Did you know that a single power surge can destroy your expensive electronic equipment in a mere microsecond? One microsecond, that’s all, and your computer, printer, fax machine and precious data on the external hard-drive can be gone.
That’s months, maybe even years of information lost, not to mention damaged hardware and the time and cost involved in replacing and repairing everything.
But with everything else we have going on in our day, who has time to worry about power surges?
The solution is actually quite simple. To protect yourself from these silent killers and save yourself the doom and disruption caused by damaged equipment, it is vital you invest in a battery backup system and a surge protection device.
The way these ingenious devices protect you is not as complicated as you’d think. A surge is an excess of electric voltage, and a surge protector diverts that excess electricity away from your valuable equipment, and into a grounding line built into the protector.
Some surge protectors contain an inbuilt fuse which acts as extra protection along with the existing system. The idea is that if there’s a power surge and the diversion system fails, the fuse will burn and cut off the connection, thus saving your computer.
Lightning is surprisingly not the most common cause of surges, although when it does strike, it’s usually more powerful than even the most complex surge protector. If there’s a storm, unplugging electrical equipment is still the safest option.
What is common are power surges caused by faulty wiring, fallen power lines, or faulty equipment from your electricity supplier. High-powered electrical devices such as air conditioners and fridges can also cause surges due to the energy they require for turning on and off. In this age of technology, we use more electricity-dependent devices than ever before, and their electric components are much more sensitive to surges.
Most of these things are out of our control and because of that it’s worth investing in a good quality surge protector. When it comes to power surge protection, what you get is what you pay for, and a basic protector will only provide a basic safeguard compared with top-end, full system protection. The difference can be hundreds of dollars or more, so it’s worth thinking about the value of your business, data and equipment.
A battery backup1 kicks in during a power surge, providing enough power to save work and shut down your computer or device. While it’s not ideal for keeping your device running long term, it can be a huge relief to know you’ve been able to save all your hard work before the power is lost.
Much of the time a battery backup will be included as part of a surge protector, in a device known as a UPS (uninterrupted power supply). A UPS protects from excessive electricity and delivers safe, steady measures of electricity to a device so that all is not lost when the electricity suddenly cuts out.
Damaged power lines
These can be affected by high winds, animals, heavy rain and floods. Car accidents involving electricity poles or wires can also affect power lines, which in turn, affects electricity supply.
Extreme weather
In Australia, this is all too common with heavy rains, devastating fires and occasional cyclones affecting regions all over the country. Lightning is another cause of power surges, but it’s unusual that it directly affects your immediate electricity supply. If it does strike nearby, it’s usually so powerful that not even a surge protector stands a chance of surviving.
Spikes
A short-term increase in voltage is often caused by short circuits, tripped circuit breakers or lightning. This commonly happens at home if the hairdryer or electric heater have drawn too much current and overloaded the system. Occasionally damage to the wiring is caused by animals who chew through wiring or get caught in power boxes.
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