Power Protection - accessories for protecting electric equipment from power outage damage - Brief Article

The dicey availability of power in parts of the West this summer means it's more important than ever to protect your expensive computing and consumer electronics equipment from damage or loss of data due to power surges, spikes, and outages. Here's how you do it.

Surge protectors

The most basic kind of power protection is a surge protector, also known as a surge suppressor. Typically, it's a power strip that plugs into a wall outlet to absorb any power surge before it reaches your computer.

Priced at less than $50 at many computer and office supply stores, quality surge protectors are cheap insurance. For example, the APC 7 Outlet Personal SurgeArrest Surge Protector ($44.99 at www.staples.com) protects its seven plug-in outlets from lightning, spikes, and surges, and also safeguards a fax/modem. It includes a $2,500 limited lifetime equipment insurance policy that applies if your equipment gets fried while the protector is on the job.

Remember, surge protectors aren't just for computers. A thunderstorm, outage, or other power event can also damage your home theater, microwave oven, refrigerator, or satellite dish.

Uninterruptible power supplies

What a surge protector won't protect is anything open and unsaved on your screen. A UPS switches from external power to its internal battery in the event of an outage. Depending on the wattage of the equipment you're running, a UPS will run for 15 to 30 minutes, allowing you to save your work and safely power down your equipment.

Advanced Battery Systems (www.absbattery.com or 800/464-4796), which offers many kinds of rechargeable batteries, also sells the Tripp Lite Internet Office 500 ($129.95). This UPS protects six outlets and offers up to 30 minutes of backup time on its battery.

Similarly, APC (American Power Conversion) offers the Back-UPS Pro USB 500 ($179.99; www.apc.com), which protects seven outlets. It runs for around 20 minutes.

A UPS is not a panacea. Most home-office UPS units can't handle a laser printer, since these draw a large amount of power. Still, giving you the chance to save your files and gracefully shut down your PC or Mac is a big plus.

Gasoline generators

The way to keep a minimum amount of power on during emergencies is to use a portable generator. Honda's EU1000iA2 (1.8 hp, 1,000 watts maximum, 3.8 hours run time; $790) and EU2000i (3.5 hp, 2,000 watts maximum, 4 hours run time; $1,079) are considered quiet and computer-friendly. They're also quite portable, at 30 pounds for the EU1000iA2 and 46.3 pounds for the EU2000i.

But here too, it's not a perfect solution: A refrigerator requires 2,200 starting watts (more than either of these Honda models can handle); even a coffeemaker takes 1,750 watts. To safely power household equipment and avoid "back feed" of power, you'll need to have an electrician wire a transfer switch (also, the generator cannot be placed indoors, as there is a danger of carbon monoxide poisoning). Finally, carrying and storing the gasoline needed presents its own logistics and possible safety problems.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group