Protecting your appliances and equipment

No-cost/low-cost solutions

Put equipment in a safe place:

If possible, plug sensitive electronic equipment into power outlets as far as possible from your main breaker panel or fuse box. This will lessen the risk from possible lightning damage.
Never plug your computer or other sensitive equipment into the same circuit as a major motor-driven appliance such as a furnace, photocopier, chiller, freezer, dishwasher, ventilator, air conditioner or refrigerator.
Keep the computer power cord safely secured and out of the way so it won't be accidentally unplugged.

Unplug equipment:

If possible, unplug any sensitive electronic equipment when it won't be used for an extended period of time, or when a severe thunderstorm is approaching.

Protect your data:

When working on your computer, protect your newly entered data by saving it periodically to permanent memory on your hard or floppy disk, especially during bad weather. Some software applications will save your new data automatically, at intervals you specify (for example, every 10 minutes). The more often you save your new data, the less you'll lose if there is a temporary power loss.

Moderate-cost solutions

Use equipment protectors:

Keep in mind that few of the remedial devices available today can eliminate all power line disturbances.
Inexpensive single wall outlet protectors may protect your equipment against some disturbances in the home or office. For example, a transient voltage suppressor - sometimes called a surge protector - may protect against potential damage caused by overvoltage, up to the design limits of the device. They'll protect against disturbances mainly caused by switching motors - photocopiers, air conditioners, washing machines, etc. - on or off. However, they don't provide complete protection against high-energy overvoltages such as those caused by lightning.
When choosing a transient voltage suppressor, ensure the product has three protection modes - line-line, line-neutral and neutral ground. Remember that a transient voltage suppressor is different from a power bar, which is simply an extension cord with a breaker - a power bar offers no protection to sensitive equipment.
Beware of misleading terms - a transient voltage suppressor is not a power conditioner.
If you have a home office, a small uninterruptible power supply (UPS) costing $100-$200 provides battery power during a power interruption, enabling you to save your data and shut down your computer. Some UPS units offer additional types of protection. Check with office supply stores regarding the features offered by different units.

Check the wiring of your building:

Proper grounding and/or dedicated circuits will assist in protecting equipment against some power disturbances, but not against power interruptions.

Expensive solutions

There are two basic solutions - power conditioners and uninterruptible power supplies - that can protect critical devices such as computers or electronic equipment. Your cost will likely be a few thousand dollars:

A power conditioner provides electrical isolation, voltage regulation and some electrical noise suppression to protect sensitive electronics. However, power conditioners can't protect against momentary power interruptions - for that, you need a UPS device.
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) supplies battery power during power interruptions until you have time to save your data and shut down equipment. If you decide to buy a UPS device, inquire about the types of protection provided to the UPS itself, as well as to your sensitive equipment.

Built-in appliance protection

Some appliances and computers have built-in back-up systems that prevent program disruption when power is lost briefly. When you're shopping for an appliance or a computer, look for equipment with a back-up system that will remember clock and memory settings when power is interrupted, such as a digital clock with a battery. Also, when possible, purchase electronic equipment with built-in protective devices.

Disclaimer - While every effort was made to provide accurate and complete information on power quality, SaskPower does not guarantee results. We are not liable for any loss, costs, damage or injury whatsoever, resulting from the use of this material.