[nylug-talk] Cleaning dirty power

[mbac@netgraft.com]

On Wed, 7 Jun 2006 9:48 am, Randy Rodriguez wrote:
> This discussion brings to mind an issue I'm having at my place.  The
> *entire* apartment is powered off of a SINGLE 15 amp circuit.  That's
> right, the 'fridge, microwave, TV, computers, wall sockets, lights,
> etc.  All of it.  We've become very careful about what's drawing
> current at any given time, but my question is would having my boxen on
> a UPS prevent the fuse from blowing when, for example, the 'fridges
> compressor kicks in?  It doesn't do so now (tho there is a visible
> sag, e.g. the lights dim), but if I had the microwave running and all
> my machines powered up and the compressor started up, it probably
> would.

You just made me feel rich with my 2 20amp circuits.

I think a UPS would not change your power demands.  You should get one 
anyway.

A decent one would protect your gear from power drops*, brown outs and 
also let you do clean shutdowns if you do trip a breaker.  Also, it's 
getting to be ACs running 24/7 season.  I don't know about you, but 
those split-second power outages that cause monitors to wink out and 
then zap right back to life scramble MY nerves.

* don't let their innocent names fool you, they are much more 
destructive than total outages. Smelling smoke and dead PCs and all.  I 
never used to be a believer.