Do you use a surge protector?

I never used one for any of my past laptops or current laptops. So I would like to know if you use or have used one and do you recommend it?

 

You mean one of these?


On a serious note, I don't see the need if your house has a trip switch. I don't use one and never even thought of using one. The PSU should prevent any surges reaching the laptop I hope.

 

Spoiler

I have never had issues with electric surges or anything, however I use a surge at home to protect my $1500+ laptop just in case. never hurts to be careful. I also have all my peripherals plugged into the surge as well so it keeps everything semi clean.

 

This is the one I use. At least I'm pretty sure its this model. It's more for saving me some standby power drain than anything, but better to play it safe.

Spoiler

Monster GreenPower™ HDP 900G PowerCenter™

I like it because I have my M17x R2 hooked up to the "Green Outlet." The surge protector has 3 other outlets connected to the Green outlet. So when I turn on my R2, it powers on the other three outlets. On that is my Audio Reciever, Printer, and an external HDD. So when I hit the power button on my computer, everything else turns on as well. It's pretty neat. And when I shut down the system, when the system shuts off, everything shuts off.

 

It depends, if you live in an area with fluctuating electricity, power failures/blackouts or lots of thunderstorms then yeah. better be safe than sorry.

power surges also occurs on telephone lines and network lines. but more commonly on powerlines.

 

Here up north, electric surge is way tooooooooo powerful and often. I use one.

I live in a high rise and the surge fried my desktop PSU once... Later they added some "protection" in the building but only cause black outs and more surge...

Guessing old wire is to blame.

After all, unless you have or are on a unstable gride as I have now, surge protestion is really not necessary. I never used one back when I was in school and living in dorms where power is more stable.

 

Ever since I had lightning strike my house and wipe out two desktops I've always used one.

I always figure its cheaper to replace a $50 dollar surge protector, then a 2000+ computer.

Again it depends on the area like everyone is saying

 

as everyone sez' .... surge protector all the way

 

I recently got the belkin 6 plug SP from dell during the black friday sale. 9.99 CAD and free shipping. Awesome deal I'd say. It works great as well. We had a surge last night and nothing happend to my R3.

 

Nope I don't use one, and I will never use one either.

Things are pretty stable in the UK but everything is a rip-off unfortunately..

 

A surge protector comes in handy if you have a power cut, as when the power is restored there can be a surge of power that can damage your electronics, I have surge protectors on all my electronics two on my notebook.

If you have a power cut, good advice is to turn off the master switch on the consumer unit, till after the power has been restored and then turn it back on.

 

I bought a portable 2 outlet belkin surge protector on sale for $2.99 shipped. I mean we dump thousands of dollars into these laptops...so there should be no question as to whether or not you should use a surge protector. The reality is the odds are small anything will happen, but if it does, say bye bye laptop

 

I have a combo APC 330 watt UPS/surge protector combo, everybody should.

 

I also use surge protectors for anything of value. Nothing fancy, but named brands only - APC and Tripp-Lite

 

Hmm according to the comments well Ill buy one. I mean everything like tv, ps3 and etc are on a surge protector. Just wanted to know if u guys use them. Any body use this? Im interested on buying it.

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Mini-S...YMVO/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1323397624&sr=8-7

 

Most people need a power strip for multiple outlets anyway, so why not combine it with a surge protector? It can't hurt, and it might save the day if disaster strikes.

 

I have a powerstrip surge protector behind my tv its a 8 ports and its full. I would like a small one because it will be visible and I dont want it to look all messy.

 

I wouldn't dare plug anything in that's not going through at least a surge protector and preferably a UPS.
I live in Florida though, and we only recently discovered the magic of electricity here.

 

A surge protector is very cheap insurance for something that happens more than once in a blue moon. People like to throw extra RAM into their computers whether or not it helps since it's cheap; why not do the same for something that could save your computer?

 

I was considering this one. It was 19.99 shipped on Dell website and a little bit more on other sites like Newegg back when I ordered my laptop. This should be sufficient even for travelling. Good choice.

 

Get the surge protector.

Brother decided that since the light was out although it was turned on he'd just flip the power switch on and off with my brand new Area 51 Alienware M17-R1's power brick sharing the same outlet that the light was plugged into. Power supply was killed by the time I could yell at him to stop, battery in laptop shortly after also had to be replaced. $250 repair bill to fix it, which could get me surge protectors for a lifetime...

Always be prepared, expect the unexpected, etc. No amount of money will ever give you back the time lost for something like the above happening because you weren't ready.

 

Guys, this is the same one i have, but with 2 outlets instead of 3...i paid $2.99 for it

 

I think a better solution is something with a voltage regulator/ups built in. Filter out some of the static comming in from you wall and any potential brown outs that could hurt your other equipment too (such as the tv).

Power strips in general are a great way to turn everything off at once as well (say, leaving the house for a couple days).

 

Lol... stop bragging SlickDude .

 

Seriously, you think anyone catches stack overflow exceptions? Even the linux kernel can't cope with that!

But on the surge protector front -- yes -- get one, UK or elsewhere. I've had things fried by lightning strikes, which sure, may never happen again, and possibly the surge protector might not cope, but for the minimal cost on top of that of an N way adapter you might as well get one.

 

I most deff have to use surge protector. My apartment was struck by lightening and fried my dvd player, tv, and wife's cellphone. My old alienware m9700 was on a strip and was still on after that happened. Btw the building maintenance pulled all my wiring and replaced the jump boxes after that.

 

LOL...i'm not bragging. I'm just telling you guys that $20 is way too much cash for that portable surge unit

 

I use the MDP 900 by monster. You can find them for $40-60 is you shop hard enough. I had an HDP 900 take a surge while I was traveling and it saved me two laptops, phones, ipod, ipad, etc. The surge actually blew EVERYTHING else in the hotel room that wasn't connected to it. They also clean the noise which will add to stability and help increase batter life. They are great outside of an APC unit.

 

I see there is a little misinformation going around here...

A surge suppressor is very basic in the protection it offers. It will *NOT* protect you from a direct lightning strike, period. The arc of lightning has traveled through thousands of feet of air from cloud to ground, and it can most certainly jump circuits in your home without hesitation.

Second, a surge suppressor is not instantaneous, there is a response time involved before your surge protector can react to a spike in power that may not be fast enough to "catch" a surge before damage is done; especially in cheaper units whose dollar value can be counted on 1 (or even 2) hand(s).

Do some research and spend the cash on a good power strip, you did after all spend it on a good laptop. And get some form of property insurance.

For more reading feel free to browse:

Lightning Myths - Surge protectors and UPS devices provide total lightning protection :: Storm Highway Weather Library
Surge protector - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Hope that helps!

 

Yea, the are costly, but at the time I worked at bestbuy and got it for <$40 which makes me wish I had grabbed a few more of them

 

I have surge protectors all over my house: tv, xbox, laptop,...

It's cheap to put one on all room.

 

A couple of years back I lost a laptop to a power surge. Since then I have my tech stuff on surge protectors whenever I can.

 

how did that happen?

 

Surge -> Laptop -> Motherboard -> A few other components. It happened as the power came back on from a blackout. Heard a bit of a pop from my laptop, and it wouldn't boot after that.

Laptop was out of warranty, and I wasn't bothered eBaying for replacement components, so I just sold off what was still functional.

 

I heard that if you have a power cut, it is best to turn of the main power switch to the house, to stop your electrics/electronics devices from being damaged, in case of a power surge when it comes back on.

 

Damage created when power is restored is same as a surge when switching on that appliance. Worse is that normal power on since the voltage increase is immediate. When power is restored to a neighborhood, then voltage rises slowly (less stressful to electronics) because all appliances are being powered.

Like most posters, you heard. Therefore it must be true? It is called a surge protector. That proves it does surge protection? Total nonsense.

Two completely different devices exist - both called surge protectors. One adjacent to an appliance will somehow stop what three miles of sky could not? Advertising says so. So it must be true. That silly little 2 centimeter part will stop surges? More total nonsense.

However, read the manufacturer's specs. Numbers are critically important. A potentially destructive surge is hundreds of thousands of joules. How is that absorbed by a protector that is only hundreds or a thousand joules? Myths exist because someone said so - and without even one number. We call that hearsay or junk science.

A completely different device - also called a protector - means even direct lightning strikes do not cause damage. Effective protectors earth even direct lightning strikes. And do not fail. Grossly undersized (ineffective) protectors are damaged by surges. That power strip protector fails so that the naive will recommend it.

An effective 'protector' has some essential features. First, it must connect low impedance (ie 'less than 3 meters') to single point earth ground. What harmlessly absorbs hundreds of thousands of joules? Earth ground. What does not exist with power strip protectors? Earth ground. Why did so many recommend that adjacent (power strip) protector? They ignored numbers. Did not ask what happens to hundreds of thousands of joules. They simply recited what hearsay and urban myths told them to believe. Manipulating the majority with junk science is that easy.

If your computer needs protection, then so do appliances that contain even less protection such as the furnace, dimmer switches, refrigerator, all clocks, and the most critical item - smoke detectors. Earth one 'whole house' protector so that superior protection already inside every appliance is not overwhelmed. And remember - no protector does protection. Either the effective 'whole house' protector connects massive energy harmlessly to earth. Or that other power strip protector only claims to protect from other surges that typically cause no damage.

How to get the naive to recommend an ineffective product? Undersize it. Then a surge too tiny to overwhelm protection inside the computer also destroys that undersized and much more expensive (Tripplite or Belkin) protector. Failure gets the naive to recommend it and buy more.

An honest recommendation always says where surge energy dissipates. If connected to earth outside a building (ie via a 'whole house' protector), then everything is protected. Then superior protection already inside each appliance is not overwhelmed. However if invited inside, then that surge goes hunting for earth ground destructively via appliances and power strip protectors. Only the homeowner makes that decision. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. And that all so important low impedance (ie 'less than 10 foot') connection to earth.