Anyway, I certainly agree with Kim's opening line in this post found on her site this morning. It's very important to understand this subject and to protect your own computer(s).
Surge suppressors
I'm always surprised when people don't protect their computers from power spikes. A strong one can wipe out your expensive computer and monitor.
A surge suppressor will provide limited protection from power spikes. Don't confuse suppressors with power strips, though. Power strips do nothing to protect your gear.
Picking out a surge suppressor can be confusing. But I can help you sort out the confusion.
First, look at the suppressed voltage rating. This is the maximum voltage that the suppressor will allow through. Lower numbers are better – I'd go for one that's rated at 330v.
Energy dissipation is also important. This is how much power the suppressor can absorb. Here, higher numbers are better. Don't settle for less than 800 joules.
Find one that has connections for your cable line and/or phone line as well.
As I said, surge protectors offer only limited protection against power spikes. For a better protection, buy an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
In the event of a power outage, a UPS will let you power down safely. You'll have the opportunity to save your work. This does not mean you can continue to work when the power goes out.
A UPS contains a battery that is charged from a wall outlet. You can connect your computer, monitor and inkjet printer to the UPS. Do not attach a laser printer. Laser printers draw too much power.
A UPS cleans the power, so it’s optimized. This is important, because power fluctuations can corrupt data. Many people only think of protecting gear from surges or spikes. But other fluctuations, like voltage sags, can be equally damaging.
You'll need to make sure the UPS's power rating is right for your equipment. Buy one that is rated too low, and you may run out of power before you can shut down the computer.
UPS devices are generally designed to provide 10 minutes of power. If the power rating is too low for your computer, this time decreases.
Look at the VA rating — this is amps multiplied by voltage (120v). The amp rating is listed on your computer. Add up the VA ratings of everything you will connect to the UPS. Purchase a UPS with a VA rating 20 to 25 % higher than the total.
There are different kinds of UPS devices. An online UPS always draws power from the battery. If your power fails, the UPS doesn’t need to switch from one source of power to another. There won't even be a momentary interruption in power. The battery buffer will probably protect you from lightning strikes.
If the battery fails, you'll still receive power. The UPS bypasses the battery and functions like a surge suppressor.
An online UPS is the most expensive kind. It is about twice the price of other types of UPS devices. Expect to pay $150 or more for an online UPS. As the VA rating increases, so does the price.
A line interactive UPS is less expensive. When the power fails, it switches your computer to a battery. You will have a momentary power failure. This can cause you to lose data.
No matter what you purchase, watch out for lightning. Otherwise, you'll be reading my tip on recycling computers. There is only one surefire solution to safeguard your computer against lightning.
You should also make sure you have a good backup solution for your data.
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