Does plugging portable UPS into GFCI outlet defeat the GFI protection?

[RossS]

We now have two different restaurant clients who want their kitchen data systems (POS, order screens, etc.) to plug into small consumer UPS systems. These in turn, plug in to an outlet in the kitchen, which is required to be GFCI protected. If a ground fault occurs in that equipment causing the GFCI breaker to trip, the UPS will restore the power to the fault, correct? Or do even small UPS systems have a means to detect the fault and not restore the power?

 

[PetrosA]

Since the customer is going to want to have their data protected, you probably can't convince them to get rid of the UPS. You could try and convince them to get one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Cable-4-Outlet-6-Feet-Workshop/dp/B002RN13UY

That way you would have GFI protection ahead of and downstream of the UPS and you're covered.

 

[GoldDigger]

Unless the UPS incorporates its own GFCI as part of its output or you add a downstream GFCI, the UPS will continue to power the fault until the fault current becomes high enough to trip a breaker.
In addition, if the output of the UPS is isolated from the input, a fault from the output to ground would not necessarily trip the upstream GFCI in the first place.

Tapatalk!