I'm confused about how to keep my computer and laptop safe from voltage fluctuations. I have a PC connected to a line-interactive UPS and a laptop that's just plugged directly into the wall. The UPS has a surge protector outlet, but it's getting old—about five years now. In my area, the voltage tends to spike quite a lot, often reaching between 245-260V. I'd like advice on how to specifically protect my PC from surges (since the UPS handles voltage fluctuations) and also how to ensure my laptop is safe from both surge and voltage fluctuations since it's not connected to the UPS.
2 Answers
Your best bet is to connect the UPS directly to the wall. Using a surge protector with your UPS can be counterproductive, as the UPS is designed to handle fluctuations by itself. This way, it will take care of the voltage issues.
For your setup, a recommended flow would be: Wall -> surge protector (for quick surges, maybe for the laptop) -> UPS -> PC through the battery backup outlet. It's crucial to check your UPS specs to confirm it can handle those high voltages safely. Also, since your UPS is about five years old, you might want to start considering a replacement soon.
Thanks! Just to clarify, is it okay to connect the UPS to the surge protector, or should I avoid that? And does my laptop need a UPS too?