[SOLVED] Local power shorts to ground does it hurt my computer?

[allewyn]

My area has many "pop offs" where the power goes suddenly off due to a short to ground somewhere in the local area grid, and then comes right back on (usually). Causes my computer to restart, sometimes not successfully, but I lose everything I was doing. When it's unsuccessfull I have to flip off the main PSU switch then back on and press power button. I think i have a surge arrestor inline. Do these sudden offs (pop offs) hurt my computer?

 

[hang-the-9]

Yes power issues can easily damage the power supply and thus the rest of the computer. You should look into getting a UPS to use to keep the system from shutting off this way, it will run off the battery long enough so you can properly shut the computer down.

 

[allewyn]

Yes power issues can easily damage the power supply and thus the rest of the computer. You should look into getting a UPS to use to keep the system from shutting off this way, it will run off the battery long enough so you can properly shut the computer down.

Ok, sometimes the power just flickers off then back on too. It still shuts down the comp and I worry about the SSD.

 

[mdd1963]

The term 'short to ground' is not the same as a short term power outage...; things being shorted to ground without circuit breakers or fuses to interrupt such a catastrophe typically results in melted wiring, explosions, blown transformers, and often lengthy outages repairing the damage.

(as many people associate the word 'short' with electrical issues, folks around the world often mistakenly refer to what is actually an electrical 'open' as being a 'short'....)

Neither is good for a PSU or system, however....especially a rapid fire power drop off /or brown out and then reapplication of full power.

Best to get a quality UPS to shield your system from this unreliable AC power input carnage...

 

[Ralston18]

And do contact your electrical/power service provider. Get your neighbors to do the same.

Consider that no one may be actually reporting the problems with the thought being someone else has or will do so.

However, if the electrical service provider is simply ignoring the problem - then that is a different matter.

Either way I agree: get a UPS if at all possible.

But start pressing the service provider in any way possible to get the "pop-off" problem resolved.

 

[hang-the-9]

flickers off then

Ok, sometimes the power just flickers off then back on too. It still shuts down the comp and I worry about the SSD.

More than just your disk can get hurt, yes you may get data corruption or disk will go bad, but every part in your computer can be damaged with power issues.

 

[allewyn]

More than just your disk can get hurt, yes you may get data corruption or disk will go bad, but every part in your computer can be damaged with power issues.

OK I bought a UPS I think will suit me. Thanks for all your help