Surge Protector help

nikad said:
The sell them at most computer stores. Easy also carries them.

I have found that trying to find what you need at computers stores in an exercise in futility. You are lucky if they have what you want, and if it works when you get home, even better.

Stick to www.mercadolibre.com.ar so you don't waste your day running around. And you can get your stuff delivered to your house.
 
Hey guys

Low voltage is much more liable to cause damage to your computer then voltage spikes, although neither one is a good thing, and both are common here! Do your lights dim when the AC or heater kicks on - that's a voltage drop and is potentially very damaging.A surge supressor can do nothing to protect against low-voltage conditions.

The best protection against either is a UPS (Uninterruptable power supply or battery back-up). I haven't shopped for one here, but it will provide almost 100% protection from both brown-outs and spikes. UPS's are NOT the same as voltage regulators (stabilizers)

The only warning I should give you about UPS's is do NOT use them to protect laser printers (ink jets are OK) as the wattage requirements of a laser may damage the UPS.
Also, do NOT combine UPS's and surge protectors.

BTW, unplugging your computer during a lightning storm may result in more damage then leaving it plugged in!
A close lightning hit (within 20 or 30 meters or so) will create an EMP that will very possibly burn out any electric component, especially one with windings (like a hard drive motor) UNLESS it is grounded (i.e. plugged in)!
I had this happen when a lightning bolt hit a tree outside my office window and fried several computers that were unplugged, but not the ones that were!

Saludos,

David
 
I'm finally getting myself in gear and planning to get myself something to protect my computer, like I should've done long ago. I'm most tempted to follow CaptDave's advice and get a UPS - but can anyone advise me where to find one?

If anyone can suggest something else that protects from both surges and dips in voltage, I'd love to hear that, too. I'm not an electricity expert and I got a little confused by everything in this post, but I just want to get the thing that will protect my laptop the most.

Thanks so much!
 
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