Power Protection FEATURED ARTICLE

Electric line workers and squirrels are in a battle that is seen by very few, except when the rodents cause a power outage that inconveniences thousands of people. If you think these incidents are isolated, then you’re very much mistaken. In a 100-day period this year they were responsible for 50 power outages in 24 states, wreaking havoc in their demise, because more often than not they perish. The latest incident took place in Schuylkill Haven, PA, when a squirrel caused $20,000 in damages and left 3,000 customers without power.

The squirrel damaged the bushings and insulators, so the power company had to use a temporary solution by transferring power to a different voltage line to restore power an hour later.

This and many other examples is why Minuteman, a power protection and management provider, recommends protecting many of the expensive consumer electronics, computers, and communications devices we use with the right power protection.

Even though the power grid in this country is very reliable, random events such as ill-fated squirrels can permanently damage the products that are plugged in at the time of the incident. 

Because we depend heavily on our computing devices, investing on power protection is not a luxury but a necessity. Whether you are protecting your home or business, the protection protocol should take into consideration the equipment that needs to be protected and how it is used. Computers, servers, peripherals, voice and data communication systems, security systems and other mission-critical equipment all have different requirements.

If the computer is in a home office or business, the data you are working on at the time of the power outage can get lost. Having a computer plugged into a UPS ensures the computer will not shut down if there is a sudden loss of power. The reserve power in the battery lets you save your work, and shutdown properly.

Some of the available options from Minuteman include: Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS); on-line, line interactive and standby systems from 400VA to 24kVA; extended runtime solutions; remote power management tools; Power Distribution Unit (PDU) systems; and surge suppressors.