What’s next?

[cactusrat]

This past week sure has been a whooper.

Last Friday a thunder storm fried my computer. Bought a new one Saturday. Spent all day Sunday getting it up and running.

Went to work Monday and heard about hurricane Hermine coming this way. Tuesday mourning watched 70 mph winds blow rain side ways. Lost power at 8am and it just came back on (Wednesday 5pm).

Now I’m shutting down the computer because a thunder storm is getting ready to hit.

[454 Big Block Chevy]

as an IT specialist... ok i fix network equipment... i will give you invaluble advice. 

cheap surge protectors... aka power strips, are worthless.... if you want true protection, buy an uninteruptable power supply... UPS. 

the best typically available brand, is APC.  a small APC has battery backup, for about 10 minutes after a power outage, to allow you to shut off your pc, and it has TRUE surge protection, against lightning bolts and such.  they also warrenty against damages up to 1500 bucks or something.  and they typically cost about 35-50 bucks for a APC500 model.  i always run UPS, and have had several direct hits with lightning, and have never had a problem.  all my expensive electronics are on ups.  give them a try!!! and they are also power strips.

any questions, ask!!!

454

[cactusrat]

as an IT specialist... ok i fix network equipment... i will give you invaluble advice. 

cheap surge protectors... aka power strips, are worthless.... if you want true protection, buy an uninteruptable power supply... UPS. 

the best typically available brand, is APC.  a small APC has battery backup, for about 10 minutes after a power outage, to allow you to shut off your pc, and it has TRUE surge protection, against lightning bolts and such.  they also warrenty against damages up to 1500 bucks or something.  and they typically cost about 35-50 bucks for a APC500 model.  i always run UPS, and have had several direct hits with lightning, and have never had a problem.  all my expensive electronics are on ups.  give them a try!!! and they are also power strips.

any questions, ask!!!

454

Had a battery backup once. Couldn’t find a battery for it (at least not at Wal Mart).

Cheap power strip is what did me in.

You would think that after the first computer got fried a couple of years ago by lighting, I would have learned a lesson.

Maybe after the third time I will learn.

[a1Bogey]

C Rat, regret that you have had to fight the elements.  I spend time in Florida, the Lightning Strike capital of the world, so I share your frustatration of having electronics toasted by lightning.

Regarding the use of surge protectors.  If cheap ones are not effective,  then is there such a thing as an expensive one that do provide some measure of protection?

And as far as a U P S, where can they be found on a retail level or Inter-net??  And why are they more effective at controlling power surges.

And a side note,   Lightning struck a tree about 25 feet from my son's house recently.  The bolt shattered the tree from top to bottom.  Sent pieces of bark and other debris flying in all directions with enough force to blast through the siding on the house.  A rake that had been resting against the tree had every tine blown off.   I suggested that he may want to consider cutting some of the trees around the house down.   This is the forth house on the same spot where 3 others burned to the ground after being struck by lightning. 


Bogey

[cactusrat]

C Rat, regret that you have had to fight the elements.  I spend time in Florida, the Lightning Strike capital of the world, so I share your frustatration of having electronics toasted by lightning.

Regarding the use of surge protectors.  If cheap ones are not effective,  then is there such a thing as an expensive one that do provide some measure of protection?

And as far as a U P S, where can they be found on a retail level or Inter-net??  And why are they more effective at controlling power surges.

And a side note,   Lightning struck a tree about 25 feet from my son's house recently.  The bolt shattered the tree from top to bottom.  Sent pieces of bark and other debris flying in all directions with enough force to blast through the siding on the house.  A rake that had been resting against the tree had every tine blown off.   I suggested that he may want to consider cutting some of the trees around the house down.   This is the forth house on the same spot where 3 others burned to the ground after being struck by lightning. 


Bogey

And I have always heard lighting doesn’t strike the same place twice.

My mother use to tell me about one of her uncles kept building his tin barn back on top of the same hill after lighting would burn down the previous ones.  Can’t remember how many he rebuilt.

[Jonesin]

454, I work in a N.O.C. and I couldn't agree more. A UPS or a GOOD power strip will save money in the long run even if they seem expensive up front. I have APC surges throughout my house and an APC UPS on my desktops. My laptop is plugged into a decent APC surge but run to unplug at the first sign of a storm. I have never had an issue since I bought all APC equipment.

[Mug08]

Bogey - try TigerDirect for internet sales. They have LOTS of PC stuff, usually a pretty good selection. I get most of my stuff there nowadays


       Mark

[Cptjbud]

While it's been a while since I had dial up, I lost a comp from a surge through the phone (modem) line - and then realized they had power strip surge protectors with phone jacks to solve that problem.  Could the same happen through the broadband cable?  How to avoid?

[bart the fart]

any tech stuff i like techforless .com  i buy lots of stuff there cheers