What should I look for when buying power protection?

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This question was answered on July 24, 2000. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

Most computer users don’t spend much time or money on power protection because it isn’t stressed enough by most computer vendors. Expecting a $7 “surge protector” (which is generally nothing more than a power strip with a circuit breaker) to protect your $2000 investment is not wise.

When it comes to “surge” protection, here are a few things to look for:

- UL 1449 Compliance rated at 330Volts

- A “Joule” rating of at least 200 (the higher, the better).

- A response time of under 5 nanoseconds (the lower, the better).

- Some companies publish the “IEEE Let-through Voltage” (the lower, the better).

- Phone line protection

In the January issue of Consumer Reports, a real world test of surge protectors was conducted. Three units that came highly recommended by the report were:

<a href="http://www.tripplite.com">Tripp Lite’s Isotel 6 Ultra, $70 </a>

<a href="http://www.apc.com">APC’s SurgeStation Pro 8T2, $50 </a>

<a href="http://www.apc.com">APC’s SurgeArrest Pro 7T, $35 </a>

“Surge” protection actually addresses only half of the problem when it comes to power. Lack of power (a.k.a. “power sags” or “brownouts”) should be as much of a concern as “surges”. Lack of power will not damage your computer’s components but it can corrupt data as you are working. Anyone that has had a document or spreadsheet suddenly become corrupted or inaccessible may have been the victim of a “sag” in power. Remembering that computers deal in 0’s and 1’s, lack of power can cause a “0” to become a “1” and vice versa.

The best thing that any desktop computer user can employ for power protection is a “battery back-up” system that incorporates protection for both surges and sags. (Laptop users, essentially have a battery back-up system because of the internal battery). In addition, it can allow your computer to continue to run for a period of time (5 to 10 minutes) in the event of a power outage. Most, also have a software option for properly shutting down the computer system and all open files in your absence. If you like to run your computer around the clock, this combination makes the most sense. Basic battery back-up units generally sell for under $100. If you decide to use a battery back-up unit, don’t plug your printer, scanner or any non-essential devices into it as this will shorten the length of time that your battery unit will provide power in the event of a blackout.

Here in Arizona, the monsoon season often brings dangerous electrical storms that can cause damage to our precious equipment. When you see a big storm coming, if possible, turn off your computer and unplug it from the electrical outlet. In addition, unplug your phone line from the modem, as well as any connections to DSL or cable modems for complete protection. This routine is the only guaranteed method of absolute protection from violent electrical storms and it’s FREE!

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