Solved Can damage from a electrical surge be delayed?

[groze]

Can damage from a electrical surge be delayed?

My all-in-one computer wouldn’t even turn on for a while.
At first.
Keyboard error (went away)
Bios reloaded
Lost one internal usb port
Lost one Ethernet Port
Lost external 2.0 usb & fax modem
Lost high speed cable Ethernet ports, wireless still works (can exchange modem to use on old computer)

Did the online and offline including bios manufacture test of all the hardware, memory, etc installed all passed. For some reason, none of the test could see the bad Ethernet or bad internal usb port.

Then a lot later,
For some reason, all the USB slots quit after a restored from a backup that I just made. I just hope it will be covered under warranty. Any way to load the reload without a keyboard or a mouse?


I think surge protectors are a joke, the don’t work. Expensive or cheap.

 

[Ranger4]

It certainly looks like the surge has done some damage.
I doubt it will be covered by warranty as power surges usually aren't covered, but certainly worth trying.
Surge protectors are designed to provide reasonable protection, but no surge protector can protect from a major surge, such as lightning strike on or near the power line.

 

[LMiller7]

Surge protectors can be damaged by power spikes with no apparent signs but greatly reduces or nullifies the protection they provide. The device may have been in this state at the time of the incident.

Hardware failures, whatever the cause, don't follow any set of rules. The results of a power surge or spike are unpredictable. Symptoms may not be immediately apparent but appear only at a later time.

 

[Layback Bear]

I had a voltage spike and it took a couple of months before I give up on the computer. Hardware would go bad piece at a time. I finally gave up and got rid of it.
Their are no rules or rhyme or reason. Sometimes nothing bad happens, sometimes everything goes bad and sometimes it take a period of time.

 

[groze]

I am getting a new motherboard along with new ac adapter and they will install the motherboard here at home.. I think it was caused by the power coming back on two quickly or at least it seem that way. What was strange, everything passed the all test before the USB port totally quit. I may have to call Microsoft once I get it working. My other other computer was turned off but either its network card or pci slot got damage, I won't knoe that till later.

 

[ThrashZone]

Yep the majority of fires from electrical shortages are caused by the surge of power coming back on,
This can repeat many times before staying on
Very damaging to electronics/ appliances....

 

[Arelem]

That's why I bought a line conditioner. It evens out smaller power fluctuations and the big ones it softens the dip or spike some. I also have really good APC breakered power strips. The combo has worked for me for 4 years.

 

[bigmck]

Can damage from a electrical surge be delayed?


I think surge protectors are a joke, the don’t work. Expensive or cheap.

When I bought my first big screen TV, I spent $80 on a surge protector. Everything was fine for a few years, but the big surge hit. The surge protector burned, but nothing happened to the TV. I immediately went out and spent big money on another surge protector, they do work.

 

[groze]

My computer windows 7 is working now for the moment.

Bigmck,

Is that surge protector you have one of those line conditioners?

 

[bigmck]

My computer windows 7 is working now for the moment.

Bigmck,

Is that surge protector you have one of those line conditioners?

No, it is just a regular surge protector. I am not sure what a line protector is, but on the box it said Surge Protector. A good one will save you from damage. I stress you have to pay for a good one. The ten dollar ones are not worth even having. A week after the story I told above, I had another surge and again it fried the surge protector and saved the TV. I then decided to call the power company and they came out and repaired some stuff in the line that was causing the surges.

 

[AddRAM]

I use Monster and Tripp-Lite surge protectors, both will repair or replace any damaged equipment connected to them. Thankfully, I`ve never had that problem

http://www.monsterproducts.com/power/Monster_Power.asp

 

[bigmck]

I use Monster and Tripp-Lite surge protectors, both will repair or replace any damaged equipment connected to them. Thankfully, I`ve never had that problem

The two that saved me were Monster brand.

 

[groze]

My computer windows 7 is working now for the moment.

Bigmck,

Is that surge protector you have one of those line conditioners?

No, it is just a regular surge protector. I am not sure what a line protector is, but on the box it said Surge Protector. A good one will save you from damage. I stress you have to pay for a good one. The ten dollar ones are not worth even having. A week after the story I told above, I had another surge and again it fried the surge protector and saved the TV. I then decided to call the power company and they came out and repaired some stuff in the line that was causing the surges.

I thought all surge protectors were made to protect your equipment because they all offer to repair or replace your equipment if the surge protector fails. The only problem is I don't know if the surge came through the cable line, phone line (for faxing), or electric line or all the above.

 

[AddRAM]

When you say cable line, do you mention that because of the ethernet cable coming from your router to your pc ?

That`s an excellent point to bring up, I also keep my router and switches connected to good surge protectors, and the Verizon router never gets switched off.

 

[groze]

When you say cable line, do you mention that because of the Ethernet cable coming from your router to your pc ?

That`s an excellent point to bring up, I also keep my router and switches connected to good surge protectors, and the Verizon router never gets switched off.

Yes, I have one of those combo router/modems that I rent from the cable company.

 

[fireberd]

I used to get into power line problems, including surges, when I was still working as a LAN/WAN Network Manager. I had a wide support area for the network and my hardware help desk techs (all the SSA offices west of the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains). A surge protector, unless it is a high $$ one, generally won't really do much. And, once you get a surge its time to replace the surge protector as it has sacrificed itself and is no longer protecting.

Many times we do not know when we get a surge so about once a year I replace the surge protector power strip I use with my stage music equipment. Murphy's Law has probably struck during the year.

As far as damage, IBM (the contractor we had for the terminal equipment at the offices) has documented many failures that were traced back to problems that happened previously. It may have even been 3 months ago, but it took that long for a component to fail. (Heat failures can be the same way).


I use UPS systems on my PC's and on my HD TV.

 

[Ztruker]

A good UPS is an excellent investment too. Isolates you from the short power dips and outages.

 

[bigmck]

I thought all surge protectors were made to protect your equipment because they all offer to repair or replace your equipment if the surge protector fails. The only problem is I don't know if the surge came through the cable line, phone line (for faxing), or electric line or all the above.

If you get a cheap one for a few dollars, the surge will go right through it. They don't do much. The cheap ones don't guarantee protection. The two I had that fried and stopped the surge put out a humming noise so that I would know that a surge had happened. The strong odor that was put out by the surge protector burning was also a notification.

 

[groze]

I thought all surge protectors were made to protect your equipment because they all offer to repair or replace your equipment if the surge protector fails. The only problem is I don't know if the surge came through the cable line, phone line (for faxing), or electric line or all the above.

If you get a cheap one for a few dollars, the surge will go right through it. They don't do much. The cheap ones don't guarantee protection. The two I had that fried and stopped the surge put out a humming noise so that I would know that a surge had happened. The strong odor that was put out by the surge protector burning was also a notification.

In my city, I never seen a cheap surge protector that offers surge protection but doesn't guarantee protection. No one would buy those. I got the mid range that offers protection but doesn't cost $80.00 U.S. dollars.

 

[bigmck]

None of them are going to replace that $1000 TV that gets blown out. There is a limit on the claims. The expensive one I bought has a $400 limit on claims. If you buy a $20 one, the claim limit will be lower. I wouldn't expect a small purchase to replace an expensive item fully. If your car gets a short in the wiring and burns up, the insurance company will not buy you a new car.