UPS/Surge Board Protection

[wideangle]

It was one of those things I always said I would get, but never quite got around to. A UPS/Surge Protection Board. I reckon it's a nice way to minimise the risk of loss when working on photographs and the power dips, goes off, or worse a storm surge. I just did a test on my notebook with the battery out of it and it works, gives about 15 minutes battery backup from the UPS, enough time to shut the system down before data loss. The model I got also has software which will auto shut the system down for you, so if you are away and the power goes off then things the OS will auto-shutdown. Although a little more than an average surge board, I reckon they are well worth the consideration

[Miaow]

i really should get one - YEARS ago i had a house fuse go where the power browned out - by the time i tired to trun it off i got errors everywhere - then power to the house died - once electic co had fixed the house I booted up comp and of course all files on HD were screwed bad - at that time i didnt know much and had to take it back to the shop to reformat etc

[oldfart]

http://nps.com.au/media/products/3105-UPS.pdf

Cheap, idiot proof protection for your computer.

[bigdazzler]

Ive got a 12 outlet board with a coax output as well .. got all my computer gear and my home entertainment running out of it as well as my foxtel out of the coax jack ... cost me about $250 I think .. my power supply is crap and blinks at the slightest sign of bad weather so well worth it for me :th3:

[Kym]

Key issues for surge protectors...

Look for:
Clamping voltage. This tells you what voltage will cause the MOVs to conduct electricity to the ground line. A lower clamping voltage indicates better protection. There are three levels of protection in the UL rating -- 330 V, 400 V and 500 V. Generally, a clamping voltage more than 400V is too high.
Energy absorption/dissipation. This rating, given in joules, tells you how much energy the surge protector can absorb before it fails. A higher number indicates greater protection. Look for a protector that is at least rated at 500 joules. For better protection, look for a rating of 1500 joules or more.
Response time. Surge protectors don't kick in immediately; there is a very slight delay as they respond to the power surge. A longer response time tells you that your computer (or other equipment) will be exposed to the surge for a greater amount of time. Look for a surge protector that responds in less than one nanosecond.


The difference between cheap ones and good ones is the response time. Look at the detailed spec for the board.

Eg:
http://ezyelectronics.com.au/belkin-gold-series-8-way-2m-cord-plus-tel-plus-av-plus-unlimited-warranty