Protecting Appliances And Electronics

Some of the more common electronics and appliances that may be sensitive to electric variations include:

Personal computers Home security systems Cordless phones and answering machines TVs, VCRs and DVDs Stereo equipment Microwave oven clocks Garage door openers Satellite receivers Home energy management systems Fax machines Clocks Any device that needs constant, uninterrupted power

Plan Ahead

• When buying appliances that depend on an internal clock or timer (like an answering machine or bedside alarm clock), buy one with a battery backup. Mark your calendar to replace the battery on a yearly basis.
• Protect personal computers from loss of information by backing up files periodically.
• Minimize interference from motors and other large loads by placing sensitive equipment on separate circuits.
• Properly ground all equipment you want to protect.

Install Protection Devices
There are several devices available that may help alleviate the effect of power variations on your electric appliances.

• Surge Suppressors
  The simplest and least expensive solution, suppressors limit the size of voltage spikes to a level safe for most electronic devices. In addition, they are easily installed between the equipment and the wall outlet. However, they will not protect your equipment from low/high voltage or outages. Find out how to choose the right surge suppressor.
• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
  This device supplies power to the equipment it is protecting for short periods of time during an interruption. The length of time that uninterrupted power is maintained depends upon the size of the battery in the UPS and the size of the load being supplied.

How to Choose the Right Surge Suppressor

• If you have a computer with a modem, choose a surge protection device that protects both the modem and computer. Not all electronic equipment needs a surge protection device. Printers don't need this protection; in fact, printers are often the source of power disturbances, especially laser printers.
• Make sure the suppressor is Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) listed for compliance with its #1449 standard.
• Choose the appropriate voltage rating for the equipment you want to protect. Only four listed voltage levels (330, 400, 500, and 600) are applicable to 120-volt plug-in models. In general, the lower the rating, the better the protection and the higher the price.
• The surge protector must have three modes of protection: line to neutral, line to ground and neutral to ground.
• A whole-house surge protection may be purchased and installed on the circuit panel. While this device provides good protection against lightning strikes, it should not be used in place of smaller surge suppression devices at the outlets. Most spikes occur inside the house, already past the whole-house protection device. The best protection is a combination of both the whole-house protection and the protection at the outlet.

Note: A surge protection device will burn out over time depending on the severity and number of voltage spikes it must protect against. Top-of-the-line surge protection models include devices such as "chokes" to further reduce impulses and noise. These models cost more but last longer.