How a Power Cut Can Damage Your Desktop and Appliances (and How to Protect Them)

Can summer storms or power surges harm your PC or TV? Yes, they can. Discover how to keep your gaming system, TV, and other costly devices safe when the power goes out

In March 2023, more than 180,000 San Francisco Bay area residents were without power for hours. Desktops, gaming systems, POS, servers, routers, and TVs need consistent power stream to function. But, when that supply is for whatever reason interrupted or unstable, things can go wrong in a matter of seconds.

Wondering what a voltage spike or a power outage can do to your systems? Want to know what you can do to protect them from its sometimes catastrophic effects? Read on to find it out.

Power Outages Happen

In my whole life, I have experienced power cuts twice. The first time was more than ten years ago. I was living in a big city and, one night, half of the country was left in the dark due to severe weather conditions. Millions of people were affected. Luckily enough, the issue was fixed within a couple of hours, and no major damage was caused.

The second time was different though. I had just moved to a rural area. A few weeks later, a winter storm hit us. Trees fell down, and one of them collapsed on a power line. Of course, while I was working on my PC. At first, I was just annoyed but, I did not think it was a big deal. My MSWord was set to automatically save the work every three minutes so, I knew the damage was minimal. Or so I thought.

When, a few hours later the power was restored, and I tried to switch the desktop on, I found out how wrong I was. The machine was struggling. Everything was very slow, and I could hear the hard-disk humming and making cracking sounds. Something was wrong. I then run a disk check and discovered that several sectors were damaged. Two months later, the hard disk failed, and the machine was completely dead.

See? No matter where you live, power cuts and surges (more on that in a minute) happen and can wreak havoc. Yeah, you may be lucky and nothing will be damaged but, are you really ready to play Russian roulette with your costly equipment? As far as I am concerned, I will never do that again.

How Blackouts and Power Surges Can Damage Your PC

Have you ever had to forcibly shut down (i.e., by pushing the on/off button) your PC because it suddenly froze and become unresponsive? If you did, you may be familiar with the cracking sound emitted by the hard disk telling you that it is suffering. Why?

Because devices with an operating system must follow a specific shutdown procedure to correctly terminate all processes. This avoids potential file corruption that could damage the operating system. And that is not all. In case of a power cut, the hard disk’s read-and-write head could scratch the disk plate by suddenly going back to the start position. Let it happen a few times and the hard disk is gone for good.

OK, but what about power surges? Why are they also an issue? Let’s say that your devices survived a power cut without damage. The electricity comes back, and you switch your desktop on. And nothing happens. Why?

A surge of power like those following blackouts, can badly damage your device’s power supply or motherboard. Think of it like when a full dam is opened: the water will flood everywhere and destroy everything on its way houses, roads, and trees. when there is a power surge, it happens exactly the same. So, what can you do to protect your appliances from it? Let’s find out the main options you have.

How to Protect Your Devices from Power Cuts and Surges

Depending on your budget, there are different options you may choose from.

1. Replace Your Desktop With a Laptop

When there is no power, laptops switch automatically to the battery. The power is gone? No problem. You can even keep on working, at least until your battery last. So, if your concern is only your desktop, this solution will be more than enough for you. However, be aware that other devices like servers, POS, TV, or gaming systems will still be vulnerable.

2. Get an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) Device

This is the solution I opted for. What is it? It is a backup battery set that, in case of a blackout, will kick in to provide power to your computer. They usually also include surge-protected outlets enabling you to fix two problems in one go.

How does it work? The battery box, similar to a desktop tower, is plugged into a normal AC outlet. All devices that need to be protected are then plugged into the UPS. Suddenly there is an electricity fluctuation? The UPS corrects it. A power cut occurred? The UPS alerts you and switches to the battery in a matter of milliseconds allowing the plugged-in devices to keep on functioning smoothly.

How long will the batteries last? It depends on the UPS you chose. It could be minutes or hours. However, even if it lasts only a few minutes, it will give you enough time to shut down your computer or TV manually to prevent damage.

How Much Does It Cost?

Prices vary from less than $100 to thousands, depending on the:

- Type of UPS system (i.e., standby or offline, line interactive, and double conversion also called online),

- Output waveforms (i.e., pure sine wave, simulated sine wave), and on

- The additional features included (e.g., LCD screen, number of AC outlets, replaceable batteries).

Will It Protect the My TV Too?

Yup, it certainly will. Power outages and surges can harm your TV too. Its memory can be damaged, or the wires casing could be burned. Is your TV smelling funny? That could be caused by a power surge.

Which UPS Should I Choose?

For a small household, a middle-range model will be more than enough. Before putting your heart on a specific UPS though, spend some time shopping around, checking internet reviews, and reading specific articles.

My suggestion? Go with a pure sine wave and replaceable batteries UPS. You may have to fork out a bit more but, it will save you big bucks if the worst happens. Why? Because pure sine waves will give you a smooth energy supply, ideal for sensitive equipment. In case of a power cut, your devices will not notice the switch to the battery. And being able to replace worn-out batteries (they last at least 3 years) will save you money in the long run.

3. Install a Power Surge Protector

If you are more concerned about power surges, this would be the right solution for you. Beware though! While this will shield your appliances from a power surge, it will not protect your hardware from the effects of a blackout.

Final Words on How a Power Cut Can Damage Your Desktop and Appliances (and How to Protect Them)

Blackouts can cause serious damage to systems and devices but, as we have just learned, there are ways to avoid these kinds of problems. Did you just spend a fortune on a new PC or TV? Protect your investment and keep your device running as long as possible by shielding it from power cuts and surges.

It may cost you a few bucks now however, it will save you some headaches and a lot of money in the long run.