Power Issues

Electricity can be a dangerous and sometimes fickle tool and computers aren’t terribly forgiving about power problems.

Your home’s electricity is generally 120 volts, but the normal acceptable range
can be anywhere from 103V to 132V.  A dip to less than 103V is known as a
brownout, which accounts for 87% of power problems. Anything higher than
132V is called a spike.  It might seem like your electricity is reliable but chances
are that your home endures many short brownouts and spikes every day.

Your computer should absolutely not be plugged directly into the wall socket. At
minimum, it should be plugged into a surge protector, not just a power strip, which can look just like a surge protector. Power strips are basically just a series of electrical sockets combined that enable you to plug in multiple devices; they do not offer any protection.

Every computer component, including the printer, external drives, hubs and cable modem, should be plugged into a surge protector. Don’t plug the PC into an outlet that’s on the same electrical circuit as high demand equipment such as an air conditioner or refrigerator. The sudden power draw that occurs when the appliance turns on can cause small brownouts for other gadgets on that circuit (e.g. your main home PC).

If you happen to be home during an electrical storm, the best way to protect your equipment against sudden damage is to unplug your computer components from the electrical outlet. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

If you have any questions just give us a call at 877-883-TECH (8324) or fill out our Free Computer Repair Evaluation Form to schedule an AnswerSmart™ computer repair technician to come directly to your home and/or office and repair your computer or provide other technical support. We will solve your issues right there and then, at your convenience.

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