How long can an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) typically provide power?

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is designed to provide short-term power during an outage, enabling safe shutdown of connected devices or continuation of operations for a limited time. The typical runtime of a UPS can vary based on several factors, including battery capacity, load size, and specific model specifications.

Providing around 30 minutes of power is a plausible scenario, especially for smaller or mid-range UPS systems that support medium loads, such as computers and networking equipment. This allows sufficient time for users to either save their work or transfer operations to a backup power source.

Longer runtimes, such as 1 hour or more, generally require more substantial systems or additional battery packs, making them less common for standard UPS units. Hence, while a 15-minute runtime is also a realistic expectation, the 30-minute mark often represents a balance of functionality and common usage, reflecting why this is a reasonable answer among the options provided.