Is putting an air conditioner and my PC's surge protector on the same outlet asking for trouble?

Freejack2

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2000
7,751
8
91
If you're going to put them on the same circuit get a UPS. Odds are every time the AC kicks in it'll give your computer a little brownout. A UPS will compensate for that. The cheap ones kick over to battery power. The expensive ones boost the power up to normal levels.
 

SnailBoy

Member
Aug 13, 2003
25
0
0
This is pretty clever, but if you ask me it's going a bit over-the-top to have a whole AC system for your cooling rig :p
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
81
Originally posted by: SnailBoy
This is pretty clever, but if you ask me it's going a bit over-the-top to have a whole AC system for your cooling rig :p
Well, that wasn't the intent, but the outflow from the A/C does blow right accross the cooling fan intakes... :)
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
81
If this was causing problems for my PC would I notice it when the AC fires up or at anytime?
 

bradruth

Lifer
Aug 9, 2002
13,479
2
81
I have a mini fridge plugged into an adjacent socket (not on the surge protector) and when it turns on my speakers pop. I don't notice anything other than that though.
 

Murphyrulez

Golden Member
Mar 24, 2001
1,890
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If you have a CRT monitor, you should see the surge every time the AC compressor kicks on. The picture will shrink back a bit then come back full with a pop...

Get a UPS get rid of the surge protector. Or better yet run the AC off a different circuit.
 

Ladies Man

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,775
0
76
i have my computer, ac, tv/vcr/dvd/ etc etc etc... all plugged into the same outlet.... so far so good... My lights in my room dim at times when my ac kicks on, but after a second all is well. My computer doesn't seem like it suffers at all.
 

Byte

Platinum Member
Mar 8, 2000
2,877
6
81
It depends on a lot of things, like how good your wiring is. My dad is an EE and made sure ours i awesome. I can have 3 CRTs, 5 3GHz comps, couple Klipsch speakers and the AC doesn't even make a flinch on anything. We can even vacuum there on the same line. I got some cheap $30 UPS just in case though. For $30 it totally worth it to keep your $1k+ comp from blowing up.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Could be. In my old apartment building my 8000 btu used to sometimes short circuit everything or whatever the hell it's called.
 

Lounatik

Golden Member
Oct 10, 1999
1,845
1
0
You are supposed to plug in items that draw high amps(albeit briefly) on a separate circuit . You can cause an AC to not start because it doesnt have enough juice to turn the compressor over. And then you run the risk of blowing the circuit breaker when the AC tries repeatedly to turn on.



Peace



Lounatik