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Surge Protector?
#11
RE: Surge Protector?
I think spending the money on a UPS system for a CPAP is a little overkill. They're expensive and you only get 15 minutes or so of power before they shut off.

Instead get a good surge suppressor power strip or outlet. And like someone above said, make sure it is a surge protector and not just a power strip.

When I travel, I use a small one that also has two USB ports. I talked about it here:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...for-travel
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#12
RE: Surge Protector?
(11-26-2013, 12:50 AM)justMongo Wrote: The basic component of a surge protector is a Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV.) They look like a ceramic capacitor. They clamp voltage spikes by changing their resistance when over-volted.
All electronics have surge protection. Protectors (MOVs) are not always used to provide that protection.

How good is that protection? Some lesser protected devices include dimmer switches, clocks, and GFCIs. How often are you replacing them every day? A problem with so many protection recommendations. Fundamental facts are ignored or unknown including existing protection already inside electronics and how often a destructive surge really occurs.

If a surge exists, then it is incoming to everything including devices connected to power strip protectors. Surges are electricity. If that current is incoming to a power strip, then simultaneously, same current is also outgoing into attached appliances. A surge too tiny to harm attaches appliances can easily damage an undersized protector. Protection inside appliances is often so good that a surge is only noise. But a protector may be so tiny as to be damaged by that same noise. Causing naive consumers speculate that an undersized protector "sacrificed itself".

Any protector that is damaged does not provide effective protection.

Other, less expensive, and well proven solutions exist which means that surge current is not incoming to any appliance. But again, how often are the furnace, GFCIs, smoke detectors, and clock radios replaced? A destructive surge means other unprotected appliances must be replaced.
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#13
RE: Surge Protector?
(11-26-2013, 02:05 PM)PaulaO2 Wrote: I think spending the money on a UPS system for a CPAP is a little overkill. They're expensive and you only get 15 minutes or so of power before they shut off.

Instead get a good surge suppressor power strip or outlet. And like someone above said, make sure it is a surge protector and not just a power strip.

When I travel, I use a small one that also has two USB ports. I talked about it here:
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...for-travel

UPS's theoretically provide an extra level of surge protection above most standalone surge protectors, since they convert the AC to DC, then back again.

However, I'm not saying I necessarily think the possible extra surge protection of a UPS vs. surge protector is worth the cost. There's also the possibility that a UPS failure could damage your CPAP.

Don't use a UPS on a ResMed S8 with humidifier or Respironics M series or earlier CPAP machines without some further checking. They can damage the humidifier if the UPS puts out a modified sine wave voltage. S9 or PRS1 are OK on UPSs.

Get the free OSCAR CPAP software here.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.
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#14
RE: Surge Protector?
(12-03-2013, 01:56 AM)archangle Wrote: UPS's theoretically provide an extra level of surge protection above most standalone surge protectors, since they convert the AC to DC, then back again.

UPS theoretically does only what the numeric specs says it does. It connects directly to AC mains when not in battery backup mode. It does not do an AC to DC to AC conversion.

Surge protection is only joules as listed in the manufacturer's specifications. According to spec numbers, a typical power strip is even better protection than a typical UPS.
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