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Electrical power problems come in multiple forms. Blackouts, brownouts,
spikes, sages, surges, electrical noise, lightning. A good UPS system
seamlessly protects equipment from all of these. A cheap surge suppressor
does not.
1. Electrical Noise. Symptoms of electrical noise problems include:
clobbered files on hard drives (an early symptom); damaged hard drives
(eventual symptom); monitor display oddities. Laptops are especially prone
to serious damage cause by recharging or using them while plugged into dirty
power at airports, hotels and similar places. Electrical noise is
insidious.
Caused by even innocuous electrical items plugged into the same circuits as
a PC - hand held paper tape calculators; space heaters; fans;
air-conditioning fans and compressors; kitchen appliances; any device with
an electrical motor.
Even a good UPS system will wear out prematurely if there is frequent or
constant electrical noise present.
Best solution is to have an isolated 20 amp circuit installed back to your
breaker box. Its also a good solution for any really expensive stereo
equipment, video/media centers, etc. And never, ever plug anything but the
computer stuff itself, into the computer's receptacles and circuit(s).
For laptops when traveling, there are some surge suppressors than can also
cut out some of the electrical noise.
2. Lightning. Well, if a strike is close enough, nothing can help except
home insurance to replace the computer, etc. But lightning strikes as far
as 20+ miles away can cause spikes all the way into your home or office -
over electrical circuits, and also over telecom cables and telephone lines.
Not sure about cable TV cables, but probably on those as well.
If bad, symptoms are smoke, fire, toasted electrical devices including
computers. If minor, same as electrical noise, surges and spikes.
Solution - good surge suppressors - costing $20+ each - the best ones cost
considerably more. Performance difference include how fast the suppressor
works, and how large a charge it can withstand. You should protect any/all
expensive electrical devices with these. Most good UPS systems have this
protection.
3. Surges, spikes. Usually caused by lightning, but also by electrical
devices and fluctuations from the electrical power companies.
Symptoms - same as for electrical noise, but often more sudden and
noticeable.
Solution - good surge suppressors - costing $20+. Or a good UPS system
having this protection. An isolated circuit can help because it eliminates
surges and spikes caused by other equipment.
4. Sags, brownouts, blackouts. Causes range from electrical cable cuts to
lightning strikes to storms and wind damage to power company problems.
Symptoms for sags are the same as for electrical noise. Symptoms for
blackouts and brownouts are obvious, but those can also damage electrical
devices.
Solution - UPS system; battery, fuel cells or similar power sources.
- - -
There are two other problems that can cause effects similar to the above,
plus additional symptoms.
1. Static electricity. Normally present only in dry, low humidity, warm
environments. But can be generated by chemical cleaners, rubbing certain
surface materials, etc. Can enter PCs from keyboards, mice, anything
touched. Usually destroys memory first, but can also destroy processors and
add-on cards such as video cards.
2. Heat. This is a growing issue for many PCs and it has become a serious
PC constraint. Overheating can cause very strange processor behaviors, that
are literally random. More commonly it causes premature failures of hard
drives (especially 10k rpm drives); video cards; processors; memory. This
can be a very insidious problem to find and especially to correct.
- - -
So, what UPS? Well, I have an APC brand "Smart UPS" that list priced for
something like $1500.
UPS systems are often discounted, so shop around - this one was at least 30%
off plus got a significant trade in allowance on the prior system. Price of
different models varies mostly by the quality e.g., (how many recharging
cycles in their lives?) and quantity of batteries (mostly determines how
long your PC and other devices can operate on the UPS power), but also by
effectiveness of surge/noise protections included, speed of reaction and
cutover.
This particular model provides my loaded, power hungry PC at least 20
minutes of seamless protection. Has saved me several times this year alone.
Minor item - do NOT connect a laser printer or copier to a UPS system - have
forgotten the reason(s) but UPS providers warn you to not connect those.
All batteries in UPS systems, eventually wear out. Three to four years seems
to be the top end. Batteries are easily replaced in many UPS systems. But
batteries are the main cost component, so it may sometimes be cheaper to buy
a whole new UPS system, than replacement batteries.
Vince Heiker
Flower Mound, Texas
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