eorange
♦Insane Asylum Premium Member♦
So last week I was using the computer, and the computer / speakers started going haywire, followed by lots of smoke pouring out from my surge protector. The computer was OK, but my APC surge protector burned up pretty good. This was no dinky cheapo APC unit either (rated at ~3400 joules). We had no huge power surges or any other problems that were apparent.
So here's what I found out from the guy at Best Buy, and later as I googled surge protectors:
A surge protector's capacity is rated in joules, as most of us know. But that is over the LIFETIME of the surge protector.
I had mine for 5 years, and over that time it had absorbed many small surges. Each time that happens, its capacity for absorbing surges goes down. You normally think of it protecting against a giant lightning strike. But it had absorbed enough small surges that its capacity was now zero.
And then it finally died. At that point, surge protectors could just open up and stop providing power, or start burning, which is what mine did. The guy at Best Buy told me you need to replace surge protectors every 2-3 years, which made me skeptical. But as the surge protector absorbs periodic (small) energy surges...some component is apparently abosrbing this energy and wearing down.
So now I am looking at UPSs (good idea anyway), but of course they all come with "surge protection" - will THAT eventually be whittled down to nothing over time?
Looking for thoughts and opinions. Is this an accurate portrayal of surge protectors?
So here's what I found out from the guy at Best Buy, and later as I googled surge protectors:
A surge protector's capacity is rated in joules, as most of us know. But that is over the LIFETIME of the surge protector.
I had mine for 5 years, and over that time it had absorbed many small surges. Each time that happens, its capacity for absorbing surges goes down. You normally think of it protecting against a giant lightning strike. But it had absorbed enough small surges that its capacity was now zero.
And then it finally died. At that point, surge protectors could just open up and stop providing power, or start burning, which is what mine did. The guy at Best Buy told me you need to replace surge protectors every 2-3 years, which made me skeptical. But as the surge protector absorbs periodic (small) energy surges...some component is apparently abosrbing this energy and wearing down.
So now I am looking at UPSs (good idea anyway), but of course they all come with "surge protection" - will THAT eventually be whittled down to nothing over time?
Looking for thoughts and opinions. Is this an accurate portrayal of surge protectors?