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Priorities
AC Power Lines and Phone Lines, being the longest lines entering your premises,
are most likely to be subjected to lightning or man-made spikes, surges,
transients and interference somewhere along their length. And that damaging,
disrupting pollution walks right down the lines into your equipment.
Efforts to combat the spike and interference threat should address AC power,
modem-fax-phone lines, data lines, control lines as well as network, video and
monitor cables.
Most damage is suffered on power line connected equipment. Since almost all
equipment connects to AC power somewhere, it is wise to install a high
performance transient-spike-surge suppressor and quality interference filter at
the point equipment connects to the AC line. Improved performance, reduced down
time, lowered repair costs and extended equipment life will more than pay for
the slight added cost of high performance, quality protection.
Modem and Fax equipment is predominantly phone line connected. Phone lines
spikes, transients and surges rank slightly behind AC power lines for number of
hits suffered. Since modems, phones and fax machines are relatively low cost,
monetary damages are generally lower. If down time, lost productivity and repair
costs are factored in, a damaged modem may take on considerable value. Again,
relatively small additional cost for high quality modem/fax/phone protectors
will purchase longer equipment life, reduced down time and improved performance.
A Very Important Point
Reduced down time and longer equipment life have been mentioned several times as
reasons to consider high quality protection equipment.
Why?
Spikes, surges and transients show up on power, phone, video, data and control
lines all the time.
Luckily, immediate catastrophic damage seldom occurs.
Unluckily, equipment components are overstressed by each high
voltage spike or surge. Each overstress incident can cause minute component
deterioration, ultimately resulting in failure. Here, again, high performance
suppressors (on power, phone/modem line, data, video, etc) will reduce or
eliminate the damaging impact of overstress.
In summary, we have shown you over the past tutorial segments numerous factors
that contribute to creating an unfriendly operating environment in which your
equipment is expected to function.
Next Time
Our next tutorial installment will discuss - Some Solutions - showing
commercially available products, with extensive discussion on characteristics
and specifications to expect in high performance units
<<< Back To Part 2
To Part 4 >>>
About the Author:
F. J. Stifter is the president of
Electronic Specialists Inc., a company that was founded in 1971 to
develop and market protectors and interference control products for High
Tech equipment. Electronic Specialists develop an extensive array of high
tech equipment enhancement products, with primary focus on high performance
systems requiring high level interference filtering and total spike surge
suppression.
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