What device can protect a computer from damage if the power suddenly goes out?

As with any other electrical device in the home or office, your personal computer relies on a constant stream of electricity to remain turned on. In the case of a laptop, this stream of power comes from the battery while a desktop will generate the power directly from an electrical outlet.

If you live in an area that’s susceptible to blackouts, you may be worried about how this affects your PC. The bad news is, that repeated power outages can indeed have a detrimental effect on computer equipment. The good news is you can take some basic steps to avoid this damage. Before we get into how to protect your equipment, let’s discuss power outages in a little more detail.

What are power outages?

The electricity that flows through a building is not set at a constant. The electricity is subject to ebbs and flows. Sometimes this flow dips below the ideal electrical rate while at other times it becomes too high – like in the case of an electrical surge. A blackout or a power outage is when the electricity completely shuts off. Normally a blackout is beyond the control of the property owner. And can be attributed to power lines being damaged, or an unforeseen issue with a power station. Blackouts are also sometimes scheduled, like in cases where the ESB may be working on electrical lines near your home or place of business.

A drop in electrical flow doesn’t always result in a blackout. A brownout, or a dip or a sag in electrical levels occurs when the electrical flow dips but doesn't completely shut off. This is usually only noticeable when lights flicker or dim.
Blackouts and brownouts aren’t the only issues that can affect a home or business's electrical system. Electrical surges can also damage electrical systems and appliances in the home. Surges happen for a variety of reasons. Everything from short circuits, electrical overloads or lightning strikes can create a power surge.
Power surges can decimate electrical equipment which is why we always recommend our variety of surge protection Ireland packages. These packages are designed to protect Irish homes and businesses from all types of power surges.

How a Blackout affects a PC

The major way in which a blackout affects a computer is in the sudden and unexpected shutdown. Computers have a shutdown button for good reason, to safely stop the computer's complex operational systems. When you click the shutdown button, the computer begins a sequence that stops all its running processes. The computer is designed to only turn off when all these running processes are off.
When a computer suddenly shuts off, these running processes are cut off, perhaps halfway through an important operation. This can lead to the corruption of everything from files to applications. In some cases, this corruption can severely affect the computer’s operating system.
Although certainly frustrating and sometimes infuriating, a corruption of a Word doc or an excel sheet isn’t the biggest concern here. A sudden unexpected shutdown can affect system files. The corruption of a system file could severely damage your computer's software.

Power outages don’t just damage software, they can also cause accumulative damage to your hard drive. When a computer suddenly turns off, the read and write head snaps back into its original position. This sudden jerk can leave tiny scratches and imperfections on the internal components of a computer which, over time, can destroy the hard drive.

The dangers of a sudden post-blackout surge

Oftentimes a complete power outage can be followed by a sudden electrical surge. A strong surge can destroy any plugged-in electrical equipment. Due to their complexity, computers are particularly suspectable to damage from a power surge. While a blackout can cause a small amount of damage to a machine, a power surge can be catastrophic. Again we highly recommend investing in surge protection in Dublin or Ireland.

How to prevent blackout damage to a computer

To help prevent blackout damage there are a few steps you can take. For example, you can invest in an uninterruptable power source (UPS). A UPS will keep your machine stay on during a blackout. Most electrical retailers stock these devices. We recommend looking for UPS' with built-in surge protection.
Most UPS devices only hold power for long enough to shut down a machine. While others can be fitted with software to shut down your machine automatically when a blackout is detected.
Alternatively, if you live in an area with frequent outages, you should consider using a laptop rather than a static desktop.

If you have any more questions on how to protect your computer equipment during a blackout or a power surge, please contact our surge protection experts today.

Summer is power season, as demand for electric power spikes. Air conditioning and other power demands strain utilities, making brownouts (temporary drops in voltage) and blackouts as common as mosquito bites. Not to mention severe weather events like thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes that can knock out electricity.

For many, these outages are mere inconveniences. But organizations risk losing sensitive data when a sudden power outage knocks computers and servers offline, especially if the power remains out for hours. A surge protector won’t save you from these outages, no matter the time of year.

The first line of defense against brownouts and blackouts is an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which provides continuous power during an outage. But different organizations and different hardware will need different power protections. By understanding power requirements and the types of UPS that are available, you can give your organization the protection it deserves.

Determine your power requirements

Most computers and electronics operate effectively on 90 to 110 percent of their rated input requirements. For example, devices rated for 120 volts work normally at voltages from 108 to 132. When utility power drops below 90 percent, some UPS systems draw electric power from batteries, keeping systems operational. Once the utility power returns to normal, the UPS switches back to utility power output and recharges its battery. In case of a blackout, a UPS will provide power long enough for users to safely shut down equipment, preventing data loss or equipment damage.

But what power protection do you need? Determine your company’s needs by understanding three components of power management: capacity, runtime, and application load.

Capacity describes how much power a UPS system provides. The higher the capacity of the UPS, the more connected equipment it can support, or devices that draw more power. To calculate your required capacity, add up the maximum total power consumption of the devices you expect to connect to the UPS. This total load is the minimum capacity your UPS system should have. Here are a few examples.

• A newer desktop computer will draw 80 to 250 watts; an LCD monitor, additional internal hard drive, or separate graphics card will increase that number.
• External hard drives have a broad range of power consumption; check the requirements for each one before connecting it to a UPS.
• Other devices, such as networking hardware and telecommunications equipment, should be connected to a UPS if they are mission critical.
• Printers should not be connected to UPS systems; their power consumption is very high, and you probably don’t need them when safe shutdown is your top priority.

Runtime is how long a UPS system can support a given load. Every UPS must provide sufficient power long enough for connected devices to shut down without equipment damage or data loss. This can range from a few seconds to several minutes. For example, a connected computer would need at least enough time for the user — or automated UPS software — to save open documents and close applications. If more than one device is connected, the one that takes the longest time to shut down determines the minimum runtime. To continue using equipment during longer outages, users would need a separate power source, such as a generator.

Application refers to voltage and frequency requirements of all devices. Most computers, monitors, and other hardware require 120V AC power at 60 Hz. Ensure that the voltage and frequency of the UPS matches the requirements of all connected devices.

Find a UPS that is right for you

UPS systems are designed as one of three types: standby, line interactive, and double conversion. Each possesses its own advantages and level of protection, and some combination of these three categories will likely cover every device in your IT environment.

Standby. UPS systems with standby topology offer guaranteed power protection for desktop computers, workstations, personal electronics, and home networking/VoIP. They provide simulated sine wave battery backup power during outages, maintain steady voltage during brownouts and blackouts, and offer surge protection against overvoltages and power spikes.

Line interactive. UPS systems with line interactive topology feature automatic voltage regulation (AVR) that corrects minor power fluctuations (brownouts, over voltages, etc.) without switching to the battery. They are used in small- to medium-sized business and home applications to protect computers, servers, networking hardware, and telecom equipment — and to safeguard irreplaceable data.

Double conversion. UPS systems with double conversion topology are always online, converting AC utility power to DC, routing it to the UPS battery and inverting it again to produce clean, isolated power for critical equipment and applications. They deliver the highest levels of protection — providing sine wave output, zero transfer time, and stable frequency. Double conversion systems meet the most demanding requirements of large enterprises.

Stay online when the power is out

Brownouts and blackouts are inconvenient at best, but downright dangerous to your bottom line when they last for hours. At worst, power outages can cause irrecoverable data loss and equipment damage, and result in critical downtime that costs valuable time and money.

In the summer, power outages seem to be as common as backyard cookouts. Of course, they’re a threat no matter the time of year. That’s why you must choose UPS systems that keep equipment secure and devices running smoothly when utility power falters or fails. Get ahead of blackouts or brownouts by asking your SHI account executive about UPS systems today.

Jonah Cagley is the Vice President of Marketing for Cyber Power Systems (USA), Inc., and has been with the company since 2009. Over his career, he has led marketing and communication initiatives for multiple consumer- and business-focused technology companies. Jonah is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and lives in Maple Grove, Minn.

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