Fault detection for parallel inverters system

1. A method of operating an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system having a first Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) and a second UPS, the method comprising:

coupling at least one control line between the first UPS and the second UPS to operate the first UPS and the second UPS in a parallel mode of operation;

providing output power from each of the first UPS and the second UPS to a load;

detecting a fault condition in the UPS system;

decoupling the at least one control line in response to detecting the fault condition;

operating the first UPS in a diagnostic mode of operation in response to decoupling the at least one control line; and

determining if the fault condition is associated with the first UPS,

wherein coupling at least one control line between the first UPS and the second UPS includes coupling a connection module between the first UPS and the second UPS, and

wherein decoupling the at least one control line includes disconnecting the connection module from the first UPS.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

operating the second UPS in a diagnostic mode of operation in response to decoupling the at least one control line; and

determining if the fault condition is associated with the second UPS.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein disconnecting the connection module from the first UPS includes manually disconnecting the connection module from the first UPS and coupling a diagnostic connector to the first UPS.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining if the fault condition is associated with the second UPS includes coupling a diagnostic connector to the second UPS.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein disconnecting the connection module from the first UPS includes changing a state of the connection module from an operational state to a diagnostic state.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the first UPS in the diagnostic mode of operation includes disabling a bypass mode of operation of the first UPS.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the first UPS in the diagnostic mode of operation includes conducting a self-test of an inverter of the first UPS.

8. An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system comprising:

a first Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) and a second UPS, each of the first UPS and the second UPS including:

a first input to receive input power from a first power source;

a battery configured to provide battery power;

an output coupled to provide output power;

output power circuitry coupled to the output and configured to provide the output power derived from at least one of the first power source and the battery;

a first I/O;

a second I/O; and

control circuitry coupled to the first I/O and the second I/O; and

a connection module coupled to the first I/O, the second I/O and the output of the first UPS and coupled to the first I/O, the second I/O and the output of the second UPS, the connection module having an output that provides output power from at least one of the first UPS and the second UPS;

wherein the first UPS is configured to operate in a diagnostic mode based on a signal detected at the second I/O of the first UPS, and configured in the diagnostic mode to determine if a fault of the UPS system is associated with the first UPS.

9. The UPS system of claim 8 , wherein the connection module is configured to operate in a diagnostic mode to couple the first I/O of the first UPS to the second I/O of the first UPS.

10. The UPS system of claim 8 , further comprising a diagnostic connector configured to be coupled to the first UPS in the diagnostic mode and configured to couple the first I/O of the first UPS to the second I/O of the first UPS.

11. The UPS system of claim 8 , wherein the first UPS includes an inverter, and wherein the first UPS is configured to conduct an inverter test in the diagnostic mode.

12. The UPS system of claim 11 , wherein the first UPS is further configured to operate in a bypass mode of operation, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to disable the bypass mode of operation in the diagnostic mode.

13. The UPS system of claim 8 , wherein the second UPS is configured to operate in a diagnostic mode based on a signal detected at the second I/O of the second UPS, and configured in the diagnostic mode, to determine if a fault of the UPS system is associated with the second UPS.

14. The UPS system of claim 13 , wherein the connection module is configured to operate in a diagnostic mode to couple the first I/O of the second UPS to the second I/O of the second UPS.

15. The UPS system of claim 14 , further comprising a diagnostic connector configured to be coupled to the second UPS in the diagnostic mode and configured to couple the first I/O of the second UPS to the second I/O of the second UPS.

16. An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system comprising:

a first Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) and a second UPS, each of the first UPS and the second UPS including:

a first input to receive input power from a first power source;

a battery configured to provide battery power;

an output coupled to provide output power;

output power circuitry coupled to the output and configured to provide the output power derived from at least one of the first power source and the battery;

a first I/O;

a second I/O; and

control circuitry coupled to the first I/O and the second I/O; and

a connection module coupled to the first I/O, the second I/O and the output of the first UPS and coupled to the first I/O, the second I/O and the output of the second UPS, the connection module having an output that provides output power from at least one of the first UPS and the second UPS; and

means, configured to be coupled to at least one of the first UPS and the second UPS, for detecting a fault in the UPS system and for isolating the fault to one of the first UPS and the second UPS.

17. The UPS system of claim 16 , wherein the means for detecting a fault include means for disabling the output of the first UPS and the output of the second UPS after detection of a fault.

18. The UPS system of claim 16 , wherein each of the first UPS and the second UPS includes parallel control circuitry for operating the first UPS and the second UPS in a parallel mode of operation, and wherein the means for detecting a fault includes means for detecting a fault in the parallel control circuitry of one of the first UPS and the second UPS.

19. The UPS system of claim 18 , further comprising means for establishing one of the first UPS and the second UPS as a master UPS of the UPS system.

20. The UPS system of claim 19 , wherein the master UPS is configured to control an output of an inverter in the first UPS and an output of an inverter in the second UPS.