Saturday, October 30, 2004
The storm that killed my computer
The storm killed my computer:
Well the storm hit over the last couple of weeks and besides the damage we have seen to houses and infrastructure we are also seeing roll on effects on computers being damaged due to the effects on the infrastructure.
The key things that fail after or during a storm:
· Dial up modems
· ADSL Modems
· Power supplies on computer equipment (usually the tower)
· Hard drives – as they power down and suddenly come back up often suffer from mechanical problems
Many People make a dive for the power points during storms and unplug the power point but often forget about the telephone line plugged into the modem. Unfortunately, with 60 percent of us having internal modems our computers often suffer major damage from spikes on the telephone lines. This is because the internal modem is plugged directly into the main board so the electricity flows directly into those components and destroys them.
What people need to protect themselves:
A surge protector
What is a surge protector?
A device that shields computer and other electronic devices from surges in electrical power, or transient voltage, that flow from the power supply. Standard Australian voltage for home and office buildings is 230 to 240 volts. Anything over this amount is considered transient and can damage electronic devices that are plugged into an outlet. Even though power surges are so brief that they are measured in nanoseconds, they can cause considerable damage to electronic equipment.
A surge protector works by channeling the extra voltage into the outlet's grounding wire, preventing it from flowing through the electronic devices while at the same time allowing the normal voltage to continue along its path. Electrical surges can damage computer equipment by burning its wires or gradually over time wearing down the device’s internal components and even wipe out any saved data. Surge protectors can also protect telephone and cable lines as these also carry electric current.
It is a common misunderstanding that surge protectors will protect systems from lightning, the most familiar source of power surges. Even the most effective surge protectors can not protect equipment from the sudden increase in electrical pressure of millions of volts that lightning can supply. The best way to prevent damage during from lightning storm is to unplug devices that could be irreparably damaged. Surge protectors more commonly protect equipment from lower-voltage surges that occur frequently in modern electrical wiring. For example, devices such as refrigerators and air conditioners require large amounts of energy to switch motors and compressors on and off, creating surges in power that disrupt the steady flow of voltage. Faulty wiring, downed power lines and faulty equipment at the power source (utility company) can all cause power surges as well.
UPS – uninterruptible power supply.
What is a UPS?
Short for uninterruptible power supply, a power supply that includes a battery to maintain power in the event of a power outage. Typically, a UPS keeps a computer running for several minutes after a power outage, enabling you to save data that is in RAM and shut down the computer gracefully. Many UPSs now offer a software component that enables you to automate backup and shut down procedures in case there's a power failure while you're away from the computer.
There are two basic types of UPS systems: standby power systems (SPSs) and on-line UPS systems. An SPS monitors the power line and switches to battery power as soon as it detects a problem. The switch to battery, however, can require several milliseconds, during which time the computer is not receiving any power. Standby Power Systems are sometimes called Line-interactive UPSes.
An on-line UPS avoids these momentary power lapses by constantly providing power from its own inverter, even when the power line is functioning properly. In general, on-line UPSs are much more expensive than SPSs.
These are the most common devices used to protect computers, whilst most common surge protectors cannot protect against lightening there are a few “self destructing” type surge protectors that “blow out” and break the circuit to the equipment. These are very expensive and usually single use only. You require also a surge protector that monitors the telephone line was well.
Well the storm hit over the last couple of weeks and besides the damage we have seen to houses and infrastructure we are also seeing roll on effects on computers being damaged due to the effects on the infrastructure.
The key things that fail after or during a storm:
· Dial up modems
· ADSL Modems
· Power supplies on computer equipment (usually the tower)
· Hard drives – as they power down and suddenly come back up often suffer from mechanical problems
Many People make a dive for the power points during storms and unplug the power point but often forget about the telephone line plugged into the modem. Unfortunately, with 60 percent of us having internal modems our computers often suffer major damage from spikes on the telephone lines. This is because the internal modem is plugged directly into the main board so the electricity flows directly into those components and destroys them.
What people need to protect themselves:
A surge protector
What is a surge protector?
A device that shields computer and other electronic devices from surges in electrical power, or transient voltage, that flow from the power supply. Standard Australian voltage for home and office buildings is 230 to 240 volts. Anything over this amount is considered transient and can damage electronic devices that are plugged into an outlet. Even though power surges are so brief that they are measured in nanoseconds, they can cause considerable damage to electronic equipment.
A surge protector works by channeling the extra voltage into the outlet's grounding wire, preventing it from flowing through the electronic devices while at the same time allowing the normal voltage to continue along its path. Electrical surges can damage computer equipment by burning its wires or gradually over time wearing down the device’s internal components and even wipe out any saved data. Surge protectors can also protect telephone and cable lines as these also carry electric current.
It is a common misunderstanding that surge protectors will protect systems from lightning, the most familiar source of power surges. Even the most effective surge protectors can not protect equipment from the sudden increase in electrical pressure of millions of volts that lightning can supply. The best way to prevent damage during from lightning storm is to unplug devices that could be irreparably damaged. Surge protectors more commonly protect equipment from lower-voltage surges that occur frequently in modern electrical wiring. For example, devices such as refrigerators and air conditioners require large amounts of energy to switch motors and compressors on and off, creating surges in power that disrupt the steady flow of voltage. Faulty wiring, downed power lines and faulty equipment at the power source (utility company) can all cause power surges as well.
UPS – uninterruptible power supply.
What is a UPS?
Short for uninterruptible power supply, a power supply that includes a battery to maintain power in the event of a power outage. Typically, a UPS keeps a computer running for several minutes after a power outage, enabling you to save data that is in RAM and shut down the computer gracefully. Many UPSs now offer a software component that enables you to automate backup and shut down procedures in case there's a power failure while you're away from the computer.
There are two basic types of UPS systems: standby power systems (SPSs) and on-line UPS systems. An SPS monitors the power line and switches to battery power as soon as it detects a problem. The switch to battery, however, can require several milliseconds, during which time the computer is not receiving any power. Standby Power Systems are sometimes called Line-interactive UPSes.
An on-line UPS avoids these momentary power lapses by constantly providing power from its own inverter, even when the power line is functioning properly. In general, on-line UPSs are much more expensive than SPSs.
These are the most common devices used to protect computers, whilst most common surge protectors cannot protect against lightening there are a few “self destructing” type surge protectors that “blow out” and break the circuit to the equipment. These are very expensive and usually single use only. You require also a surge protector that monitors the telephone line was well.
# posted by Peter Saville - IT Consultant @ 10:06 PM 
