Ever spend hours working on a project only to be confronted with the blue screen of death? It might have been caused by a power quality issue. Despite protecting your electronics with antivirus software, spyware blockers, monitoring software and more, many companies overlook the importance of power quality analysis. Surges, blackouts and other issues can cause serious damage to your electronics.
If your devices suffer unexpected downtime, data loss and other issues, you might have a power quality issue. Read on to learn what computer power quality is in Upland, CA.
Why is power quality important?
Having a steady, uninterrupted power supply is the key to avoiding downtime and annoying glitches. Most power-related issues are caused by blackouts, surges, sags and occasionally surges over 200 volts. Spikes and surges cause problems with electronics; they interfere with their ability to function logically. This causes fatal system errors and frozen screens, leading to a frustrating amount of downtime.
At home, you probably won’t notice much issue with a spiking or lagging power supply—but when you work at a medical facility, industrial complex or other facility with a high electrical load, these problems are much more dramatic. They also detract from energy efficiency and will damage sensitive equipment.
Power quality can be disrupted in several different ways. For example, network imbalances occur when there’s a variation in the system’s load, while voltage variations (blackouts, surges, brownouts and more) occur when the voltage dips lower or surges higher than the normal state. Lines can also flicker (which often happens during welding or while using shredders). All of these occurrences and more will disrupt the steady power supply and can cause equipment to malfunction. When you’re working with critical equipment, this can actually be a matter of life and death.
How can you solve power quality issues?
One way to solve power quality problems is to install a power conditioner. This equipment helps deliver a smooth electrical supply to your equipment by regulating the AC line. Alternatively, voltage regulators can monitor the lines and prevent impulses, correct power factors and suppress noise. Each piece of equipment is available in different size and load types, so that you can monitor the electrical load no matter how small or large your facility may be.
You can also use an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) as a backup when the line voltage drops beneath a critical level—and in major facilities like hospitals, they’re required. However, blackouts are relatively rare when it comes to power quality issues. Be sure you have backup power supplies available, but keep in mind that for the smaller issues like noise and surges, you’ll need a power conditioner or voltage regulator.
Ham’s Electric, Inc. provides computer power quality analysis and solutions in Upland, CA. We are pleased to serve clients throughout southern California, offering installation, maintenance and repairs, as well as 24/7 availability to assist with emergency situations—get in touch with us today for assistance. We look forward to working with you soon.