Why in the name of providence do we keep heaping gadget upon gadget when all that was not necessary some years ago? If you are asking that question, it is not too bad. To be sincere, with each advancement in technology, it seemed like we are only creating newer problems. A few years ago, nobody needed a surge protector to make a computer work without fear of it blowing up in their face. Let us know ‘Do I Need A Surge Protector For My PC?’.
Remember, though, that even when people were not using surge protectors, they were using stabilizers and UPSs. Those were not used for the fun of it. They were to guide against damages that could be caused by fluctuating electrical power.
Do I Need A Surge Protector For My Pc?
A surge protector works to redirect excess voltage away from entering your computer hardware which could damage it otherwise. Therefore, our take on whether you need a surge protector for your PC is that you really do need it. There is no other way around it. In fact, do not ever use your computer without one if you want it to last longer. Otherwise, you risk frying the motherboard, and then you will spend more than you would spend just purchasing the surge protector to start with.
Don’t feel disappointed about it though. We have good reasons for coming to this conclusion and we will share that with you. Just take your time to read through the rest of this article. In the end, we’ll make a few suggestions for how to best protect your house and gadgets against damage from power surges.
Let’s dig further…
Why you should get a surge protector for your computer?
Now that you know that you should use a surge protector with your pc, the next question on your mind should be why that is. Not to worry. In this section, we have some facts that will interest you and push you out the door to get a surge protector or quickly surf online for one. Just wait…
- Newer devices like computers, high-definition TVs, phones, and game consoles have smaller components, called microprocessors, in them that are very sensitive to changes in electrical current voltage. That is the main reason why any sudden surge in the power reaching them can cause irreparable damage to your electronics. It is probably the reason why surge protectors are sometimes called spike protectors, surge suppressors or diverters, or transient voltage surge protectors.
- When there are power surges, the best scenario would be that your data gets wiped out from your computer. The worst scenario is that your system could get fried and rendered completely useless.
- Surge protectors have been specifically built to take in high voltages and regulate them into a usable voltage that can be used by your sensitive equipment; not boilers, electric kettles, iron, blender, oven, or fridge by the way. Those should be plugged in directly to a power source because they are heavy-duty home appliances.
How the surge protector works?
At this point, we can admit that some newer computers have an inbuilt power surge protector in their power packs. However, those are not as sophisticated as a standalone surge protector.
That being said, also, you need to know that power surges are usually not noticeable. So, simply because the fluorescent bulb in your sitting room is not blinking does not mean power is not happening as you are reading this. The surge protector though is built to sense any fluctuations in the voltage reaching it and it responds accordingly.
- Voltage can simply be viewed as electrical pressure while the amperage is the measure of that pressure.
- Surge protectors have inbuild metal oxide varistors (MOV) which you can simply call electrical pressure sensors.
- Once the MOVs sense that the voltage is too high, they kick into action and collect the excess voltage to direct them in another direction, away from your plugged-in appliances.
- Sometimes if the voltage is more than the capacity of the surge protector’s MOVs, the excess voltage can completely burn out the surge protector, with no harm to your devices!
There you have it. The excess voltage that could harm your computer is taken out by the surge protector. So, from here on out, think of a surge protector as a bodyguard instead of as a necessary evil…
Mythical surge protector alternatives that are bad for your computer
1.Using series connections of power strips
Unless the power strip was specifically labeled as being built for surge protection, it does nothing to protect your computer. In fact, it could gather enough electrical charges that may burn your computer and start a fire, especially when you connect a number of them in series.
So, use a power strip if you must but do not ever think it is protecting your computer in any way. It is a myth and you need to dispense of it now!
2.Using a stabilizer
Stabilizers were built to only regulate fluctuations in voltage reaching your gadgets. They were never built to detect and redirect excess voltage. So, in cases of power surges, the stabilizer itself will have its core burnt out.
The transformer in the stabilizer was built to only balance out an increase or decrease in voltage to about 20 percent. Anything higher or lower will damage it. This is where surge protectors have an advantage.
3.Use a surge protector and a UPS together
Both the UPS and the surge protector perform almost the same function with the added advantage that the UPS has an inbuilt battery which allows you to continue your work or shut down your system even when there is a power outage. That said, unless you know the surge protection capacity of the UPS, it may not be a good surge protector. Getting a surge protector could also be cheaper than obtaining a UPS anyway.
However, if you are in a dilemma about whether you should get a UPS or surge protector, we advise that you go for the UPS. This is because, the UPS protects against power surges to a large extent, protects against brownouts, filters EMI/RFI line noises, regulates voltages, has a backup battery, as well as additional features that could be very useful for you.
If you are short on the money though, getting a surge protector works too. Just make sure you are protected.
Types of surge protectors you should get
If you have come all this way, you should learn that simply buying a surge protector for the outlet alone may not be protection enough. At the best, you end up buying 3 or more surge protectors every year. What you are about to read in this section is the layer of protection you should have against surges.
- Protect the whole house – this type is connected to the power source at the point of entry into your house. This is important to filter out about 15% of the surge before it reaches the outlets in the building. This type of protection is done with grounding. Grounding your home against lightning strikes and electrical surges is very important.
There are two levels to this. The surge protector can come between the electrical source from the transformer and your meter. It can also come between the meter and the breaker box. You can choose to use the two levels. There is nothing like too much protection or overkill where the recent lightning strikes and fluctuations of power come from our old power grids.
- Point of use – this is the surge protector that you can purchase and connect your devices to. These go straight into the power source and get the brunt of the damage if the power surge does get into the house’s circuit.
What causes a power surge?
We have talked about lightning causing power surges. But maybe you live in an area where there is no lightning recently, there are still other things that could cause a power surge that you should be aware of.
- Our power-generating grids are getting old. Take it or leave it, the power grids in the US are getting old and they cannot all be replaced at the same time. So, there are bound to be surges and fluctuations from time to time.
- Switching on or off heavy appliances. Appliances like AC units, refrigerator, or heavy-duty freezer draws a lot of energy. So, when you switch them on, they draw energy that could take some seconds to be balanced out. If you don’t have a good protector, the low voltage could damage your more sensitive appliances. The same goes for when you switch them off. There is suddenly a lot of voltage pressure in the circuit and without a protector or proper grounding, they go straight into your computer or TV.
- Faulty electrical connection. There could be a fault in the wiring altogether. There could also be damage done by rodents. These could cause major fluctuations in the voltage pressure.
Conclusion
Now that you know all there is to know about surge protectors and why they are very important, don’t take too long to get one for your computer. Think about how much money it will cost you to replace a computer and what it would be if you are just replacing a burnt-out surge protector. The difference is very high, right? Stop hesitating. Get out that door and make a surge protector purchase now!
FAQ
What capacity of surge protector is best for the PC?
Surge protector with a capacity for 2000 or more joules are the best for PC. These types can also go with game consoles, televisions, home theaters, etc. Also, make sure that the clamping voltage is between 300 and 400 volts. This is because high clamping voltage can still escape the protector and damage your computer. So, the lower the clamping voltage of the surge protector, the better it is as a protector.
Does the number of ports on the surge protector affect protection capacity?
No. In fact, you should choose a protector with as many ports as possible so that you can plug in all your devices at once. The only thing is that you cannot plug in heavy-duty gadgets like a high dryer or straightener, iron, boiler, etc. if you must plug them into it, then preferably one at a time.
