Here is a quick tip when looking to protect your gear from voltage spikes.
First some definitions:
Power Strip: Can look just like a Surge Protector but has no rating. Think of this as a multi-ported extension cord.
Surge Protector: Similar to a power strip but certified to protect any device plugged into it from a spike in electrical current. Each Surge Protector has a Joules rating and the higher the better.
UPS: A UPS (uninterruptible power sources) is an electrical unit that provides electric line filtering, battery backup and protection from electrical surges.
Always make sure key hardware is plugged into actual Surge protectors or UPS’s and not power strips. Power strips only add extra outlet space, while surge protectors are your defense against voltage spikes. If you question whether you have a power strip or surge protector, the surge protector will have a label that clearly identifies as such.
Make sure to have UPS’s on things like Servers, Routers (Firewalls), Switches, Wireless Access Points, Desktop Computers or other key infrastructure components. DO NOT plug printers into a UPS or battery backup
Something common that can cause voltage spikes is weather. To be alerted about incoming weather, try signing up for weather alert notifications from your local news provider. This can keep you ahead of the game.
The photo above is an example of a UPS. Plug only laptop’s, Monitors, desktop computers, routers, firewalls, switches, access points into the section that says “Battery Backup + Surge Protection”. Everything else, lamps, printers and such go into the “Surge Protection” only ports. NEVER PLUG HEATERS or large Printers INTO A UPS.
Have questions regarding how to protect your gear from voltage spikes? Drop us a line at Solutions@thetek.com
