Does a UPS provide protection from storms?

[spyguy]

What I mean is if a ups has built in surge protection does it protect from a thunder storm? Im not sure how this works. I know the UPS provides a safe way to shut down in the event of power loss, but I thought I read somewhere that once the UPS is on full battery it provides a kind of barrier to the wall power that protects from electrical spikes experienced during thunder storms. Also, is it safe to operate a pc during a storm as long as the power stays on? Is it possible that small electrical spikes could be occurring that your unaware of, without blowing the surge protector?

 

[Eximo]

"Protects", yes. Surge suppressors should prevent damage to things plugged into it. UPS are really for power sags or outright failures. The capacitors in the UPS can absorb some incoming line irregularities and most do come with suppressors. The battery doesn't do much work when it comes to power delivery. Most UPS have large capacitors that the computer runs off of, there is a switching circuit that detects power failure and switches to the battery. You are not running your computer off the battery under normal conditions.

Nothing can really protect from a direct strike on your homes wiring. The suppressors can help mitigate against the effect of the enormous magnetic field that lightning can make when striking near the power lines. Or when lightning strikes substations, etc. This can cause local failure where the power will spike or sag hugely before going out. (It might not always protect against this)

Coincidentally, I had power interruption on Saturday. (Got a text that said it was caused by an animal, that was new) Pretty sure my Printer is dead, and it was hooked up through a nice APC surge suppressor. When I plug it in all the lights go on and the cooling fan runs with no input from a PC. Doesn't respond to the power button.

I might mess with it tonight and see if APC will cover it if I can't get it working.

 

[Peter Martin]

Get a really good supressor like a Tripp Lite. They guarantee up to $50,000 anything that’s plugged into it that’s damaged by lightning or surge.

Plug your UPS into that and your computer into the UPS

https://www.tripplite.com/isobar-8-outlet-surge-protector-12-ft-cord-3840-joules~ISOBAR8ULTRA/

 

[spyguy]

So are you saying Im no more safe from thunder storms with a ups than a good surge protector? I used to shut down during storms but now that its summer that is way to inconvenient with all the summer storms.

 

[spyguy]

Get a really good supressor like a Triplite 8 port. They guarantee up to $50,000 anything that’s plugged into it that’s damaged by lightning or surge.

Plug your UPS into that and your computer into the UPS

I have a really good Belkin 3560 joule or something around that 3500 mark surge protector.

 

[Peter Martin]

You just get the UPS So that your computer was shut down gracefully in case of a power outage

 

[kanewolf]

So are you saying Im no more safe from thunder storms with a ups than a good surge protector? I used to shut down during storms but now that its summer that is way to inconvenient with all the summer storms.

I use "double conversion" UPS units like the APC Smart-UPS Online models. Those UPS units convert the incoming AC to DC then convert DC back to AC 100% of the time. The output of these UPS units is a constant voltage no matter what the input is. They are expensive, but they are the best protection available.

 

[Eximo]

Certainly the safest route is to unplug the computer when heavy storms are in the area. But Kanewolf's suggestion is the best online protection you can get bar some commercial grade solutions. (Which aren't totally inaccessible, you can get used rack mount UPS for somewhat reasonable sums, just have to get new batteries usually)

On the annoying side of things my printer is indeed dead. Now to decide whether it is worth it to pursue APC to cover a $90 laser printer.

 

[kanewolf]

Certainly the safest route is to unplug the computer when heavy storms are in the area. But Kanewolf's suggestion is the best online protection you can get bar some commercial grade solutions. (Which aren't totally inaccessible, you can get used rack mount UPS for somewhat reasonable sums, just have to get new batteries usually)

On the annoying side of things my printer is indeed dead. Now to decide whether it is worth it to pursue APC to cover a $90 laser printer.

That is exactly what I do. I buy used commercial units on E-Bay. Put new battery packs in, and have the equivalent of a new UPS.