Power Disturbances
There are two unfortunate realities of the electronics age; the utility simply cannot provide the clean, consistent power demanded by sensitive electronic equipment, and the user is ultimately responsible for the health and safe operation of his equipment.
It is believed that 80% of all computer and electronics malfunctions are the result of power problems, the majority of which are in the form of sags, spikes and power line noise. Most fluctuations last 10 seconds or less, but can cause damage to hardware and lead to data loss or irretrievable corruption. The following is a glossary of common power problems :
Spikes: Short bursts of high voltage on the mains supply, often caused by network switching operations. Lightning strike is also a significant cause, generating spikes up to 3000 Volts.
Result: Seriously fried kit!
Transients: Low-amplitude, regular fluctuations in the supply waveform, caused by air conditioners, photocopiers, machine tools, lifts and other office equipment.
Result: Component damage, memory loss, operating errors, program corruption.
Brown-outs: Reduction in mains voltage, usually caused by high demand on the mains supply and typically occurring at peak times.
Result: Reduction in equipment performance, particularly speed, with possible damage to electric motors such as disk drives, CPU-Resetting - resulting in data loss, program files corruption, hard disk damage.
RFI: High frequency noise caused by the operation of arc welders, microwave radiation, broadcast transmissions and the noise caused by any electric motor due to commutators sparking.
Result: Various faults in operation of equipment, for example data error readings on drives & monitor blanking.
Sags/Surges: Under- and over-voltage fluctuations caused by heavy equipment using the same supply, line faults, or generators.
Result: General wear and tear on equipment & possible damage.
Drop-outs: Temporary cutout caused by faults on the electric network, switching operations or a motor starting.
Result: General equipment malfunction, damage to hardware & data / program corruption.
Frequency Variations: Caused by user's generators out of synchronization with the network.
Result: Problems with disk drives and possible effects on logic and timing circuits.
PowerFailure: When mains supply fails, either through a power cut by the utility company or utility distribution fault or internally when a fuse or circuit breaker trips.
Result: Complete shutdown of systems with possible memory loss, long restart times after uncontrolled shutdown, corruption of data, general damage to the system. This does not have to happen! Many solutions are available to the user, ranging from surge/EMI filters to AC voltage stabilisers. For a better solution though you need an Unintruptible Power Supply (UPS) that can take care of most, if not all your power problems.
