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#1
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Protecting against thunderstorms
Hi,
I'm wondering if someone here can answer a question for me. I just moved to an area that has lots of thunderstorms. I run Windows 98 Second Edition. My computer is hooked-up but I do not yet have a phone or an ISP and therefore I cannot go online. (I'm using a neighbor's computer now). I use a Surge Master II that protects against power surges. Everything but the phone line is plugged into it. Since I cannot go online is it still a good idea to turn off the surge master gizmo that's on the floor and unplug the computer when there is a thunderstorm? Thanks for any help. Matt |
#2
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Protecting against thunderstorms
Yes, unplug it because your PC can still be damaged from a power loss. Get
a reliable UPC (battery backup) which provides a monetary guarantee against lightening damage. -- Regards Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98 Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo "Matt" wrote in message ... Hi, I'm wondering if someone here can answer a question for me. I just moved to an area that has lots of thunderstorms. I run Windows 98 Second Edition. My computer is hooked-up but I do not yet have a phone or an ISP and therefore I cannot go online. (I'm using a neighbor's computer now). I use a Surge Master II that protects against power surges. Everything but the phone line is plugged into it. Since I cannot go online is it still a good idea to turn off the surge master gizmo that's on the floor and unplug the computer when there is a thunderstorm? Thanks for any help. Matt |
#3
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Protecting against thunderstorms
Thanks Ron. I will unplug the computer.
And I think you're right. I will go out and get a good UPC. Appreciate your help. Matt -----Original Message----- Yes, unplug it because your PC can still be damaged from a power loss. Get a reliable UPC (battery backup) which provides a monetary guarantee against lightening damage. -- Regards Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98 Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo "Matt" wrote in message ... Hi, I'm wondering if someone here can answer a question for me. I just moved to an area that has lots of thunderstorms. I run Windows 98 Second Edition. My computer is hooked- up but I do not yet have a phone or an ISP and therefore I cannot go online. (I'm using a neighbor's computer now). I use a Surge Master II that protects against power surges. Everything but the phone line is plugged into it. Since I cannot go online is it still a good idea to turn off the surge master gizmo that's on the floor and unplug the computer when there is a thunderstorm? Thanks for any help. Matt . |
#4
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Protecting against thunderstorms
Does the battery in a laptop act as the equivalent of a UPC.? What does UPC
stand for? Blair "Ron Badour" wrote in message ... Yes, unplug it because your PC can still be damaged from a power loss. Get a reliable UPC (battery backup) which provides a monetary guarantee against lightening damage. -- Regards Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98 Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo "Matt" wrote in message ... Hi, I'm wondering if someone here can answer a question for me. I just moved to an area that has lots of thunderstorms. I run Windows 98 Second Edition. My computer is hooked-up but I do not yet have a phone or an ISP and therefore I cannot go online. (I'm using a neighbor's computer now). I use a Surge Master II that protects against power surges. Everything but the phone line is plugged into it. Since I cannot go online is it still a good idea to turn off the surge master gizmo that's on the floor and unplug the computer when there is a thunderstorm? Thanks for any help. Matt |
#5
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Protecting against thunderstorms
I don't think so if you have the AC adapter plugged in and this is
especially true if you have an analog modem connected via a telephone line. I can use my laptop (without the AC adapter) since I have a wireless network. Uninterrupted Power Supply CyberPower and APC are two manufacturers. -- Regards Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98 Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo "Blair" wrote in message ... Does the battery in a laptop act as the equivalent of a UPC.? What does UPC stand for? Blair "Ron Badour" wrote in message ... Yes, unplug it because your PC can still be damaged from a power loss. Get a reliable UPC (battery backup) which provides a monetary guarantee against lightening damage. -- Regards Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98 Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo "Matt" wrote in message ... Hi, I'm wondering if someone here can answer a question for me. I just moved to an area that has lots of thunderstorms. I run Windows 98 Second Edition. My computer is hooked-up but I do not yet have a phone or an ISP and therefore I cannot go online. (I'm using a neighbor's computer now). I use a Surge Master II that protects against power surges. Everything but the phone line is plugged into it. Since I cannot go online is it still a good idea to turn off the surge master gizmo that's on the floor and unplug the computer when there is a thunderstorm? Thanks for any help. Matt |
#6
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Protecting against thunderstorms
The plug-in UPS does not even claim to provide such protection. It
does claim to protect from a transient that does not typically exist. This is often enough for others to *assume* the plug-in UPS protects from all types of transients. Power loss does not damage a properly constructed computer. After all, what is power down? Power loss created by the human user. The OP seeks hardware protection from the typically destructive transient. That recommended UPS does not provide same as demonstrated by two characterisitics: 1) does not have the necessary and essential 'less than 10 foot' connection to central earth ground and 2) avoids all discussion about earthing. For effective protection, the discussion should have turned immediately to 'whole house' protectors and the verfication or enhancement of the building's earth ground. Further information and solutions are discussed previously. "RJ-11 line protection?" on 31 Dec 2003 in pdx.computing at http://tinyurl.com/2hl53 "strange problem after power surge/thunderstorm" in comp.dcom.modems on 31 Mar 2003 at http://tinyurl.com/2gumt That monetary guarantee is so full of fine print exemptions that one would be lucky to get UPS replaced. Real world protector manufacturers don't even offer a warranty. Instead they discuss earthing so that real world protection is provided. Power loss does not damage hardware. Power loss can damage data. And that includes data previously saved on FAT filesystems - the hard drive used by Windows 9x/Me Operating Systems. "Ron Badour" wrote in message ... Yes, unplug it because your PC can still be damaged from a power loss. Get a reliable UPC (battery backup) which provides a monetary guarantee against lightening damage. "Matt" wrote in message ... Hi, I'm wondering if someone here can answer a question for me. I just moved to an area that has lots of thunderstorms. I run Windows 98 Second Edition. My computer is hooked-up but I do not yet have a phone or an ISP and therefore I cannot go online. (I'm using a neighbor's computer now). I use a Surge Master II that protects against power surges. Everything but the phone line is plugged into it. Since I cannot go online is it still a good idea to turn off the surge master gizmo that's on the floor and unplug the computer when there is a thunderstorm? Thanks for any help. Matt |
#7
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Protecting against thunderstorms
Comments in line:
The plug-in UPS does not even claim to provide such protection. It does claim to protect from a transient that does not typically exist. This is often enough for others to *assume* the plug-in UPS protects from all types of transients. http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/ups.htm Quote: A spike is an instantaneous increase in voltage. Spikes can be cause by such things as lightning or overloaded power grids. Spikes can cause damage to your computer, your modem as well as other components. All CyberPower UPS systems have modem protection included and are designed to protect your system against the damage that can be caused by spikes. Unquote Power loss does not damage a properly constructed computer. After all, what is power down? Power loss created by the human user. I beg to differ having replaced hard drives damaged by power loss. However, it may be possible this damage was influenced/caused by the power coming back on while the drives are spinning down. However, if the power loss had not occurred, then the damage (regardless of actual cause) would not have occurred either. That monetary guarantee is so full of fine print exemptions that one would be lucky to get UPS replaced. I got my CyberPower gurantee out and read it again and it is pretty straight forward. Also, when I had a problem with my UPS, CyberPower mailed me a new one with few questions asked. The APC gurantee is also straight forward regarding equipment replacement. My perceptions are based on materials I have in my possession and have read--upon what do you base your claims? Power loss can damage data. And that includes data previously saved on FAT filesystems - the hard drive used by Windows 9x/Me Operating Systems. Power loss certainly can cause data loss but I hardly think that fat file systems are a hard drive. You may be right in your criticism of UPS products and since I have never suffered a lightening strike, I have no experience to refute your claims. What I am refuting are various statements you made above. If UPS do not work as you claim, it makes little difference to me since I have a guarantee of hardware replacement and no evidence saying the companies don't honor their promises. Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98 Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo "Ron Badour" wrote in message ... Yes, unplug it because your PC can still be damaged from a power loss. Get a reliable UPC (battery backup) which provides a monetary guarantee against lightening damage. "Matt" wrote in message ... Hi, I'm wondering if someone here can answer a question for me. I just moved to an area that has lots of thunderstorms. I run Windows 98 Second Edition. My computer is hooked-up but I do not yet have a phone or an ISP and therefore I cannot go online. (I'm using a neighbor's computer now). I use a Surge Master II that protects against power surges. Everything but the phone line is plugged into it. Since I cannot go online is it still a good idea to turn off the surge master gizmo that's on the floor and unplug the computer when there is a thunderstorm? Thanks for any help. Matt |
#8
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Protecting against thunderstorms
I live in an area that has thunderstorms almost every
week during the spring and summer. Have had many lightning strikes on or around the house. From complete power loss to brown outs to flash off/on. Have the PC on all the time. No damage to PC. The trick is to make sure the "House Ground" is good and to code. A "Gound Fault" protected outlet(the ones with a test and reset button in the center) will do as much good as a surge protector. These UPSs. Even though they DO protect your PC from most surges. They are designed to give you enough power to shut down the PC properly (to save data) during a power loss. -----Original Message----- Comments in line: The plug-in UPS does not even claim to provide such protection. It does claim to protect from a transient that does not typically exist. This is often enough for others to *assume* the plug-in UPS protects from all types of transients. http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/ups.htm Quote: A spike is an instantaneous increase in voltage. Spikes can be cause by such things as lightning or overloaded power grids. Spikes can cause damage to your computer, your modem as well as other components. All CyberPower UPS systems have modem protection included and are designed to protect your system against the damage that can be caused by spikes. Unquote Power loss does not damage a properly constructed computer. After all, what is power down? Power loss created by the human user. I beg to differ having replaced hard drives damaged by power loss. However, it may be possible this damage was influenced/caused by the power coming back on while the drives are spinning down. However, if the power loss had not occurred, then the damage (regardless of actual cause) would not have occurred either. That monetary guarantee is so full of fine print exemptions that one would be lucky to get UPS replaced. I got my CyberPower gurantee out and read it again and it is pretty straight forward. Also, when I had a problem with my UPS, CyberPower mailed me a new one with few questions asked. The APC gurantee is also straight forward regarding equipment replacement. My perceptions are based on materials I have in my possession and have read--upon what do you base your claims? Power loss can damage data. And that includes data previously saved on FAT filesystems - the hard drive used by Windows 9x/Me Operating Systems. Power loss certainly can cause data loss but I hardly think that fat file systems are a hard drive. You may be right in your criticism of UPS products and since I have never suffered a lightening strike, I have no experience to refute your claims. What I am refuting are various statements you made above. If UPS do not work as you claim, it makes little difference to me since I have a guarantee of hardware replacement and no evidence saying the companies don't honor their promises. Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98 Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo "Ron Badour" wrote in message ... Yes, unplug it because your PC can still be damaged from a power loss. Get a reliable UPC (battery backup) which provides a monetary guarantee against lightening damage. "Matt" wrote in message ... Hi, I'm wondering if someone here can answer a question for me. I just moved to an area that has lots of thunderstorms. I run Windows 98 Second Edition. My computer is hooked-up but I do not yet have a phone or an ISP and therefore I cannot go online. (I'm using a neighbor's computer now). I use a Surge Master II that protects against power surges. Everything but the phone line is plugged into it. Since I cannot go online is it still a good idea to turn off the surge master gizmo that's on the floor and unplug the computer when there is a thunderstorm? Thanks for any help. Matt . |
#9
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Protecting against thunderstorms
A GFI outlet or circuit will NOT provide the same protection (or anywhere close) as
a surge protector. All a GFI does is momentarily cut off power in the event of a ground fault (such as a person grounding the circuit, instead of the ground wire). The fact that your PC is on all the time during brown-outs or power failures and you do not think you have any damage, does not mean that damage has not occurred. Certainly, properly grounded house circuitry is a big help, but it will not protect you from power surges, or from damage or data loss due to power drops. -- Glen Ventura, MS MVP W95/98 Systems http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm "Tstorm" wrote in message ... I live in an area that has thunderstorms almost every week during the spring and summer. Have had many lightning strikes on or around the house. From complete power loss to brown outs to flash off/on. Have the PC on all the time. No damage to PC. The trick is to make sure the "House Ground" is good and to code. A "Gound Fault" protected outlet(the ones with a test and reset button in the center) will do as much good as a surge protector. These UPSs. Even though they DO protect your PC from most surges. They are designed to give you enough power to shut down the PC properly (to save data) during a power loss. -----Original Message----- Comments in line: The plug-in UPS does not even claim to provide such protection. It does claim to protect from a transient that does not typically exist. This is often enough for others to *assume* the plug-in UPS protects from all types of transients. http://www.cyberpowersystems.com/ups.htm Quote: A spike is an instantaneous increase in voltage. Spikes can be cause by such things as lightning or overloaded power grids. Spikes can cause damage to your computer, your modem as well as other components. All CyberPower UPS systems have modem protection included and are designed to protect your system against the damage that can be caused by spikes. Unquote Power loss does not damage a properly constructed computer. After all, what is power down? Power loss created by the human user. I beg to differ having replaced hard drives damaged by power loss. However, it may be possible this damage was influenced/caused by the power coming back on while the drives are spinning down. However, if the power loss had not occurred, then the damage (regardless of actual cause) would not have occurred either. That monetary guarantee is so full of fine print exemptions that one would be lucky to get UPS replaced. I got my CyberPower gurantee out and read it again and it is pretty straight forward. Also, when I had a problem with my UPS, CyberPower mailed me a new one with few questions asked. The APC gurantee is also straight forward regarding equipment replacement. My perceptions are based on materials I have in my possession and have read--upon what do you base your claims? Power loss can damage data. And that includes data previously saved on FAT filesystems - the hard drive used by Windows 9x/Me Operating Systems. Power loss certainly can cause data loss but I hardly think that fat file systems are a hard drive. You may be right in your criticism of UPS products and since I have never suffered a lightening strike, I have no experience to refute your claims. What I am refuting are various statements you made above. If UPS do not work as you claim, it makes little difference to me since I have a guarantee of hardware replacement and no evidence saying the companies don't honor their promises. Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98 Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo "Ron Badour" wrote in message ... Yes, unplug it because your PC can still be damaged from a power loss. Get a reliable UPC (battery backup) which provides a monetary guarantee against lightening damage. "Matt" wrote in message ... Hi, I'm wondering if someone here can answer a question for me. I just moved to an area that has lots of thunderstorms. I run Windows 98 Second Edition. My computer is hooked-up but I do not yet have a phone or an ISP and therefore I cannot go online. (I'm using a neighbor's computer now). I use a Surge Master II that protects against power surges. Everything but the phone line is plugged into it. Since I cannot go online is it still a good idea to turn off the surge master gizmo that's on the floor and unplug the computer when there is a thunderstorm? Thanks for any help. Matt . |
#10
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Protecting against thunderstorms
It's UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)....UPC is the code on the box they use at
the cash register. ;-) -- Glen Ventura, MS MVP W95/98 Systems http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm "Blair" wrote in message ... Does the battery in a laptop act as the equivalent of a UPC.? What does UPC stand for? Blair "Ron Badour" wrote in message ... Yes, unplug it because your PC can still be damaged from a power loss. Get a reliable UPC (battery backup) which provides a monetary guarantee against lightening damage. -- Regards Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98 Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo "Matt" wrote in message ... Hi, I'm wondering if someone here can answer a question for me. I just moved to an area that has lots of thunderstorms. I run Windows 98 Second Edition. My computer is hooked-up but I do not yet have a phone or an ISP and therefore I cannot go online. (I'm using a neighbor's computer now). I use a Surge Master II that protects against power surges. Everything but the phone line is plugged into it. Since I cannot go online is it still a good idea to turn off the surge master gizmo that's on the floor and unplug the computer when there is a thunderstorm? Thanks for any help. Matt |
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