Need help to keep computer safe..

Thread Starter

corporal_Canada

Joined Oct 17, 2024
138
hi... small update... Canada Post went on strike so the boat about 200 km from southeast Asia... just stopped... mother effers... been using the cyberpower PFC puresine ups and my mini pc doesnt seem to have any issues.... mind you.. it does have a power brick not a PSU..... so.. 10 points for the UPS... i feel secure enough to ram the 1500$ gaming laptop into this ups

thats about it, id like to thank you all for your phenomenal advice, have a great Christmas and go easy on the rum eggnog.
 

MrAl

Joined Jun 17, 2014
13,707
hi... small update... Canada Post went on strike so the boat about 200 km from southeast Asia... just stopped... mother effers... been using the cyberpower PFC puresine ups and my mini pc doesnt seem to have any issues.... mind you.. it does have a power brick not a PSU..... so.. 10 points for the UPS... i feel secure enough to ram the 1500$ gaming laptop into this ups

thats about it, id like to thank you all for your phenomenal advice, have a great Christmas and go easy on the rum eggnog.
Hi again,

Hey, don't be telling us to go easy on the rum around Christmas time (ha ha).
Christmas only comes once a year and Christmas is the only time of year that we get to say that Christmas only comes once a year :)

Good luck with your project.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,551
The industrial solution to avoiding power problems has been the constant voltage transformer. Ituses core saturation to totally block any over voltage or spikes. Very reliable but not so very efficient.
 

MrAl

Joined Jun 17, 2014
13,707
The industrial solution to avoiding power problems has been the constant voltage transformer. Ituses core saturation to totally block any over voltage or spikes. Very reliable but not so very efficient.
Hi,

I was thinking about that too, but then I considered the typical regulated DC output which does not have a transformer output.
Maybe we could find a way to route the output to the 'transformer/inductor' if there is an overvoltage, but then there's the inductance to consider which does not conduct much immediately.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,551
The method of the constant voltage transformer is operation at the very much less efficient portion of the magnetization curve, so that any over voltage spike will not increase the magnetization.
 

MrAl

Joined Jun 17, 2014
13,707
The method of the constant voltage transformer is operation at the very much less efficient portion of the magnetization curve, so that any over voltage spike will not increase the magnetization.
Hi,

I was bringing to attention the fact that it does not look like we can use a transformer (or inductor) in the same way to protect a DC circuit, not an AC circuit.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,551
Hi,

I was bringing to attention the fact that it does not look like we can use a transformer (or inductor) in the same way to protect a DC circuit, not an AC circuit.
I have an industrial 24 volt 10 amp supply that uses a constant voltage transformer. The regulation is good but far from perfect. A constant voltage transformer is quite stable within ratings. So it can feed rectifiers and produce DC fairly well. Not perfect, but good regulation.
 

MrAl

Joined Jun 17, 2014
13,707
I have an industrial 24 volt 10 amp supply that uses a constant voltage transformer. The regulation is good but far from perfect. A constant voltage transformer is quite stable within ratings. So it can feed rectifiers and produce DC fairly well. Not perfect, but good regulation.
Well I thought this discussion was about protecting the output of a DC power supply, not the input. Maybe I was wrong about that though.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,551
The introduction explained that the cause of the problem is dirty power, including serious over-voltage happenings. Thus the discussion of reducing input problems.I do not recall anybody suggesting a transformer for the DC side!!
When I suggested batteries I DID NOT MEAN TO LEAVE THE BATTERY CHARGER CONNECTED!!!
Isolation by using batteries means DISCONNECT THE MAINS, and THEN connect the load.
Now for many brands of laptop computers there is also available a 12 volt powered supply to use instead of the mains operated supply. Run the computer from one 12 volt battery and charge the other. Then exchange which is charged and which is used every hour. THAT will provide total power isolation. BUT then do not plug a poorly isolated internet modem into that computer, or you are providing another point for power surges to enter. One more consideration is that if the computer is wel grounded, then every bit of surge voltage, which is mostly referenced to "ground", is provided with a solid path thru the computer to ground. If it is not grounded, very little current normally flows thru an open circuit. AND, MOST damage is caused by current flow thru whatever is damaged..
 
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