Do you have your PC, television, or other expensive electronics
plugged directly into a power outlet? You shouldn’t. You should plug
your gadgets into a surge protector, which isn’t necessarily the same
thing as a power strip.
Sure, we all might forget about surge protection because everything
seems to be going fine, but it only takes one power surge or spike and
your expensive electronics could become useless.
Power Surges and Spikes
Electrical
sockets are supposed to provide a consistent voltage of electricity,
and devices you plug into your power outlets depend on this. In some
cases, a power spike can occur when the voltage suddenly increases. This
can often be caused by lightning strikes, power outages, or
malfunctions in the grid the power company is responsible for. A spike
is a short increase in voltage, while a surge is one that lasts more
than a few seconds. Surges are usually caused by problems with the
electrical grid.
Whatever the cause, a sudden increase in current can damage
electronics that are drawing power from the surging or spiking outlet.
It could even render them completely inoperable, the increase in current
having damaged them beyond repair.
How Surge Protectors Help
Standard electrical outlets don’t have any protection against power
surges and spikes. Surge protectors are generally made and sold in the
form of power strips, although you can also buy single-outlet surge
protectors that sit against the socket and provide a single, protected
outlet. You can also pick up travel surge protectors, which are small,
offer fewer outlets, and will fit in a laptop bag.
Surge protectors use a variety of different methods to do this, but
they generally boil down to a system that diverts energy over the safe
threshold to a protective component in the surge protector itself. The
surge protector ensures that only the normal, safe amount of electricity
passes through to your devices.
Power Strips Aren’t Necessarily Surge Protectors
Some people are confused about this and call every power bar a “surge
protector,” but this isn’t true. The cheapest power strips are often
not surge protectors and only provide additional power outlets for you.
When using a power strip for your expensive electronics, be sure its
specifications say it has a surge protector. Below, you’ll see a type of
power bar that probably isn’t a surge protector.
You should also consider sticking with a surge protector from a
reputable company. The cheapest surge protector from an obscure
manufacturer may not provide much protection when it’s actually needed.
Reputable surge protectors will also offer warranties, promising to
replace any electronics connected to the surge protector if a surge
occurs and they become damaged. Look for this before you buy a surge
protector.
How Often Do You Need to Replace a Surge Protector?
Surge protectors don’t last forever. The components they use to
divert energy can wear down as a result of power surges. This means that
your surge protector’s life depends on how frequently power surges
occur in your area. A surge protector can only absorb a limited amount
of additional power.
Some surge protectors have lights that go off (or on) to let you know
when they can no longer provide any protection, while some of the more
expensive surge protectors may even have an audible alarm that goes off
to let you know of this. Keep an eye on your surge protector and replace
it when the surge protector asks you to.
Surge protectors are easy to forget about when everything seems to be
going fine, and they would be completely useless in a perfect world
where the electrical system never malfunctioned. However, surge
protectors are a fairly inexpensive and important way of protecting your
expensive gadgets. You probably want a power strip for your gadgets,
anyway — so you might as well get a surge protector that provides one.
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