Protecting PC from Voltage Surges While Running Without UPS

I use a surge suppressor & a UPS on my computer. I also use this combination when running the computer from my 7.5KW back up generator which is petrol powered & does not have sine wave output. In fact the voltage & frequency do vary slightly depending on the load on the generator, but this have never been a problem with the computer & it works perfectly.

I also run a 50" plasma Panasonic TV from the same generator & it works perfectly as well, so I am inclined to think that too much is being made by sine wave output generators. The fridge, kettle, toaster, all the lights & the cordless phone also work on the generator.

Most devices that incorporate intricate electronics use a transformer & rectifier to convert the AC current to DC usually about 3-12 volts. Also a lot of hand held devices use batteries that slowly drop in voltage as they are used so constant voltage on these devices is not a problem.

The most damaging things for electronic equipment are voltage spikes from electrical storms & bad power authority switching systems. A lightning strike nearby to you that hits the power line will very likely blow most of your electric equipment that is not disconnected from the power.

Luiz, mine is the same as yours so I can run the whole house including the Air Conditioner, stove, microwave etc., not necessarily all at once though. Of course the water heater is not included. I get a lot of electrical power outages here from storms & other failures.

Thanks for pointing out my mistake on sine wave. I was really trying to point out the variation of generator load & speed causing changes in voltage & frequency.

Just as an interesting side note my microwave has a clock that it tied to main frequency, hence it is very accurate. However, when using the generator it tends to gain slightly, indicating a slightly higher frequency than the mains.

Also we have 240 volts 50 Hertz power here.