Spike Protection

[Anonymous user]

Have an APC PH8T3. Computer plugged into it. We lost power ever so briefly. Computer not on. Turned it on, working fine. Windows crashes. Reboot, but P/S DEAD. Brint the P/S to a certified E.T., he tests it, all the components are dead. Get a new P/S, computer up and running fine.

New service panel to within a year, line to computer tested by certified electrition.

E.T. tells me a POWER SPIKE.

1. APC Green Light protection still lit.
2. Same situation may have happened on another computer, but hard to tell as it was an e-mash!t (generic surge protector).

E.T. and Electrition tell me to get a SPIKE PROTECTOR, but all I can find are Surge Protectors. What is the best solution (UPS?). Any insight would be appreciated.

[Anonymous user]

Hello,

Our surge protectors are designed to handle incoming voltage spikes. If there has been damaged equipment that was plugged into an APC surge device, we can file an Equipment Protection Policy claim, to see if APC can help with any monetary reimbursement. This process would involve testing the surge device to determine the root failure, if any.

If you are looking for a Voltage Regulation device, we have our Line Regulator products, LE600 and LE1200, or our SmartUPS line has Automatic Voltage Regulation that can correct over and under voltages.

Thanks.

[BillP]

Once a large surge or spike enters the APC surge Arrest, the unit will attempt to shunt to ground. If the spike or surge is very large, the device will scarify it's self (fail open). If a spike large enough to damage your computer's power supply came through the PH8T3, I would have expected it to damage the Surge Arrest, not your CPU.

Since the Surge Arrest appears to still be fully functional, I would then think that the computer was left on. When the power failed, the computer's power supply was damaged as a result of the sudden loss power.
This is an odd one, as you've indicated the computer was actually off during the loss of power. We can rule this out as a possibility.

If you have another unit which may have been damaged, then we're back to looking at the surge or spike from utility.

I believe the Spike Protector the E.T. was referring to, would be similar to APC's Panel Mount Surge Arrest.

http://www.apc.com/products/family/index.cfm?id=174

The PMP1X is a 120/240V 40kA/ph, perfect for a typical 100amp House Hold electrical Panel. This device would install directly into your home's electrical panel and would provide you with a first line of defense against those surges and spikes, which may find their way into your home electrical system.

It is still recommended you use individual surge arrests at your individual electrical components, as the PMP1X operates in parallel to incoming power and will still continue to allow power to flow into the home electrical system, if it becomes damaged from a spike. The only other alternative to operating in parallel would be series. If the device failed in series, it would remove all power from your home. You can see why parallel is the only option.

[Anonymous user]

Can you kindly tell me how would one know if the surge protector is actually damaged?

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

Hi lurasi, our surge devices typically have a small led that will be lit green when there are active and working properly. If the device were to take some sort of hit, the led light would turn off. (this is a general guideline but may change based on the specific unit we are talking about). Hope this helps.