surge protector

[Pearman]

What should I look for in a surge protector? What brands would you reccomend? I need something that will prevent my comp from going out during a power outage for a few seconds, just enough for me to turn it off. And 5 or 6 plugs would be very helpful too. Any suggestions?

 

[Lalakai]

there are ways to calculate total power needed to run your entire system. Most people will only look at their cpu and monitor, and calculate how much power is necessary to safely shut down. Generally you're looking at emergency power for at least 5-7 minutes; w/20 minutes a comfortable margin.

Look for a surge protector that not only provides backup power, but also clips off the power surges. Equally damaging but harder to control, are the power fades that drag your system down without accessing the battery backup. Also look at the response time for clipping the peaks; lightening strikes are the worst due to the speed and power that results.

The best system is one that feeds power through the battery then converts is back to AC for your system. The battery acts as a surge and fade protector along with providing instanteous backup. This is the most expensive type.

The large price difference is based on components, and the accompanying insurance. Generally the big price increase is for the added insurance in case your system does get toasted.

hope this helps.

 

[Pearman]

What price range am I looking at for 5 mins of emergency power + power surge clipping? Im worried most about the "clipping", because I usually turn off my comp after I know a storm has hit, so I dont need a whole lot of backup power

 

[Lalakai]

w/o knowing more of your actual system, you could probably get by with a decent unit for $90 (watch WalMart and Kmart for their close-outs and you might score a great one for $50). A name brand (ex: APC) will run you about $120, but check PriceWatch cuz I haven't looked in awhile.

don't forget about those power sags, especially if you live in an area with high populations with power hungry applicances (ie, air con units).

 

[jsbush]

My Smart-UPS 1000 last about an hour


If you look into a back up, a APC Back-UPS pro can be had for about $100 and they are very good. Where I am (in the woods) I get a lot of power spikes and my back-ups 450 has been very good to me offering me a 30min run time. Then I got a better one but I didn't really need it.

 

[Tominator]

Go to APC and there is a banner for an 'Auction.' Find the section 'BackOffice Ups.' These are like new refurbs. Bid no more than $39.99 on the '500.' I've bought 2 of them. One I got for $44 and the other for $38...includeing shipping! They come with the interface cable and PowerChute Plus is downloadable.

This is the best deal I can find for a quality Universal Power Supply, bar none!

Here is the direct link...Back Office 500...hey! And free shipping until Dec 31st!!

 

[Pearman]

whoa, SWEET deal. Thanks, thats a little more in my price range, if you know what I mean! Do you know if when the auction ends in 2 days, if it will ever be back again? Im wondering if its worth holding off until I dont owe my friends any money

 

[Tominator]

After one ends, there is always another. That's why I suggested a $39.99 top bid. If the bidding goes over that amount, just enter it in next time. I won the first one at $39.99 and the second at $34.99.

 

[The Wildcard]

Hmm something about buying a "refurbished" surge protector just doesn't quite settle with me.

 

[Tominator]

One of the reasons I not afraid of APC Refurbs is there service. For instance, I bought a Back Office 250 at WalMart that was in the discount bin. I did not notice that the ground was broken off the electrical connector. I called APC and asked them if it was OK to put a new plug on it from the hardware store. They INSISTED they send me a brand new unit and they paid shipping both ways.

I've found that everyone of their products is as good as you will find and there Customer Service puts anyone else to shame.

If FOR ANY REASON a unit is returned, it cannot be sold as new. I wonder how many people did not know how to plug the battery in? Then returned it.

 

[jamarno]

At the very least look for a protector that meets UL standard 1449 with a rating of 330 volts or less, meaning that the protection kicks in at no more than 330 volts, and that includes several thousand dollars worth of insurance against equipment damage. But keep in mind that when Consumer Reports tested protectors in their Jan. 2000 issue, they found that many UL 1449-rated rotectors worked poorly, including a $60 Belkin, and it's possible to meet this standard with nothing but 3 MOVs wired across the power lines. Look for a protector that also includes a capacitive-inductive (choke) filter, not just an RF filter (just a capacitor wired across a MOV), because a capacitor-choke filter will stop any fast-changing electrical signal, regardless of its voltage. The capacitors short out against such signals while the chokes actually block them.
Look for brands like APC, Triplite, and Panamax, and generally a $40+ protector made by one of those companies will work well.

 

[Pearman]

What if it meets that standard but has a rating of about 400? This refurbished APC is only 35$, so Im looking into it. Do you think its too risky or that its not good enough?

 

[Tominator]

It's not 'volts,' but volt-amps that is important.

The APC auction site should be in the Hot Deals Forum as it is indeed a hot deal!