Surge Protectors and UPS Devices
If a jolt of high voltage gets into your computer’s motherboard, your computer will get fried. That’s why every computer (as well as any other expensive piece of electronic equipment in your home or office) should have a surge protector between its plug and the wall outlet. This device contains electrical components that can, in most circumstances, chop off any sudden spurts of high voltage.
In the worst situations, such as a lightning strike or a serious malfunction in an electrical line, a surge protector sacrifices itself. Its internal parts melt to break the electrical circuit. With luck, this process happens so fast that the electrical surge won’t get into the power supply or beyond.
If you want the highest level of protection from a power outage, consider adding a Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) device to your collection of equipment. This device is essentially a large battery, your computer plugs into the UPS and draws its power from the battery; the UPS plugs into a wall socket, using the electrical current to keep topping off the battery.
If the power goes off briefly or drops below ordinary levels momentarily, you should be able to keep on working without an interruption. In the case of an extended power outage, your computer should be able to use the battery long enough to allow you to save any open files and conduct an orderly shutdown.
Be sure to buy a UPS with a battery large enough to power your computer and its display for a reasonable period, such as 10 or 15 minutes.
In the worst situations, such as a lightning strike or a serious malfunction in an electrical line, a surge protector sacrifices itself. Its internal parts melt to break the electrical circuit. With luck, this process happens so fast that the electrical surge won’t get into the power supply or beyond.
If you want the highest level of protection from a power outage, consider adding a Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) device to your collection of equipment. This device is essentially a large battery, your computer plugs into the UPS and draws its power from the battery; the UPS plugs into a wall socket, using the electrical current to keep topping off the battery.
If the power goes off briefly or drops below ordinary levels momentarily, you should be able to keep on working without an interruption. In the case of an extended power outage, your computer should be able to use the battery long enough to allow you to save any open files and conduct an orderly shutdown.
Be sure to buy a UPS with a battery large enough to power your computer and its display for a reasonable period, such as 10 or 15 minutes.