If a surge protector or UPS is properly configured and connected to appropriate devices, the manufacturer will compensate you for any equipment damaged or destroyed in the event of a surge protector or UPS failure, or in the event of more serious power surges that overwhelm the capacity of the unit. Many surge protectors and UPS systems come with limited insurance policies offered by the manufacturer. Therefore, read the technical specifications of a UPS carefully before purchasing to ensure that it will meet your needs and take care in setting it up so that your most critical devices are attached to battery-backup outlets.Īnother factor to consider is financial compensation. The rest of the outlets provide only surge protection. Many UPS devices, especially those targeted at consumers, only provide battery backup (and thus the benefits of both high and low power regulation) via one or two outlets.

Those interested in purchasing a UPS should note that not every outlet provides battery backup power. This, of course, is in addition to the benefit of keeping a computer functional during a power loss.

Because the battery is technically powering the devices at all times, the power levels are delivered in proper and steady amounts, regardless of what happens to the power coming from the wall.Ī surge protector can therefore be thought of as providing protection from excessive levels of electricity only, while a UPS provides protection from both excessive and insufficient levels of electricity. In simplistic terms, the UPS receives electricity from the wall, passes it through the battery, and then feeds it to connected devices. However, the use of a battery also means that the devices connected to a properly-functioning UPS will receive steady voltage and current in the event of a brownout or blackout. Many people recognize the benefit of a UPS as providing extra power in the event of a blackout, giving a user time to save their work and shut down or keeping a computer running throughout the blackout if the UPS battery is large enough or the blackout lasts only a short time. If too much voltage reaches a device, it can permanently damage or destroy it.Īn example of a consumer-grade UPS from APC.Ī UPS provides protection against surges as well, but also includes a built-in battery with varying capacity based on model.

Electronic equipment, especially sensitive equipment such as a computer or a hard drive, is designed to operate within a certain power range. Surge protectors provide protection by dissipating any excess power (surges) and preventing it from reaching your connected devices. To start, let’s identify the difference between standard surge protectors and a UPS.

Uninterruptible power supply for mac