piso WiFi machines, especially in outdoor boxes, terminals, and areas with unstable power. A power backup, usually an uninterruptible power supply, or UPS, can keep a machine running through a short outage, but it cannot keep a machine running forever, and it cannot save a session that the platform does not save across a restart.
This post explains, in plain terms, what a UPS does, how to size and place one, what to test, and what to plan for when power fails. For machine setup in general, see the Machine Setup post. For power loss and session problems, see the Troubleshooting pillar. For update and restart behaviour, see the Software Update guide. For business costs in general, see the Business pillar.
What a UPS Does, and What It Does Not Do
A UPS is a battery backup that supplies power for a short time when mains power fails, and that protects against brief dips and surges, depending on the model. It is not a generator, and it is not a guarantee of continuous service.
| What a UPS can do | What a UPS cannot do, on its own |
|---|---|
| Keep a machine running through a brief outage, so customers do not lose a session to a sudden restart | Keep a machine running through a long brownout or a day long outage, unless the battery, load, and runtime are sized for that case, which most small UPS units are not |
| Give you time to shut down safely, or to wait out a very short outage, without a sudden power cut | Save a session, a sale, or a pause record if the platform stores sessions locally and the machine still restarts for another reason |
| Protect against brief voltage dips and surges, depending on the model and its rating | Fix an unstable internet source, a faulty coin selector, or a portal problem that is not caused by power |
| Reduce sudden restarts that can corrupt settings or sales records on some builds | Replace a proper power supply, proper wiring, proper ventilation, or a supplier supported setup |
Do not advertise a machine as always on, or as brownout proof, just because it has a UPS. Advertise the actual behaviour you have tested: how long your machine runs on your UPS, what happens when the UPS battery runs out, and what customers should do after power returns.
How Power Loss Affects Customers and Operators
Power loss affects customers and operators differently, and both effects should be planned for.
For customers, a sudden power cut can end a session, lose a pause record, or leave a portal in a confusing state, depending on whether the platform stores sessions locally or in the cloud, as explained in the Pause Time pillar and the Session Expired post. A customer who paid just before a power cut, and who cannot resume after power returns, will complain, and will need a clear operator answer and proof process, as explained in the Troubleshooting pillar.
For operators, a sudden power cut can cause a restart, a settings change, a sales record gap, or a machine that needs a manual restart, depending on the platform and hardware. Repeated sudden cuts can also shorten the life of boards, storage, and power supplies, especially in hot outdoor boxes, as explained in the Vendo pillar and the Troubleshooting pillar.
A UPS helps mainly by avoiding sudden cuts for short outages, and by giving a controlled shutdown or a short wait, rather than by making power problems disappear.
How to Size a UPS, Without Guessing a Runtime
Do not buy a UPS by price alone, and do not trust a runtime claim that does not state the load it was tested with. Runtime depends on the total load of everything plugged into the UPS, including the board, router or access point, coin selector, and any other powered part, and on battery age and temperature.
Follow this sizing method, with your supplier, before you buy:
- List every part that will be powered by the UPS, with its power rating from its label or manual, or ask the supplier for the total load for your exact machine setup.
- Decide what you want the UPS to do: ride out a brief outage of a few minutes, give time for a safe shutdown, or keep selling through a longer outage. Those are different goals, with different battery sizes and costs.
- Ask the supplier, in writing, for the expected runtime for your total load, on a new battery, and for the expected runtime after a year of use, because battery capacity falls with age and heat.
- Test the UPS on your machine, with a small customer test, by simulating a mains power cut at a quiet time, and record how long the machine actually runs, what the portal shows, and what happens when power returns.
- Record the test result, the UPS model, the battery date, and the test date, and repeat the test at least every few months, and after any hardware change.
If a supplier cannot give you a runtime for your load, do not buy that UPS for selling through an outage. Buy it only for short ride through and surge protection, if that is what it is rated for, and tell customers the tested behaviour, not a headline runtime.
Placement, Ventilation, and Maintenance
A UPS in a hot, closed outdoor box will age faster, and a UPS with no ventilation can add heat to a box that already overheats, as explained in the Troubleshooting pillar. Place the UPS where it can ventilate, where it is protected from rain and theft, and where it can be checked without opening the whole machine box in a way that risks wiring or customer safety.
For maintenance, follow the supplier manual for your exact UPS model, and keep a simple log: UPS model, battery install date, test dates, actual runtime on test, and any battery replacement date. Replace a battery when tests show runtime has fallen well below the level you need, or when the supplier manual says to replace it, whichever comes first. Do not wait for a battery to fail during a busy period, because that is when a UPS is most needed.
Also check the following, as operator only tasks, with the machine powered safely and according to the supplier manual: power supply rating for the machine, cable condition, plug and socket condition, and whether the UPS output is stable for the machine load. Customers should not open a machine box, a UPS, or a battery, and should report power problems to the operator with location, time, and what the portal showed, as explained in the Troubleshooting pillar.
What to Do When Power Fails, Step by Step for Operators
Use the following operator checklist when power fails, and adapt it to your platform and supplier instructions. Do not factory reset a machine as a first step after a power cut, because a reset can wipe rates, pause settings, and voucher settings, as explained in the Admin Login guide and the Forgot Admin Password post.
- Check whether power has returned, and whether the machine powered up on its own, or needs a manual restart, according to its manual.
- Check the portal as a customer, with a small test payment if needed, for portal loading, payment, pause if offered, and session behaviour.
- Check sales records for the outage period, and compare them with collections, to spot a gap caused by the outage, rather than assuming a fault or a theft.
- Check settings that can change after a restart on some builds, including rates, pause toggles, and portal settings, and restore them from your backup or written record if needed, as explained in the Software Update guide.
- Answer customer complaints with the outage time, the test result, and the operator’s normal refund or help process, rather than promising that a UPS will prevent every future outage.
- Record the outage, its duration, its cause if known, and its fix, in your downtime log, so repeat outages can be spotted and fixed permanently, rather than treated as one off events.
For a long outage, tell customers clearly that the machine is offline, rather than leaving them trying a portal that cannot load. A clear offline sign saves more goodwill than a machine that looks online but cannot sell time.
Solar and Generator Options: When to Consider Them, and When Not To
Some operators ask about solar panels or small generators for remote or outdoor machines. Those options can help in specific cases, but they add cost, maintenance, and safety work, and they should not be added without a supplier plan.
Consider solar or generator backup only if: power outages are frequent and long in your location, your machine earns enough to cover the extra capital and maintenance costs, and you have a supplier plan for installation, battery care, and safety. Do not add solar or generator backup to a machine that already has portal, coin, or speed problems, because extra power will not fix those problems, and it will add new failure points.
For remote Starlink backed machines, power planning is even more important, because the dish, router, and machine all need power, and a UPS sized only for the machine will not keep the whole setup running. See the Starlink post for setup and cost checks, and size power backup for the whole setup, not for one part alone.
Frequently Asked Questions About Power Backup and UPS
Does a UPS make my Piso WiFi machine brownout proof?
No. A UPS can keep a machine running through a brief outage, and can give time for a safe shutdown, but it cannot keep a machine running through a long brownout unless it is sized, tested, and maintained for that case. Advertise only the runtime you have tested for your load.
Will a UPS save my customers’ paused time if power fails?
That depends on your platform and whether sessions are stored locally or in the cloud, as explained in the Pause Time pillar and the Session Expired post. A UPS helps by avoiding a sudden restart during a short outage, but it does not guarantee that a session survives a long outage, a battery failure, or a restart for another reason. Test power loss behaviour on your machine, and tell customers the tested rule.
How long will my machine run on a UPS?
That depends on total load, battery size, battery age, and temperature, so there is no single answer for all machines. Ask your supplier for a runtime for your exact load, in writing, and test it by simulating a mains cut at a quiet time, with a small customer test, and record the actual runtime.
Should I buy the cheapest UPS I can find?
No, not for a selling machine. A cheap UPS with no runtime for your load, no ventilation plan, and no battery replacement plan can fail when you need it most. Buy by load, runtime, ventilation, and supplier support, and record test results and battery dates.
What should I do first after power returns?
Check the portal as a customer, check sales records for a gap, check rates and pause settings on builds where a restart can change them, and answer customer complaints with outage time and test result. Do not factory reset as a first step, because a reset can wipe rates, pause, and voucher settings.
Is solar power a good backup for a Piso WiFi machine?
It can help in a remote location with frequent, long outages, if the total setup, including dish, router, and machine where relevant, is sized and maintained by a supplier plan, and if earnings cover the extra capital and maintenance costs. It is not a simple add on, and it will not fix portal, coin, or speed problems that are not caused by power.
What to Read Next
For machine setup, go to the Machine Setup post. For power loss and session problems, go to the Troubleshooting pillar and the Session Expired post. For update and restart behaviour, go to the Software Update guide. For business costs, go to the Business pillar. For Starlink power planning, go to the Starlink post. For range and placement, go to the Range Extension post.