Many believe that the surge protector for your computer is a normal extension with lots of outlets, usually from 4 or more. That's not it.
In fact, the line filters - a device that is designed to protect your computer against surge and high-frequency noise in the mains 220V. Therefore the question: "Do I need a surge protector for your computer?" You can not hesitate to answer: "Yes, we need."
Article provides three-dimensional, because it was necessary to consider the following points:
Introduction: and without it to understand why this and why that?
The device line filter
In slow voltage drops
Protection against interference
Technical features of the line filter
How to choose a surge protector for your computer?
This need to know!
Information is for laptop owners
Introduction
In the mains electricity supply, even though declared voltage 220 V (220 V), but it is not always such. This voltage can be smoothly or abruptly rise and fall. Smooth increase harmful to computer hardware, especially if it is a large increase. At a voltage of 230-235 volts higher than the network your computer has to "not sweet", this is a bad mode of operation.
Also harmful and smooth decrease the voltage. When the voltage in the electricity grid below 190-200 volts computer equipment is also began to work with the increased load.
Still voltage ramp is not as harmful as abrupt changes of voltage in one direction (increase) and in the other direction (fall).
Speaking the language of electrical engineering, a sudden change in voltage results in computer and other equipment for the emergence of so-called "transient" and Suppose the mains voltage has risen sharply 5-10 volts and then decreased abruptly as 5-10 volts. It would seem, well, that, because the voltage changes very small, only 5-10 volts. But there it was.
The fact that the sharper the voltage changes the greater will be the best of these transients in your computer equipment. These transients can cause already inside your computer surges of 1-2 orders of magnitude greater than the initial voltage drops to 10.5 volts.
Why is this happening? It's kind of inertia, not only in mechanics, and electricians. At the input voltage jumped quite a bit, but in a very short period of time. And the output is already "inside" the computer is "withdrawn" is much more powerful jumps.
By the way, you probably noticed that the trains under 220V electrical outlets say that is not guaranteed safe operation of any equipment, except electric shavers. This is due to the same transition process.
The train no 220 VAC, there is created "artificially". And alternating voltage train varies from + 220V to -220V discontinuously (when the polarity of the alternating voltage with the voltage "+" to "-" changes 50 times per second), as it is not in the house electric network. This may lead to transients in computers and gadgets, are connected to the electrical network of the train car, and can cause damage to the device. On this and warns its railway passengers.
So transients, surges in the 220V harmful to computers, and they have to fight. For this is the surge protector.
The device line filter
The design of the line filter has two "Filter" box. In the first are the so-called varistors - a semiconductor device, the resistance of which depends on the voltage. The higher the voltage at the input, the lower resistance of the varistor.
Suppose in the mains 220V arose a sharp surge up, it became more of 220V. In this case, varistors automatically reduces its own resistance, so they take the part of the "excess" energy, part of the "excess" of electric current, converting this entire "extra" in the heat. This allows you to protect your computer from voltage rise in the electrical network.
The second filter unit is a filter capacitor type; it consists of the so-called capacitors. Capacitors take an excess energy, which is released during surges up and give this energy back when surges down.
Thus, they seem to smooth out surges, making them smaller and more importantly, a lot calmer. Up - slowly down too slowly. It turns out that instead of spikes get smooth "swing" as the waves that are far less harmful to computers.
In slow voltage drops
If the voltage is increased or decreased slowly, this surge protector, as it were, does not notice. He does not smooth and does not filter such slow swings. To do this, the surge protector will not do. There is already need a voltage regulator.
The function of the voltage regulator, usually perform the so-called uninterruptible power supply (UPS). These heavy-duty devices that are sold in stores selling computers, they are really heavy in weight because their composition is a powerful battery, capable enough to maintain long battery at full power 220V power outage 220V.
With increasing external voltage uninterruptible power supply automatically reduces it to an acceptable level. With a very strong increase of the external voltage is automatically disconnected from the network 220 and goes to work on battery power. Similarly UPS "struggling" with decreasing voltage, up to completely turn off. It is desired to increase its level by the energy storage battery.
Line filter could not do it, it is not designed for this purpose. But some surge protectors are able to automatically disconnect from the 220V, if the voltage in the network drops below or rises above a certain threshold. As a rule, upwards - is more than 250 volts, down - below 180 volts. And this, too, is protected computers from damage due to problems with the electric grid 220. Thanks to a surge protector for your computer!
Protection against interference
In addition surges in household electrical network are full of interference. They are impulsive, very sharp and short, with amplitude reaching up to 6000 volts! Such powerful pulses can incapacitate very sensitive chip computers.
And there are not strong, but very high. So high that the interference can have a direct impact on the operation of computer systems. The computer can accept the interference as internal signals can begin to respond to them, leading to hangs, Work Stoppages and other similar failures.
Surge protector successfully fights with transients and high frequency noise, smoothing them and turning in a totally safe for your computer surges.
Technical features of the line filter
Most models of network filters designed for maximum electric current in 10A. With the expectation of him and set the fuse. This is enough to connect a PC and its peripherals. But may be totally inadequate if connected to a surge protector electric iron, microwave, and etc. powerful device.
Could not be connected to a surge protector like. No need to take the line filter as trivial extension.
Why iron to smooth out the voltage drops? From this he will not get better ironed. Or why a vacuum cleaner to protect against high-frequency noise, which he himself creates?!
How to choose a surge protector for your computer?
When you select should pay attention to the following points:
Line filter length of wire,
Power button off with a light bulb,
The number of outlets,
Not to be confused with the conventional extender.
A little bit about the electric wires in the mains filter. The standard length of wire line filters 180 cm, although there are models with wire 3 and 5 meters. Models with long cables are more practical. At the same time, if a large length of the wire is not needed, it is better to take a model with a short wire. So extra wires will not "hang out" in the apartment or office.
There is also a button on and off line filter. It is very convenient, you can enable or disable network filter without removing the power plug from the outlet of the filter. Especially if the socket is in the wrong place, under the table, around baseboards, behind the cupboard, etc.
Again lights indicating on and off line filter - too important and useful item. Always clearly visible, including network filter on or off. If your computer does not turn on, check first whether it is connected to the 220V! The signal light is very helpful.
The number of sockets line filter is also an important feature. Outlets should be enough to connect all components of your computer: the system unit, monitor, printer, router, scanner, etc. Otherwise need additional extension cords as this will lead to chaos wires. It is better to calculate in advance all and choose the right model line filter.
But ordinary extension or function to protect against voltage surges and interference. In this extension can also be switch with a bulb than they are even more similar to surge protectors. And at the price of extenders, usually cheaper line filters because inside they have no electronics, which prevents the computer from power surges and interference.
This need to know!
Surge protector protects computer equipment from power surges and pulsed high-frequency noise. Most often it is through his computer is connected to the mains. But no matter how high-quality surge protector was not, it could not provide 100 percent protection against all defects mains.
C goal of 100 per cent protection of computer equipment from problems with household electrical networks can handle only a voltage regulator and some UPS models in Russian (short for Uninterruptible Power Supply) and UPS in English.
Only for laptop owners
Notebooks incorporate their own rechargeable batteries. And due to this laptop battery is also able to smooth the voltage fluctuations in the mains. It would seem that in this case there is no need to connect the laptop to the mains through a surge protector.
But no! Line filter has a very useful device for laptops and their owners. The fact that the laptop battery is quite capricious, and are easily damaged if the handle them inappropriately.
So, turn off the laptop, laptop charger must be disconnected from the electrical outlet, 220V. And strictly mandatory, if there is no desire for a very short time the faulty battery laptop.
But "lazy" (literally and figuratively) to insert and pull out the charger plug from the outlet laptop every time it is turned on or off. Here we come to the aid surge protector. Turning off the laptop, and then unplug the power filter light touch of a button (key) switch it off. And before turning the laptop also easily include first line filter by pressing the appropriate key.
Of course, instead of the line filter laptop owners can use regular extensions to the switch. It's cheaper. But not enough to neglect the possibility of network filter to smooth noise and voltage drops in the network 220.
