Is it reasonable to expect the posibility of "blowing" appliances that remain plugged in during up and down periods of power? If so, I should think this could pose quite a fire threat. Thanks for this forum everyone!

-- Anonymous, November 15, 1998

Answers

Yes, power over and under voltages could cause a lot of damage. Some utility companies offer a service to put a surge protector on your main service into your residence. Check with them. Its usually fairly cheap (< $150).

-- Anonymous, November 15, 1998

Lisa, here's part of one of Ed Yourdon's weekly e-mail advisors from a while back, which dealt with power surges:

"If the monster is real, then what? Some organizations already have backup generators, but as the January 1998 ice storm in eastern Canada demonstrated vividly, very very few have planned for long-term usage of their generators. Some organizations have no backup power, but are financially equipped to spend the money if they believe the problem is sufficiently urgent; on the other hand, the backlogs for scarce supplies will eliminate that option within another few months. Meanwhile, most small and medium-sized businesses have no options at all they lack the finances, the resources, and the conviction to provide long-term alternative power. Assuming that your company is in this situation, let me offer at least one tiny, practical piece of advice - get UPS equipment and the most heavy-duty, industrial-strength surge protectors you can find -- and do it now. Even assuming that we don't have nationwide blackouts for days or weeks on end, it's highly likely that the isolated utility failures will create so many spikes, surges, brownouts, and power fluctuations that it will fry every piece of electrical equipment in your office. It's not just the PCs and networks and laser printers that are at risk -- it's also the fax machines, the phone systems, the typewriters, and everything else that's plugged into the electric socket."

I would say that any good suggestions for businesses would also apply to homeowners. My thanks to R.D. Herring for the tip about contacting our power company. Also, fire extinguishers are readily available for around $20.00 and everyone should have at least one (or more) in their homes, irrespective of potential Y2K problems. With the possibility of year 2000 emergency services disruptions, it's even more important to have one AND a smoke alarm with a fresh battery in it. For those who are anticipating using alternate energy sources, it's also not a bad idea to get a Carbon Monoxide detector - also around $20.00 and available in most places like a Wal-Mart or K-Mart, etc.

-- Anonymous, November 15, 1998

Tampa Electric offers a service called "Zap Cap" which is designed to protect appliances and electronics from surges.It includes a device called a meter-treater, it fits under the power meter to protect from large surges but not lightning.It is intended to protect appliances such as heat pump compressor motor,etc.It also includes familar electronic MOV power strip to protect what is plugged into it.I do not know what componets are used in the meter-treater but the device cuts house power if damaged.The large print gives and the small print takes away,only the value of damaged items is covered not replacement cost.The installation is $35 with a $5.95 a month fee.See http://www.zapcap.com and http://www.metertreater.com.

-- Anonymous, July 16, 1999