Power Surge Protection

Alex53

Alex53

Alex53

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Gibraltar
We get regular power cuts in my area and I have already lost some PC hardware (and several light bulbs) due to the power surges associated to these power cuts.

The idea of a UPS for each of my computers, or a bigger UPS to cater for both computers (and subsequent wiring in order to connect both computers to it) is not very appealing, mainly because I dont have much space. Both my computers (one desktop PC and one HTPC) are in the living room, with not much available space.

Also with a UPS I am paying for something I dont really want, being able to run on battery. All I want is surge protection so the power cuts stop damaging my hardware.

The socket extensions lebelled 'surge protection' seem to be a joke. They have not made a difference.

What options do I have? Maybe if I could have a UPS in a different room, just connected to the sockets ring main, it would be an idea, but then that means I connect everything else in the house to the UPS which might not be a great idea. The other thing is I dont want to spend loads of money rewiring the electricity in my current house as I am likely to sell it this year or the next.
 
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Alex53 said:
We get regular power cuts in my area and I have already lost some PC hardware (and several light bulbs) due to the power surges associated to these power cuts.

The idea of a UPS for each of my computers, or a bigger UPS to cater for both computers (and subsequent wiring in order to connect both computers to it) is not very appealing, mainly because I dont have much space. Both my computers (one desktop PC and one HTPC) are in the living room, with not much available space.

Also with a UPS I am paying for something I dont really want, being able to run on battery. All I want is surge protection so the power cuts stop damaging my hardware.

The socket extensions lebelled 'surge protection' seem to be a joke. They have not made a difference.

What options do I have? Maybe if I could have a UPS in a different room, just connected to the sockets ring main, it would be an idea, but then that means I connect everything else in the house to the UPS which might not be a great idea. The other thing is I dont want to spend loads of money rewiring the electricity in my current house as I am likely to sell it this year or the next.
Click to expand...

The Belkin surge protected socket extension board I got a few years ago now came with a label that said hardware damaged despite of it is insured upto 100,000 pounds? Maybe i'm mistaken about it, (have long since thrown away the label away and never needed to claim anything) but i'm pretty sure it said that. If you used that, possible to claim some money back from them?

Otherwise, not many ideas here i'm afraid. It was a big problem when I was in India so just used UPS' while there. Had to do one for each computer. If you want it in another room and don't want internal wiring, it'l look ugly but just a really long extension wire? or even one of those boards. Since the board is in the UPS, it shouldn't lose power at any point.

Edit - found a link. Belkin does insure.

http://www.belkin.com/uk/powersolutions/products/
 
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I was maybe lucky in the fact that old UPSs tended to fall in my lap so to speak, but the piece of mind granted by one has made me a happy bunny since using them.

The worst for the PC components is a brown out. When lights flicker & dim. Even if the caps in the PSU tide the PC over, I found the PSU then ate HDDs when PC was off but not off at the wall. :(

An investment in a nice APC would save hardware costs IMHO.
They are not that big under a desk or whatever. Into ring mains is a completely different kettle of fish tho. (not viable)

If power is very flakey, Id go with a UPS. The UPS leads can be as long as you want really.
So whilst you may not be that up for the idea, it sounds like it would save you pennies overall.
(Ive used a home brand Belkin once. Just don't. It gets used for hifi equipment in forests now ^^)
 
I would recommend a UPS as that is the only real option and as for powerboards my phillips one has been fine for over 6months and ive had about 2 powercuts so....Did you use a good quality powerboard or a cheap one? if the latter there is your problem....
 
I think you guys are right. Those APC UPSs arent looking too big. I like the flat format that makes them look like one big extension for 8 sockets. I think I might aswell buy that as they cost the same as yet another broken hard disk
 
Alex53 said:
The idea of a UPS for each of my computers, or a bigger UPS to cater for both computers (and subsequent wiring in order to connect both computers to it) is not very appealing, mainly because I dont have much space. Both my computers (one desktop PC and one HTPC) are in the living room, with not much available space.
Click to expand...
A typical UPS connects the computer directly to AC mains when not in battery backup mode.

Then view the numeric specs. Destructive surges are typically hundreds of thousands of joules. How big is the UPS protection? 354 joules? So 'near zero' surge protection means everyone can be told it is 100% protection? Yes. That is how a UPS gets promoted.

Surge protection is always installed where wires enter the building. Some examples:
http://www.keison.co.uk/furse/furse06.htm
http://www.keison.co.uk/furse/pdf/mains_supplies/m2_m4.pdf

Protectors that actually do surge protection because it is how protection worked even 100 years ago. A solution that protects everything from computers, to dishwasher, to RCD, and even fire alarms. The effective solution also costs the least - about £1 per protected appliance.

BT does this because only effective protectors connect within meters to earth. BT's computers, connected to overhead wires all over town, do not suffer damage from about 100 surges. Because the protector is within meters of single point ground. AND because the protector is up to 50 meters always from electronics. Protection increases because the protector is separated from electronics.

Where is the manufacture spec numbers on that UPS that claims protection from each type of surge. Even its joules are near zero protection. And just enough above zero so that most will declare it 100% surge protection.
 
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