OS/2, eCS & ArcaOS - Technical > Applications
Surge protectors, was Re: mmioMP3.dll update
Ben:
--- Quote from: Boris on August 03, 2014, 04:27:42 pm ---
--- Quote from: Ben on August 03, 2014, 03:55:03 pm ---
--- Quote from: Gregg Young on August 02, 2014, 07:57:49 pm ---
--- Quote from: Ben on July 31, 2014, 05:13:57 pm ---
Out of curiosity, where you using a UPS?
--- End quote ---
I am back up. The hard drive survived. I was not using a UPS. It was on a surge suppressor. Thanls
--- End quote ---
Surge Suppressors are a complete waste of money. 100% of the time the surge is through the system with damage done, before the suppressor even kicks in. Essentially they are just expensive extension cords that give the illusion of protection. I deter clients from using them whenever the opportunity presents itself.
--- End quote ---
There are standalone surge protectors. If you are talking about those that are built in power strips, then I agree to you.
--- End quote ---
Sure, but they cost a great deal of money and are oriented towards mid-sized businesses and up, or a highly successful small business... meaning beyond venue of this discussion other than for technical purposes, but true.
Ben:
--- Quote from: Doug Bissett on August 03, 2014, 04:40:45 pm ---
--- Quote ---Surge Suppressors are a complete waste of money. 100% of the time the surge is through the system with damage done, before the suppressor even kicks in.
--- End quote ---
This is not entirely true. Surge suppressors do work, ONCE. The second shot does the damage (and that could be seconds, or months, after the first shot). It is often impossible to tell if a surge has damaged the suppressor, even if somebody does look at the indicator (if there is one).
What does more damage is when the power goes off, then comes back on (two, or three, times), before the system completely turns off. UPS is the answer to that problem. They also give you an opportunity to save work, and, with the proper supporting software, and settings, they will shut down the system properly (not saving work), before they run out of power.
--- End quote ---
I have heard that one many times... always the last cry of he-who-buys-into-the-marketing.
Like I said, I have spent many hours talking to clients who want to scrimp on their protection. Always they regret it; it is a matter of "when", not a matter of "if".
Ben:
--- Quote from: Ian Manners on August 03, 2014, 08:51:50 pm ---I have proper surge suppressors (If they blow, they change color) installed in my front power distribution board along with earth leakage current trip relays.
I also use lightning tubes on the phone line, I will know when they have been used and failed, because I wont be typing this ;-)
If I get hit by a direct lighting strike its all toast anyway, just in varying degrees of toasted but that's why we have backups.
You do what you do to minimise the damage, and as with all insurance you trade off between cost, effectiveness and risk.
Inside the house I only use filtering to remove noise and spikes (fridge, washing machine, vacuum etc).
I have seen surge suppressor power boards that are 'ok' but these have not been the norm. You really have to open them up and know what you are looking for so it's a bit of a lottery. I've also seen ones with a thinner earth lead compared to active and neutral lines... sigh.
I gave up on UPS's, power failures are rare here now, and the UPS normally fry's itself before its really needed.
--- End quote ---
Wow.
That's a different quintal of fish all together. There is no danger of anything like that going on in Canada and lightning tubes are unheard of.
Sounds to me like what you really need down there is a mechanism to bottle all of that power! 8)
Doug Bissett:
--- Quote ---I have heard that one many times... always the last cry of he-who-buys-into-the-marketing.
--- End quote ---
Marketing has nothing to do with it. I have seen the results, many times, as a hardware service specialist with IBM. "Power bumps", as they are known, cause more problems for hardware, than anything other than heat. An UPS rides through those things, preventing damage.
Lightening, on the other hand, will also damage an UPS, if it gets past the most basic lightening stopper. What is that, you ask? Well, remember that lightening cannot go around sharp corners. The lines, where they enter the house (assuming overhead feed), always have what they call a "drip loop". Electrical workers are told that that is to prevent rain from following the wires into the house (it seems that most people just refuse to believe that lightening cannot go around sharp corners). It is, in fact, a rudimentary attempt to stop lightening from entering the house. Sometimes, it might work, but usually the loop is not tight enough to be effective. It probably works to keep water out too. One of the most effective ways to stop lightening, is to simply tie a knot in the power cords (preferably the one that feeds the surge protector). I learned this from a power specialist in Atlanta Georgia USA, where they get some wicked lightening storms.
Ben:
Well...
OS/2 World Forum just ate two attempts at a reply to this.
Ah well, enough time wasted. No more, no more!
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