OUPES Weekly Q&A Vol. 6: Membership, Refurbished Units, UPS Features & Power Tips

Can you tell us more about OUPES membership program?

The OUPES Loyalty Program is a membership system designed for our users, centered around the accumulation of OUPoints. By participating in daily interactions and making purchases, members can earn points, upgrade their membership levels, and unlock exclusive rights and benefits, including a points redemption mechanism.

Membership is categorized into three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Upon registering and logging in for the first time, new users will automatically start at the Bronze level.

Earning OUPoints

1. Every dollar spent equals 1 OUPoint.
2. Members can earn additional points by completing various tasks:
   • Logging in for the first time: 500 OUPoints
   • Subscribing to the site: 500 OUPoints
   • Joining our Facebook page: 500 OUPoints
   • Purchasing items from the site: 500 OUPoints
   • Joining our Facebook group: 500 OUPoints
   • Subscribing to our YouTube channel: 500 OUPoints

Membership Upgrades

• When a member’s OUPoints total exceeds 3,500 but is less than 6,000, their membership level will automatically upgrade to Silver.
• If the OUPoints exceed 6,000, the membership level will upgrade to Gold.

Redeeming OUPoints

OUPoints can be redeemed for coupons and OUPES peripheral products, including emergency kits, flashlights, shelves, picnic mats, and more.

Exclusive Member Benefits

• Bronze:
  1. Member pricing on selected products
  2. Priority delivery service
  3. Double points on membership day
  4. Early access to flash sales and new products
• Silver:
  1. Birthday month exclusive discount
• Gold:
  1. Opportunity to become a product tester

More exclusive benefits will be introduced in the future, stay tuned and become one of our members: https://oupes.com/pages/loyalty-program

What is the difference between OUPES refurbished units and brand-new units?

OUPES refurbished products are previously used items that have been returned by customers. These products are guaranteed to be in good working condition and are fully functional, having undergone rigorous testing and maintenance by OUPES engineers, along with any necessary repairs. While these units may have minor cosmetic imperfections, they offer significant savings and come with the same full 5+1 year warranty as brand new units.

I'd like to understand what a bypass is. Why is the output power lower than the rated power when charging and discharging simultaneously?

Bypass mode allows the device to draw power directly from the grid when it is connected and powering a load, rather than using its internal battery. To ensure safety, the system imposes limits on the voltage and current within the internal circuits. For instance, with the Mega 3 when the device is connected to the grid and powering a load, the total input-output power is limited to 2200W, since in bypass mode, it operates at a rated voltage of 120V and a current of 18A. However, when solar charging is used in conjunction with AC discharge, the discharge power can reach the rated maximum of 3600W.

I'd like to learn about the UPS. Could you provide some examples to illustrate this concept?

The primary function of a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is to automatically switch to battery power within 10 milliseconds during a sudden mains power failure, ensuring that connected devices continue to operate without interruption.

Taking the Mega3 UPS as an example: when mains power is connected and the unit is under load, it enters UPS mode and operates in bypass mode. In this state, the maximum combined input/output power is limited to 2200W. As a result, the mains charging power varies depending on the load power. The following scenarios can occur: 

• Output Power < Input Power: If the load is 500W, the mains charging power will supplement up to 1700W (500W load + 1700W charge = 2200W input). The unit can operate continuously in this state.
• Output Power > Input Power:If the load is 2000W, the charging power will be limited to 200W (2000W load + 200W charge = 2200W input). In this case, the battery will discharge to support the load and will continue to discharge until the AC output shuts down. Once the AC output is shut down, AC charging will automatically resume until the battery is fully recharged. 
• Sudden Mains Failure: When mains power is abruptly lost, the unit switches to full-rated discharge mode, providing a maximum output power of 3600W. 

The OUPES Mega series and Exodus series can switch to battery power within 20 milliseconds during a mains outage. We categorize this non-professional-grade UPS functionality as EPS (Emergency Power Supply).

Note on Battery Health: The EPS/UPS function itself does not damage the internal batteries of the power station. However, if the device remains continuously connected to mains power, the battery will stay at a full charge of 100%. This constant full charge can slightly accelerate battery aging. To help extend the battery's lifespan, we recommend performing periodic discharge cycles. 

Why does the battery level sometimes fluctuate during charging or discharging?

Fluctuations in battery percentage during charging or discharging are normal. These changes occur as the Battery Management System (BMS) recalibrates in response to variations in voltage and internal resistance, particularly under high-power loads. The displayed battery level may briefly change, typically fluctuating within 10%, but will stabilize as usage levels out. For example, when a 1500W heater is turned on, the battery percentage may drop from 70% to 65% before rebounding to 68% once the system stabilizes. This behavior is common among portable power stations and is considered a normal part of the system's operation.