Power Protection I: Do you use Surge Protectors? September 28, 2007

There is an article on Yahoo! Tech talking about how to protect your computer from getting zapped. One solution suggested was to use surge protectors.

But what are these surge protectors? What do they do and how? Why is it important? I use a $10 surge protector at home. What am I guaranteed? What am I not guaranteed? What is its difference from a $50 and above surge protector?

I believe there are many people out there who use surge protectors without knowing how they function. (Like me :p) This is actually a serious issue, because we can get lulled into the impression that we are protecting our equipments when in fact, we are not.

*A little digging on the Internet*

1. HP says 63% of electrical casualties are caused by power problems.
2. PCGuide indicates that 45% of computer data loss is caused by power failures and surges.
3. Modern electronics are more sensitive to power fluctuations due to smaller and more delicate components.
4. Surge protectors use metal oxide varistor (MOV) to divert and absorb excessive power.
5. MOVs become vulnerable after absorbing large amounts of energy.
6. Degraded MOVs can potentially cause fire hazards.

Common surge protectors that are available in the marketplace (in stores such as Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-mart etc.) are Transient Voltage Surge Suppression (TVSS) devices, using metal oxide varistors (MOV) to divert and absorb extra energy during surges and spikes.

A decent surge protector should at least be tested and licensed under the UL1449, the Standard for Transient Voltage Surge Suppressors. Below are 3 ratings that one should note when choosing a surge protector:

Suppressed voltage rating (volts) or clamping voltage indicates the minimum voltage that will cause the MOVs to kick in. Lower clamping voltage means higher protection. Generally, a clamping voltage of more than 400V is considered too high.

Energy absorption and dissipation (joules) indicates the amount of energy a surge protector can absorb before failure. Higher rating means higher protection. A decent surge protector should rate between 200 and 400J. Better surge protectors can rate above 600J.

Response time (seconds) indicates the time it takes a surge protector to kick in during surges. In other words, it tells the time equipments are exposed to high voltage. Smaller rating means higher protection. A good surge protector should respond in less than 1 nanosecond.

It has been a common misconception that surge protectors provide permanent protection. There is, in fact, a limit in the functional capacity of a MOV component. MOVs will wear out after being exposed to a very high voltage surge or sustained small voltage surges. Most of the better surge protectors have lights to indicate if the unit is still functioning. Otherwise, it is recommended to change a new unit regularly.

References:

HP: Power Protect Your Computer
PCGuide: Power
How Stuff Works: Surge Protectors
How Stuff Works: How to choose a Surge Protector
UL: Surge Suppressor Safety Tips
Wikipedia: Surge Protector
Wikipedia: Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV)

Frying Squirrels September 27, 2007

update:

Again, heartbreaking facts…

How did the deer even get up there?

* * *

We’ve all experienced blackouts before. But have you ever wondered what is causing it to happen?

Here’s an interesting perspective: The Georgian squirrel community is responsible for 16,750 power outages in 2006. That was 3 times the number in 2005. Can you believe that?

From the squirrels point of view, they probably are still wondering what’s all happened to their relatives who just kept disappearing. For us at home or in our office – at the point when we experience the blackout – we were probably like “Wt– @#$% I forgot to save!”

Squirrels are cute. Just yesterday on my way to work, I saw a squirrel crossing the road via a power cable. o.O *Oops. I hope none of us had a blackout yesterday afternoon.* Anyways, I was still thinking, “Awww so cute!” Clearly, their cuteness is starting to threaten their own population and our lifestyles.

So..what do we do to:
1) stop squirrels from frying themselves, and
2) protect ourselves from the consequences of blackouts?

Hmm..I suppose we can try to contact the Chief of Squirrels, so that a warning can be issued to all squirrel-zens. “Playing with power lines is strictly prohibited.” or “Danger: Touch me [power lines] at your [squirrels] own risk.”

We already have an idea for (2). That’s why we connect our computers to surge protectors..right? And if we have, we should be free from blackouts, from data loss. Or have we?