Filter
Top Products
56
Managing Your System
When purchasing a surge suppressor:
■
Make sure the surge suppressor meets the appropriate product safety
certification for your location, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or
Conformite European (CE).
■
Check the maximum amount of voltage the suppressor allows to pass
through the line. The lower the voltage that the suppressor allows to pass
through, the better the protection for your system.
■ Check the energy absorption, or dissipation, rating. The higher the energy
absorption rating, the better the protection for your system.
■
Check for line-conditioner capabilities. A line conditioner smooths out
some of the normal line noise (small voltage fluctuations) of an electrical
supply.
Line conditioners
A line conditioner protects your system from the small daily fluctuations in
voltage from an electrical supply. Most systems can handle this variation, or
line noise, without problems. However, some electrical sources include more
line noise than normal. Line noise can also be a problem if your system is
located near, or shares a circuit with, a device that causes electromagnetic
interference, such as a television or a motor.
Some surge suppressors and uninterruptible power supplies include simple
line-conditioning capabilities.
Uninterruptible power supplies
You may lose data during a total power failure. A standby Uninterruptible
Power Supply (UPS) uses a battery to keep your system running during a power
failure. The UPS lets you shut down your system normally, but cannot run
the system for an extended time.
If you purchase a standby UPS, make sure the UPS includes surge suppression
and line-conditioning features.