subject: 3 Easy Tips To Protect Your Equipment From Power Surges [print this page] 3 Easy Tips To Protect Your Equipment From Power Surges
Just imagine this, you have just purchased the very latest high-quality and you have invited all of your friends around for the grand opening. You have chosen a favourite film to watch and you have served drinks and snacks to your guests who are eagerly awaiting the start of the film and the real home theatre experience.
Although there is a storm brewing outside, you are safe and sound in your lounge room and you press the play button. Suddenly a lightning bolt cracks through the sky, your power fails and then momentarily restores itself, but something is wrong, something is terribly wrong. Your television does not work, the DVD player fails to load and you are receiving nothing but a crackling noise from your brand-new speakers.
Fortunately, although this situation is rare you can imagine the anguish you will feel, not to mention the costs, at having to replace your brand-new home theatre. But you do not have to go through this problem if you have taken adequate precautions to prevent the problems of power surge. Many modern homes already have power surge protectors installed for the home wiring system but this may not always be adequate to protect sensitive equipment like a home theatre.
Let's look at some things you can do so you never have to face the problem.
Unplug. It almost doesn't need to be stated but if you unplug your equipment during a storm, you won't have any problems. The issue here is that if you have equipment which has left turned on after you have gone out, you will need to remember to switch everything off at the wall before you leave. Every time you leave.
Install a Specific Surge Protector. If you don't want to go to the expense of installing a surge protection circuit for your entire house, you can purchase particular protectors for each individual appliance you wish to safeguard. Bear in mind that the intensity of a power surge will vary according to the intensity of the storm.
Protect Your Entire Home. An electrician can install and appropriate surge protection device that will protect the circuitry in your entire house thereby giving you the best of all worlds. Remember that it is not possible to protect against direct lightning strikes and in any case this should be protected by your home and contents insurance policy.
Another reason for considering power surge protection, apart from the damage caused by storm or lightning strike, is that there may be natural power surges due to fluctuations in the electricity supply during times of peak demand. In Australia, this is most common during summer when air-conditioners and refrigerators are at maximum usage.
If you really want to go all out to preserve the integrity of your home theatre system, you may find greater comfort in purchasing specific power surge protection at a much higher level than any of the above options.
Some products have been specifically developed for the home theatre market and you can have this installed at the same time as yourTV installation.
