Surge Protectors

[Josephu992]

I have been in the Philippines 6 months and have gone through 3 Mac notebooks. The first from a destroyed modem card. I replace it and it worked. The second from a blank monitor. I plugged it into an external monitor and it still did not work. So I replaced the motherboard. It now works. The third from a blank monitor and since I do not have a spare motherboard, that computer is dead. Is the electricity in the Philippines dangerous and should I use a surge protector? Where can I get an APC UPS? I live in Dagupan City and am a medical student in San Carlos.

[180er]

I don't get it. You had parts of your Mac replaced three times within 6 months?

[Josephu992]

I went to the Philippines with two computers. One that worked the other for spare parts. I figured I would not be able to find spare parts in the Philippines.

[soloworx]

Electricity is dangerous wherever you go, he he !

Anyway, using a surge protector is a wise investment because one can never be sure of the quality of electrical power going to your equipment. Your modem probably got nuked during a lightning storm (they're very sensitive to that). I know that Villman and Octagon carry APC UPS though I'm not sure if they have branches in Dagupan City. When you get one, be sure to get the model that have built-in line conditioners as well.

[badw33d]

buy and use a UPS, then a plug with surge protector in PH. all our equipments retired early when brought and used in PH, but that was before, now we use AVR or w/ surge protector

[aaron]

any good and not so expensive UPS that you guys can recommend?

[ricocamus]

Please note that a UPS does not necessarily give you surge protection - UPS means uninterruptible power supply, a source of power when normal electricity disappears. A surge protector limits the current spikes that might come through the power lines when there is a thunderstorm or other surges.

Another point to make, a power surge can come from many sources, not just the electrical lines: Telephone lines, DSL modems and Cable internet modems are other possible sources of power surges and they can get into your computers modem or ethernet connection to zap your motherboard.

Last point to make: if you do get surge protector, it will only work properly if it is connected to an effective grounding post. If you remove the third prong on the plug (grounding prong) or if the outlet you use is not properly grounded the surge protector is useless. Some outlets might have three prongs, but if you check the grounding socket is not connected.

Safest thing to do is to shut down when you hear the thunder rumbling.

[180er]

Agree. I have an APC UPS. Thought it was the best. It conked out during a fluctuation. Good thing it was still under warranty.

[rafaelc378]

I moved here to the Philippines for Med School in Manila in 2001 and have been here ever since. I've gone from a SONY VAIO desktop to a HP Laptop to another HP Laptop to my current MacBook. The electricity here is rather reliable. Just take the same precautions (I'll write them below) you'd take anywhere.

I've never had any power-related problems with any of the computers I've used (Each new computer was a system upgrade or a gift). I use a locally available (bought at Ace Hardware) Automatic Voltage Regulator and an APC surge protector here at home. When in the hospital or in public places like coffee shops, I've plugged directly into the power outlet. Haven't ever had any power related problems, although if a black/brownout occurs, I remove the plug from the electrical socket or the cord from the laptop as a precaution against spikes in voltage when the power comes back on in those public locations.

[sawtooth]

at home, i plug everything on a extension connector with surge protector then to an AVR... power surges here in the phils are real killers! especially during lightning storms... protect your MAChines bros