Understanding how computers, and electricity works is important, but even knowing how to protect and save the equipment is more vital. Without knowing how to do this, a person can lose everything in a matter of seconds. A person will learn the approaches that can help them prevent or minimize power disturbances, and also power protection equipment and what it provides.
Since computers require electricity, potentially damaging power disturbances are a natural computer risk. However, two main approaches, combined, can help a person prevent or minimize the damaging consequences of power disturbances. The first measure would be to certify the entire circuit, external electric circuit to which a computer is connected. The second measure is to identify and use external power protection devices; explained later in this paper.
Certifying a circuit prepares a circuit for a computer and its equipment. Certifying a circuit serves to help eliminate potential electrical variances in a circuit. Meaning that the circuit power is more stable, and also assuring the user that equipment will be safe on that specific circuit.
To certify an external circuit, the circuit must first be identified, and then tested. A last step is to identify the number of devices sharing the circuit and to assure that the draw on the circuit is appropriate.
To begin identifying the circuit, locate the exact and complete circuit by looking, and studying the building's electrical wiring diagram, or chart which will show the schematics of the building. Then, trace the entire circuit from the wall socket back to the circuit breaker, or fuse panel. Once a person identifies the circuit, test the circuit by performing safe, simple tests. Warning: never open electrical equipment. Do not attempt to fix the circuit without help.
The first safe test is called a variance test, preformed using a digital multi-meter or DMM. The circuit's variance averages 10% above or below 110 volts, a person should consider contacting an electrician, or using an electrical circuit with less variance.
Use an outlet tester next to determine if the three-wire wall outlet is properly grounded. Since directions are supplied with the outlet tester. An inexpensive device available at most hardware stores, an outlet tester plugs into a wall socket and employs a series of LED lights, light emitting diodes, to indicate the circuits wiring status.
If a person finds problems with a circuit or requires further testing, contact an electrician. Electricity is extremely dangerous, both to people and equipment. Power Protection equipment is the device placed between an external AC (Alternating Current) circuit and a computer to shield the computer from damaging power surges and spikes, and to correct electrical variances of other types, which may occur. It is the job of the power protection device to safeguard connected devices and to condition electricity so it is suitable and safe for a computer.
There are three main types of power protection equipment: surge suppressors, line conditioners, and backup power supplies. Each offers specific and increasing defense against power disturbances.
A surge suppressor is a device that protects electronic equipment from excessive voltage (spikes and power surges) in a power line. The most common surge suppressor uses a metal oxide varistor (MOV) component to move the surge to the neutral and ground lines. However, while an MOV surge suppressor offers protection, it may not safeguard against data loss, especially with networked computers. They also have a limited lifetime, dependant on the heat and the usage.
In addition to surge suppression, a line conditioner filters disturbances from electricity providing clean and stable power to the computer system. A line conditioner functions as a buffer between power and the computer system, which makes this a nice choice for anyone who has fairly large computer networks.
Last but not least the Backup Power Supply. Which provides a computer with the power in the event that an AC circuit fails. There are two main types of backup power supplies. The first known as offline or standby power supply (SPS). The second backup power type is an online UPS or uninterruptible power supply. By far the UPS weights out the positives as far as protection goes, but SPS is nice if a person doesn't want to put a lot of money into protection, but would like something just in case. The transfer time which takes the SPS to switch to backup can be very damaging to a computer system even though its lasts a very short time.
Hopefully now a person has learned a great deal about the different ways to protecting the power supply. A person should have learned the approaches that can help them prevent or minimize power disturbances, and also power protection equipment and what it provides. If any further help is needed please refer to an Internet search on one of the approaches.
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