Electric Avenue The path between your PC and the wall outlet is fraught with power-surging peril. Can your equipment cope?

Power conditioning. It sounds like a new exercise fad, somewherebetween Tae-Bo and step aerobics. But power conditioning actuallyhas a more mundane meaning: A power conditioner is a device thathooks up between an electrical outlet and your electronic equipmentto keep the flow of electricity constant. This month's reviewexpands beyond just pure power conditioners; it tosses a higher-endsurge protector and a whole slew of uninterruptible power supplies(UPSs) into the mix. What do they all have in common? They sharethe goal of keeping your computer safely up and running.

I've Got The Power

Now that you've learned what a power conditioner is,it's high time to tackle the "why." If you ever seeyour office lights flicker briefly, that's an indication theincoming power flow isn't always consistent. At times,electricity sags, sometimes it spikes. It's inevitable. But thedelicate sensibilities of your computer equipment don't likesags, spikes or blackouts.

Lightning may be the most impressive, but it isn'tnecessarily your greatest enemy. Ordinary fluctuations in power arethe culprits behind a lot of those unexplained computer hang-upsand crashes. A surge protector can of-ten protect against lightningstrikes, but a UPS buys you time, and a power conditioner keepsthings electrically smooth. Sure, they're not the mostglamorous pieces of office equipment, but the followingpower-protection devices are more than worth their weight and costin saved data and more reliable PC performance.

Powerconditioners: Most BIZ Experiencess opt for a UPS or asurge protector, but it doesn't hurt to consider a true powerconditioner. In our table, the APC Line-R fits the bill. The Line-Rfeatures lightning and surge protection, voltage regulation andline-noise filters. The push-button circuit breaker is another nicefeature. It used to be standard for a power conditioner to have afuse that required the whole unit be returned to the manufacturerfor a reset. This new button system gets you around thatinconvenience.

The Line-R runs $179 (all prices street) for the 1,250VA versionor $129 for the 600VA version, comparable to many UPSs. Choosingbetween the two models comes down to what sort of equipment youneed to run through them. Both have four outlets, but the 600VA ismore suitable for lower-demand applications like printers. The1,250VA is a better candidate for setups featuring a computer witha large monitor and lots of peripherals. Compare cost and featureswith the UPS devices in our table.

Surge protectors:Surge protectors boast a minimal cost, but they also tend to offerminimal features. While they won't give you the added uptime ofa UPS or the smooth voltage regulation of a power conditioner, asurge protector is still vastly better than nothing. When shoppingfor a surge protector, you should compare the number of poweroutlets and phone jacks, room for transformers, and warranties forconnected equipment.

The token surge protector in our table is the Panamax Powermax 8Tel. Its built-in phone jacks offer protection for your modem aswell as your computer and peripherals. A $100,000connected-equipment warranty tops most of our UPS offerings. At$39.95, even cash-strapped businesses can afford at least thisamount of safety.

UPSs: Investingin a UPS makes sense for desktops in an office environment. Ponderthe name, "uninterruptible power supply." You can alsorefer to it as "battery back-up." Hooking your computerthrough a UPS is like having your own personal Energizer Bunnylooking after your equipment. If the power goes down completely,the UPS kicks in and gives you a few precious minutes to save yourwork and shut down your computer. In a temporary brownoutsituation, it will keep your PC afloat. Either way, your data issaved from oblivion.

Worried about not being at your PC when a blackout strikes?Higher-end UPSs often come with handy software that automaticallysaves your work and shuts the computer down as needed. Betweencatastrophes, a UPS also acts as a surge protector, guardingagainst the sags and spikes that can cause equipment headaches.

UPS With People

Figuring out that a UPS is a good idea is easy. Figuring outwhich UPS you need can be a little more daunting. Most of themodels in our table are available in different VA ratings. Thehigher the VA rating, the more expensive they tend to be. But ahigher VA also means the UPS can handle more equipment. Forexample, the Best Power Patriot Pro II 400VA costs $289. It wouldwork well for running your desktop tower and 15-inch monitor. The$529 1,000VA model could take on a 21-inch monitor, a PC, a printerand a peripheral without breaking a sweat. More demanding equipmentwill also feel right at home.

But there's more to UPS VAs than how much equipment you canplug in. Just think about powering your PC and monitor from abattery. When the electricity goes out, it's going to suckjuice from the backup at an amazing rate. Going back to the BestPower Patriot Pro II example, if you plug a full load of equipmentinto the 400VA, you'll get about six minutes of backup time tosave your work and shut down. But if you have the 1,000VA model andonly plug 500VA worth of equipment into it, you'll get about 19minutes of backup time.

Always check the estimated run times of UPSs. Actual time willvary with your system, but you can at least get an idea. If youneed only six minutes of backup time and you won't be addingperipherals to your system, then a 400VA model may be all you need.You'll certainly save some money. Clocking in at $50, theMustek UPS 400 is dirt-cheap-but it only provides about fiveminutes of backup time with a full load.

Most devices in the table are appropriate to use with desktopcomputers and peripherals. Look to more powerful UPSs to protectcritical equipment like servers. You'll want the longest runtime you can afford to ride through any power problems withoutlosing your network or Web site. Visit the APC Web site and try the UPS Selector.Answering a few questions will help determine your power demandsand what size UPS is best for your particular softwareapplications.

If shutting down your computer during a power problemdoesn't require your presence, then you'll have one lessthing to worry about. Most higher-end UPSs come with software thatwill do just that. The $299 MGE Ellipse 800 is compatible withMacintosh or Windows computers and hooks up through a USB port.Driver installation is plug-and-play with Windows 95/98/2000 or MacOS. If the battery kicks in, the software automatically closes allfiles and shuts the system down before power runs out. There are afew other factors to look for when selecting your UPS. Most comewith audible alarms and lights to let you know when they kick in.Many also automatically check your line for wiring faults themoment you plug them in. Keep an eye on the number of outlets. The$130 Belkin Regulator Pro Gold 525VA has eight surge-protectedoutlets. Four of them have battery backup. Thesurge-protection-only outlets are good for devices like laserprinters, which use lots of power and would eat up too much batterytime.

For added protection, look for a UPS with a phone jack (thePanamax Powermax 8 Tel surge protector has one, too). Running yourmodem line through a UPS protects your computer from "backdoor" damage. Don't forget lightning strikes that causesudden electrical spikes can travel through phone lines as well aselectrical lines.

As with anything that is batterypowered, eventually you'llhave to change the battery. Check the product literature or companyWeb site before you buy to see whether the battery is hot-swappableor whether you'll have to send the whole kit and caboodle backto the factory.

Finally, UPS-connected-equipment warranties for the products inour table go as high as $80,000 (for the Belkin Regulator Pro Gold525VA). Enabling both you and your computer to rest easier, thewarranties cover the repair or replacement of your equipment shouldthe UPS fail to perform as designed.

Glossary

Brownout: A dip inelectricity, usually due to high demand: also called a"sag".

Power Conditioner: A devicethat evenly regulates the voltage that powers electronicequipment.

Run Time: The length of aUPS's battery backup time.

Spike: An intense, temporaryvoltage increase, usually caused by lightning.

VA (voltage-amps): This ispower-output rating for a device-the higher the VA rating, the moredemand can be placed on it.

UPS (uninterruptible powersupply): A battery backup device for electronicequipment

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