95
Section 8. Optional Equipment and Accessories
79-0030-001 11 January 2001
Surge Protection
A large number of computer and high technology equipment damage is
directly related to AC power and telephone line problems. These
problems can include surges, spikes, noise, interference, and weather-
related problems, which in turn can cause glitches, hang-ups, crashes,
performance slow downs, and down time with computer equipment.
The market is flooded with hundreds of AC power line surge
suppressors advertising high performance surge protection; only a few
of them actually provide adequate protection.
This section provides guidelines for selecting a quality surge suppressor
to be used with your mobile computer, and it helps identify a few
sources for products with acceptable performance.
Selecting the Right Surge Protection
Consider the level of quality you need when selecting a surge
suppressor. This depends on factors such as surge environment, the
type of equipment to be protected, and the quality of the electrical
wiring and service.
Surge Environment
Surge environment refers to the damage potential from electrical surges
in a particular geographical area. A high quality suppressor should be
used if there is frequent lightening activity in the area and the location
service is fed by overhead utility poles. An example of a high surge
environment would be Florida; a low surge environment might be New
York.
Type of Equipment to be Protected
If the computer is equipped with a modem, the modem should also be
surge protected. Protecting the power line without protecting the
modem line provides only partial protection.
All manuals and user guides at all-guides.com
