Will my computer be safe if somehow electrical curent from lightning or some other great source of power enters the wiring in our home?
2006-06-27 09:03:17 · 10 answers · asked by lumpymonkey 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
The should, be sure to get one that says its for computers and is a high number of joules.
2006-06-27 09:05:26 · answer #1 · answered by Jen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The CORRECT answer is, they CAN protect your computer, if the surge protector is of sufficiently high quality to disconnect the power before the power surge passes through it.
Surge protectors are rated by the number of "joules" they can handle. Without turning this into an electrical science lecture, it basically means that the higher the "joule" rating (listed on the protector), the better quality the surge protector. I'd suggest buying the highest-rated one you can afford, especially if you live in an area that frequently gets a lot of bad thunderstorms (I live in Illinois, so surge protectors are a MUST here in the upper part of Tornado Alley).
The idea is that if a lightning discharge or some other power surge enters the wiring in your home, the surge protector will trip its internal circuit breaker and cut off the flow of electricity to anything plugged into it, thus preventing damage to the items.
Some high-end surge protectors even have warranties that will reimburse you up to $X amount for anything damage while hooked up to their protector. Definitely something to check out!
Hope this helped you out.
2006-06-27 09:16:37 · answer #2 · answered by answerman63 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That depends on the type of surge protector. Most are only designed to protect from average current variations. Lightening is too powerful for these. I had one get fried by a lamp wire short. Also, don't forget the phone line. If your line is hit, it can carry the surge to your computer..
For lightening, the best systems use batteries that are on a constant charge. Your system runs off the battery and is not actually using wall current. But these are expensive (actually they are a type of power supply).
2006-06-27 09:20:20 · answer #3 · answered by alice in the woods 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably not. But an uninterruptible power source (which converts the wall power to battery-charging DC and then back into AC to run the computer, probably will.
The trouble with lightning is that it is very unpredictable and can jump from circuit to circuit, bypass "protectors" and even go directly from a fixture to the case of the CPU.
The best idea is to get a decent UPS (about $50) that will include a guaranteed "insurance" for your computer ,,, and remember to back up your data frequently.
2006-06-27 09:09:46 · answer #4 · answered by Grendle 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A good surge protector should offer four features:
1. The surge protector should cover lightning strikes. Some do not.
2. The surge protector should offer insurance to cover the loss of properly attached equipment.
3. If you have a regular modem, your surge protector should have an R-11 telephone jack where you can hook up your telephone line.
4. If you are using a cable modem, your surge protector should also accommodate your television/Internet cable.
2006-06-27 09:07:44 · answer #5 · answered by ltdanfreecycle 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Surge protectors will protect your computer from minor electrical surges caused by distant lightning. however.. if you take a direct hit from lightning on your power line.... your computer can get fried.. because lightning does not stop at burned fuses or circuit breakers.. it just ionizes the surroundings and keeps going to ground....
best bet... get an UPS power supply and make sure it is WELL GROUNDED... because it will provide an alternative path to ground for the lightning.. and better protect your computer....
unless... lightning comes in by your phone line or cable connection to your computer.. hahaahahahaahaa!
2006-06-27 09:17:38 · answer #6 · answered by ♥Tom♥ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes they are essentially a small circuit breaker, when the lghtnig hits a house, it takes the least path of resistance to ground. usually through the wiring in the house. when the power jumps the surge protector "closes" thus protecting your equipment. the best choice is still to unplug everything during a storm though.
2006-06-27 09:10:20 · answer #7 · answered by pittenridge 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It should be safe. They protect from electrical surges. Lightning storms create electrical surges so it should work.
2006-06-27 09:04:57 · answer #8 · answered by earlsquareling 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so.. We had a bolt stike the ground in our driveway and it fried two of our four tv's and my computer. I did have surge protector that I paid quite a nice sum for, but it didn't save my computer.
2006-06-27 09:07:39 · answer #9 · answered by Jersey 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yea i think that is pretty much the whole point of a surge protector mine has always been ok during that kinda stuff.
2006-06-27 09:05:59 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋