Getting an UPS (Uninterruptible Power Source) for your computer is something that every computer salesperson will try to offer you as an accessory (and a costly one at that) to your new computer. This is nothing strange, as the computer salespersons try to sell a lot of other unnecessary stuff to go with your computer. Someone might be interested in a high-tech gaming mouse, others will look for loud speakers, or surround system, while everyone will, generally, ignore the UPS systems. The UPS systems seem so technical and unimportant to the average computer, and that is why people constantly pass them up. I thought so, too, until a mishap (or rather a series of mishaps) with my computer happened to me.
What problems with electricity have I had
Where I live, power outages and shortages are not an uncommon thing. Also, the voltage varies greatly during the day. Of course, it is needless to say that my computer does not appreciate this. I’ve had many problems using my computer with daily voltage variations. Not to mention that power outages always happen suddenly, and leave me no time to finish whatever that it was I was working on my computer, be it playing a game and reaching a crucial point, working, or anything else.
For example, one time I was having trouble with starting my computer up. Since I am not a computer hardware expert, or a software expert for that matter, I had no idea why, all of a sudden, my computer wouldn’t start. I was worried that it was some kind of a hardware problem, because getting new computer parts was an expense I did not need at the time. I took the computer to my friend’s house, so that we could look into it together. When I turned my computer at his place, it started perfectly, without a glitch, leaving me scratching my head even further. I knew that the computer servicing company would not take it as nothing was obviously wrong with it. So, when I got home, I decided to check the power outlet, and see if there was anything wrong with it. When I checked the voltage of the outlet, it showed that it was surprisingly low. It stood at 175V, whereas regular power voltage (and the voltage that the computer is intended to run at) is 220V. The computer was useless for the rest of the day, until the voltage stabilized, and I have to admit that that day was pretty lost to me, as I had work to do on my PC.
Another thing that happened to me was that a lightning struck near my house while I was away on vacation. When a lightning strikes nearby, it usually means the death of many electronic devices that you have in your home. The power that runs through the electricity network is much higher then, and a sudden surge of power to electronic devices can burn out anything that is connected to the grid. That’s what happened to my computer, too. I took it to a computer servicing company, and there I was told that my motherboard had been completely fried from the strike. Since the motherboard is the most important computer component, I had to buy a completely new computer, which I would not have to do, had the lightning not struck, because it was working perfectly.
How UPS helped me
When I told the guy at the computer service what kinds of problems with electricity I have been having before, he recommended that I should buy a UPS and it’s replacement battery. I have always thought of it as a waste of money, but then I realized that I really need it. The guy explained the advantages of the UPS to me. For example, I did not know that (aside from the fact that it serves as back-up power to the computer should the electricity run out) the UPS regulates the voltage of the electricity that goes into the computer. The UPS function as an electricity stabilizer is what drew me to it the most.
What I thought would be a costly venture, buying UPS turned out great. Now I no longer have problems with starting up my computer, and I do not fear whether a strong electricity surge will create further expenses for me and my family. I use my computer free of frustrations now, since I know that it will always start up, and I know that, should the power run out, I’ll have time to finish whatever I started doing. In any case, it is much better to buy a UPS, than to buy new computer components all the time.