power surges Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Do surge suppressors really work?

Posted on July 8, 2023

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Ana: I bought a new iMac from Best Buy a couple of years ago.

I also bought a surge suppressor to go with it because the salesman said it would prevent the computer from being damaged by lightning.

We had a thunderstorm last night and our power went off. It came back on a couple of hours later but now my TV, dishwasher and iMac are all dead. None of them will do anything when I turn them on.

My question is, do surge suppressors really work?

[Read more…]

Protect everything in your home with a ‘Whole House Surge Suppressor’

Posted on June 27, 2022

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

If your home is like most others these days it probably has surge suppressors plugged into the outlets that are powering a sensitive electronic device.

And some homes have one plugged into every outlet.

These portable surge suppressors are fine for protecting your computer equipment, flat panel TVs and other devices from moderate power surges.

However, if your incoming power line gets struck by lightning or a strong power surge you will likely be replacing many of those items the very next day. [Read more…]

Q&A: Did I just completely fry my PC?

Posted on April 22, 2022

Question from Theresa: Hi, Rick. I’m really upset this morning because my computer was damaged due to a bad electrical outlet.

What happened was I hired an electrician to install an electrical outlet in my new sunroom so I could move my computer out there.

As soon as I plugged the computer in and turned it on I heard a loud POP and now I can’t get either the computer or monitor to come on.

My brother stopped by and checked the outlet and found that it has 238 volts on it instead of 120.

I have two questions: [Read more…]

Q&A: How can I prevent my water pump from destroying my electronic devices?

Posted on February 26, 2018

Question from Anita K.: About 2 years ago I bought an old farmhouse that’s located way out in the country.

I love living here, but I have a serious problem that I hope you can help me find a solution for.

I get my water from a well, and every time the pump turns on my lights dim and other strange things happen.

I don’t know why but it’s causing my light bulbs to blow on a regular basis. I’ve also lost three TVs (all used if that makes a difference), several phone chargers, a wireless router and two computers.

Needless to say, I need to get this fixed as soon as possible. I called an electrician and they want $85 just to come out and check it.

I’m hoping you can tell me what I need to do. What do you think is causing it, and how can I fix it?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]