Power Information

Normal AC power will be a “clean” sine wave. Any deviations of the sine wave, commonly called power problems, could interrupt the operation of your critical equipment. If the power problem is severe enough or lasts long enough, damage to your equipment could occur.  

To help understand power problems, here is an overview of common power problems and their consequences, and how they can be avoided.

Transients

Transients are instantaneous voltage spikes. Transients can be commonly caused by lightning strikes or when electrical loads are switched on or off. These events can destroy electronic circuitry and corrupt stored data.

SOLUTION: UPS, power conditioner or surge suppressor with transient spike suppression.

Surges and Overages

Surges are short term (<1 minute) increases in voltage. Overvoltages are longer term (>1 minute) increases. These are commonly caused by large electrical load changes and from utility power line switching. These events can seriously damage electrical equipment.

SOLUTION: UPS or power conditioner with surge and overvoltage protection.

Sags and Undervoltage

Sags are short term (<1 minute) decreases in voltage. Undervoltages are longer term (>1 minute) decreases. These commonly occur when other loads on the power system are started or by faults on the utility power system. These events can cause malfunctions or sudden shutdowns in computer or process control equipment.

SOLUTION: UPS or power conditioner with sag or undervoltage protection.

Outages

Loss of power usually caused by faults on the utility power system, such as broken power lines, blown fuses, or tripped breakers. Outages can cause unexpected and potentially damaging shutdown of all electrical equipment.

SOLUTION: UPS for critical computers or networked systems that allows orderly equipment shutdown or continuous operation as needed.

Noise

Noise is an unwanted high-frequency signal on the electrical voltage waveform. Noise is commonly caused by loads such as welders or radio transmitters on the power system, or by faults on the utility power system. These events can cause unexpected equipment malfunction or damage.

SOLUTION: UPS, power conditioner or isolation transformer with noise-filtering capabilities.

Harmonic Distortion

Harmonic Distortion is the alteration of normal voltage or current waveforms caused by adding frequencies other than the standard (60 hertz) frequencies. These frequencies could be generated by other equipment such as variable-speed drives, lighting ballasts, and power supplies. These events can cause unexpected equipment malfunction or damage due to overheating.

SOLUTION: UPS or power conditioner with bi-directional harmonics filtering.

Frequency Variations

Frequency Variations are changes in the AC line frequency. Frequency variations are typically caused by changes in the speed of on-site generators due to load changes. These events can cause unexpected equipment malfunction or damage.

SOLUTION: UPS with frequency detection capabilities.

Why should you worry about Power Problems?

Even the smallest disruption in electrical power can cause damage to a computer, a network, or other sensitive electronic equipment, such as point-of-sale and process-control equipment. At the very least, power problems can cause unexpected shutdowns and damage equipment. At its worst, "bad power" can cause data loss or destroy equipment.

What are the consequences of Power Problems?

Even minor power problems can cost you money. Any time a power interruption delays work in progress, valuable time is lost, and lost time means lost money. More serious—and expensive—is the fact that power problems can not only corrupt critical data files, but they can permanently damage computers, networks, and precision electronics.

How can Power Problems be avoided?

Always connect your sensitive electronic equipment to power conditioners, surge protectors, or for the best protection, a UPS. Problems such as blackouts cannot be eliminated, but the damage they cause can be prevented with a UPS, which maintains a steady flow of power until the system can be safely, automatically shut down.

Which LPC UPS should I use?

Choosing the right UPS can be as simple as determining which power problems you would like to prevent from affecting or damaging your equipment. Use the table below to select the best level of protection for you.

	Legend	Lineage	Herytage
Outage	*	*	*
Surge	*	*	*
Sag	*	*	*
Undervoltage		*	*
Overvoltage		*	*
Noise			*
Transient			*
Frequency Variation			*
Harmonic Distortion			*