One of the USA’s leading developers of nickel-zinc battery-based uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for mission critical applications ZincFive has received type approval from two of the country’s largest Departments of Transportation (DOTs).
Maintaining its thorough standards for product qualification, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has approved ZincFive’s UPStealth products for use in traffic signal cabinets on the state’s roadways and signalized intersections. The UPStealth intelligent uninterruptible power supply (UPS) provides backup power to traffic signal cabinets during power outages to maintain vehicle safety and flow. The functionality of the UPStealth supports the TxDOT mission to ‘deliver a safe, reliable, and integrated transportation system that enables the movement of people and goods.’ The UPStealth system that features powerful, safe and green nickel-zinc batteries is currently in use by over 150 DOTs, with TxDOT being one of the country’s leading and progressive transportation agencies to evaluate and approve the product.
The UPStealth offers a safer, smarter and greener alternative to traditional lead-acid battery-based UPS solutions. With 97 patents awarded, Oregon-based ZincFive’s nickel-zinc batteries offer longer life, small form factors, safer operation and environmental advantages over lead-acid battery technology. In addition to taking full advantage of the properties of nickel-zinc batteries, the UPStealth offers performance features not seen before in this class of UPS. Groundbreaking features of the UPStealth include active power supervision through an oscilloscope function, accomplished by constantly monitoring and capturing the incoming utility AC power, as well as the ability to hot-swap batteries during a power outage to increase intersection uptime.
After a rigorous and lengthy qualification process, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), has added ZincFive’s UPStealth system to its Approved Products List. FDOT is nationally recognized for its leadership in safe and efficient transportation as well as being one of the largest and most influential DOT’s in the USA. The UPStealth, already the fastest growing UPS for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), has passed a demanding suite of tests to qualify for use within FDOT’s intelligent transportation infrastructure. All aspects of the UPStealth were tested along with its ability to perform within, and add value to, FDOT’s transport network. ZincFive’s UPS systems will be shown at the ITS America Annual Meeting, which is taking place from June 4-7, in Washington DC.
“We respect the thoroughness and detail of the TxDOT qualification process that ensures the operational integrity of their transportation systems,” said ZincFive’s CEO and co-founder, Tim Hysell. “The opportunity to contribute to the safety of the traveling public in Texas is something we look forward to through the deployment of our UPStealth solutions.”
Hysell also commented, “We’ve appreciated the opportunity to work with the FDOT organization to achieve this milestone that will benefit Floridians and their many visitors. Now, FDOT districts, as well as Florida cities and municipalities, can deploy the nickel-zinc battery-based UPStealth with our industry-leading customer service fully supporting their installations.”
