APC by Schneider Electric GVSUPS30KGS-A 30kW Three-Phase Double Conversion Tower UPS
Overview
The APC by Schneider Electric Galaxy VS UPS GVSUPS30KGS-A is a 30kW (30 kVA) three-phase, double-conversion online UPS designed for data centers, industrial control rooms, and critical commercial infrastructure running 480V three-phase power. It operates from external battery cabinets — this unit ships without batteries, making it the right starting point when you're sizing runtime separately or pairing with an existing battery plant. The tower form factor (58.5" H × 20.5" W × 33.3" D, 462.97 lb) suits dedicated equipment rooms where floor space is available and rack mounting isn't the priority.
Double-conversion topology means every watt of load runs through full AC-DC-AC rectification continuously — not just during an event. Incoming 480V AC is converted to 576V DC internally, then inverted back to a clean 480V AC sine wave at 60 Hz. The load sees conditioned power regardless of what's happening upstream: sags, swells, frequency drift, or complete utility failure. For critical systems that can't tolerate even milliseconds of transfer delay, this is the architecture to specify.
Key Features
- 30kW Double-Conversion at 480V: Full online double-conversion at 480V three-phase means the load is fully isolated from the utility at all times — there is no transfer time to batteries on outage. Size this against your actual kW draw, not kVA nameplate; at unity power factor loads it delivers the full 30kW continuously.
- External Battery Architecture: Designed exclusively for external battery cabinets, this model separates runtime sizing from UPS sizing — practical when you need 20+ minutes at full load or when you're integrating into a larger battery plant. You select battery capacity independently; runtime scales with the cabinet count you commission.
- Hard-Wire Output Connections: Outputs via 1× Hard Wire 5-wire (3P + N + E) and 1× Hard Wire 4-wire (3P + E) — no receptacle-to-plug adapters in the power path. For a 30kW load, that's the correct approach: hard-wired terminations eliminate contact resistance and simplify NEC compliance on large branch circuits.
- Web/SNMP/Modbus TCP and Modbus RTU Management: Onboard network management supports SNMP for integration with enterprise NMS platforms, Modbus TCP for building automation systems, and Modbus RTU for serial SCADA connections. A single UPS can report into both your IT monitoring stack and your BMS without protocol converters.
- 576V DC Bus: The internal 576V DC system voltage is optimized for the external battery string design — important when specifying compatible APC battery cabinets. Mismatching DC bus voltage is a common specification error on large UPS projects; confirm your battery cabinet DC rating matches before ordering.
- 40°C Maximum Operating Temperature: Rated to 104°F (40°C) ambient, this unit tolerates hot equipment rooms and industrial environments that would derate or alarm less robust systems. Thermal dissipation is 856 W at full load — size your room cooling accordingly, especially if this is one of several high-load UPS units in the space.
- 61 dB(A) Sound Emission: At 61 dB(A), this is not a quiet unit — equivalent to a normal conversation at close range. Not a concern in a dedicated equipment room or data hall, but relevant if it's going into a shared office mechanical room where noise compounds.
- Sine Wave Output: Pure sine wave output at all load conditions supports any sensitive load — servers, medical equipment, precision industrial controls, VoIP infrastructure. Modified sine wave UPS units can damage power supply capacitors in some equipment over time; this topology eliminates that risk.
- High Altitude Storage Rating: Maximum storage elevation of 50,000 ft makes international air freight straightforward without special packaging waivers — relevant for projects shipping units to remote sites or overseas facilities before final installation.
- 1-Year Manufacturer Warranty: The GVSUPS30KGS-A (often searched as GVSUPS30KGS A) carries a 1-year manufacturer warranty. For a critical infrastructure asset at this price point, evaluate extended service contracts separately at time of purchase.
Integration and Compatibility
This UPS integrates into three-phase 480V distribution systems fed from a 480V AC source with 70 Hz input frequency tolerance — verify your facility's input feed before deployment. Output is a regulated 480V AC at 60 Hz regardless of input frequency variation, which is specifically useful in mixed-frequency industrial plants or when fed from generators that drift under varying load.
Network management via Web interface, SNMP, Modbus TCP, and Modbus RTU makes this compatible with most enterprise infrastructure management platforms and industrial SCADA/BMS systems. For Modbus RTU integration, wire to the serial management port; for SNMP, connect to the network management card via standard Ethernet. APC's EcoStruxure architecture supports centralized monitoring when multiple Galaxy VS units are deployed across a campus or across multiple sites.
The three-phase input/output design assumes balanced three-phase distribution. Single-phase loads can be connected downstream of a three-phase distribution panel fed by this UPS, but the UPS itself requires a three-phase input feed. Coordinate with your electrical contractor on input breaker sizing for a 30kW load at 480V.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does the GVSUPS30KGS-A include batteries?
A: No. The GVSUPS30KGS-A is designed exclusively for external battery cabinets — batteries are not included and must be ordered separately. This allows you to size runtime independently from the UPS capacity, which is standard practice on large three-phase UPS installations.
Q: What is the input voltage requirement for the GVSUPS30KGS-A?
A: The unit requires a 480V AC three-phase input. The input frequency tolerance extends to 70 Hz, and it delivers a regulated 480V AC, 60 Hz sine wave output regardless of input frequency variation.
Q: What network management protocols does the GVSUPS30KGS-A support?
A: It supports Web-based management, SNMP, Modbus TCP, and Modbus RTU — covering both IT network management systems and industrial BMS/SCADA environments without requiring additional protocol converters.
Q: What is the warranty on the GVSUPS30KGS-A?
A: The GVSUPS30KGS-A carries a 1-year manufacturer warranty. Extended service plans should be evaluated separately, particularly for critical infrastructure deployments.
Q: Can the GVSUPS30KGS-A be rack-mounted?
A: No. The GVSUPS30KGS-A is a tower form factor unit (58.5" H × 20.5" W × 33.3" D, 462.97 lb). It is floor-standing and not designed for rack installation.
Q: What is the maximum operating temperature for the GVSUPS30KGS-A?
A: The maximum operating temperature is 104°F (40°C). The unit dissipates 856 W of heat at full load, so room cooling capacity must account for this when planning the installation environment.
The GVSUPS30KGS-A is a straightforward specify-and-commission unit for engineers who already know they need 30kW of double-conversion protection at 480V three-phase and want to size battery runtime independently. The external-battery-only design is the defining characteristic — it's not a limitation, it's an architecture decision that fits larger projects where runtime requirements are long (30+ minutes) or where an existing battery plant is already in place.
Technical Highlights:
- 576V DC Bus: The internal DC bus at 576V is specific to compatible Galaxy VS external battery cabinets — this is the spec to verify first when selecting companion battery hardware, before comparing runtime tables.
- Dual Hard-Wire Outputs: One 5-wire (3P + N + E) and one 4-wire (3P + E) hard-wire output — appropriate for a 30kW load where receptacle connections introduce unnecessary resistance and code complications. Your electrical contractor will appreciate the clean termination design.
- 856W Thermal Dissipation at Full Load: That's a material heat load. In a room with other UPS units, battery cabinets, and distribution gear, it adds up quickly. Model the room heat load before finalizing HVAC specs — 40°C ambient tolerance doesn't mean cooling is optional.
Deployment Considerations:
- This UPS ships without batteries — confirm your battery cabinet order is in the same procurement window, and verify DC voltage compatibility (576V DC) with the specific APC battery cabinet model you're ordering before the project goes out to bid.
- At 462.97 lb and 58.5" tall, you'll need a pallet jack rated for this weight and adequate door clearance (20.5" wide) on the installation path. Plan the rigging before delivery day — this is not a two-person lift.
The GVSUPS30KGS-A is the right choice for a dedicated 480V three-phase equipment room — data center row power, industrial control infrastructure, or a campus building's critical load distribution panel — where runtime is designed into the battery plant separately and the priority is clean, continuous double-conversion power at scale.
