PC Hardware A Beginner’s Guide

(^606) PC Hardware: A Beginner’s Guide
 Protection LED Eventually, nearly all MOVs meet with the spike or surge
that it cannot absorb and fail. When this happens, the equipment connected to
the surge suppressors is no longer protected. Most quality surge suppressors
have an LED that is lighted when the MOV is intact and operating. If the MOV
blows, the LED stops shining, and it is time to get a new surge suppressor. Don’t
mistake a power-on LED for a protection LED. The power-on LED merely says
that the suppressor is switched on. Many suppressors include the power-on light
in the on/off switch.
 Line conditioning If this is an important feature to you (and it should be),
you must determine the line conditioning capabilities of the surge suppressor
from whatever specifications are available on a particular unit. A quality surge
suppressor should have a rating between 35 decibels (dB) and 70 dB, with more
always better.
 Power switch Most surge suppressors have an on/off switch that controls
the plugs on the unit. However, some units have plugs that are hot (meaning
on) whenever the suppressor is connected to a power source, regardless of
whether the on/off switch is on or off. The unswitched plugs can be useful for
recharging a notebook PC’s battery, or running a clock, radio, or lam pwhile
the devices plugged into the other plugs are switched off. A surge suppressor
offering hot plugs is a matter of preference. If you have devices that do need
to be on all the time, then you should look for a surge suppressor with hot plugs.
 Overload circuit breaker or fuse Most of the better surge suppressors have
either a circuit breaker or a fuse that will protect the MOV from being blown
should there be an electrical problem with a device plugged into the suppressor
or a severe power surge or spike on the line. A breaker is the better choice, as
it can be reset and the suppressor will be back in use immediately; when a fuse
goes, it must be replaced.
 Modem/fax/telephone protection It is common for a surge suppressor to
have two RJ-11 jacks that pass a telephone circuit that may be connected to a
modem, fax, or a telephone through the MOV circuit. When lightning strikes
nearby, the energy seeks out any metal, and a copper telephone line, which is
a very good conductor of electricity, is just as likely as the electrical lines to carry
some of the millions of volts suddenly on the lines.
 Protection warranty More reputable manufacturers provide a warranty that
protects your equipment while it is plugged into their surge suppressors (and
other power protection equipment). The warranty will pay up to a certain dollar
amount to repair or replace your equipment should it be damaged while
connected to their device. Before you bet your PC and other equipment on
such a warranty, make sure you understand its terms and conditions.