How to clean up mains power?

Could be voltage fluctuations either high or low, possibly there may be spikes. Try using a battery backup system like a UPS. Most of those will clean up your power, and if there are mini outages, the UPS if sized correctly will keep power to your equipment.

Yes. As for the 500, would it be cheaper than losing all your data.

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So far I know (SFIK -- hey! A new acronym!) this: The computers in this office utilize a medical records system whereby one of the computers hosts a server application (which contains the data base), and

3 other computers run client applications which log into the server app and access the patient data base.

Several times a day the client computers suddenly can no longer log into the data base (their first indication that something is wrong) and also cannot access any web sites.

As yet I have not been there when this happens, so cannot confirm ping success or failure. They've learned to turn off the switch to the power strip that supplies the routers and modem, and after a few seconds, all is well with the world again. It's a bit much to ask them to unplug a particular router's "brick" from the power strip, plug in again, and troubleshoot from there. I'll have to spend a day there, sometime soon, to experience it myself.

The next step, I think, is to ask the power utility (PG&E) if they will lend a power quality recorder.

Thanks, Sparky

Please provide name & model of this stellar, inexpensive UPS. After determining the cause of our power problems it might come in handy.

Sparky

"Jamie" implied that it is a "dual-conversion" type:

"It has a 120 watt inverter that runs all the time and the 120 volts [input] does nothing but keep the battery charged."

Sparky

In comp.dcom.lans.ethernet w_tom wrote in part:

You overstate your case. Both "Standby" and "power conditioning" UPSes are readily abailable in the smaller sizes:

-- Robert

But isn't that the nature of USENET? (c:

Great resource. Thanks!

Write a simple script that is also an icon on the desktop. When router locks, then each user clicks on that icon to collect and store relevant information in a temporary file.

Some of the tasks that script must perform include ping 192.168.1.1 >>tmpfile ping 192.168.1.100 >>tmpfile ipconfig /all >>tmpfile

When you arrive, view what computers talk to router, what computers talk to each other, and even what computers still have IP leases. There is still no reason to believe power created this problem. If so, then why is the router's power supply so deficient as to not eliminate things that other power supplies (ie computers, modem, etc) easily make irrelevant?

Like the temporary 50 foot power cord, meter measurement (numbers then posted here so that other information you did not see in those numbers can be identified), $10 line filter, etc. So many simple things to first learn where a problem is rather than just automatically assume (for no reason) that it must be 'dirty' power and that a $500 UPS must cure it.

You don't even have to be there when router locks up. Voltages from the meter could report defects even when router is working OK. Again, we first collect data before automatically speculating blame. If power is the problem, then why is only one appliance failing? A question that PG&E will ask, be discouraged by an answer based only in speculation, and then tend to be less cooperative. To get useful assistance from PG&E, wild speculation (it must be a power problem) with is not sufficient. Why do you suspect power? No post here suggests that power is reason for the failure.

How do you know the problem is not expired IP leases? Again, not posted to be a solution. Posted as but another example of the so many existing reasons ignored because speculation blames AC electricity.

So where is the double conversion UPS selling for $85? The app note is simply a summary of names for each type of UPS. It says nothing about a double conversion UPS costing only $85. And it forgets to mention other paths of noise and interference that even completely bypass the UPS. And it does not discuss functions that all electronics contain so that every very dirty electricity from $85 UPSes is completely irrelevant.

What must that router do? Its power supply must be so robust that even an $85 UPS in battery backup mode outputing dirt - 200 volt square waves and a spike of less than 270 volts - is completely irrelevant to the router. Why did an APC app note forget to mention those numbers; forget to mention what electronics power supplies must make irrelevant?

Simpler solutions first identify a problem rather than throwing a $500 UPS to fix what may even be, instead, a defective $50 router. Nothing else crashes and locks? Somehow that also is not relevant? Somehow we know it must be an AC electric problem? A conclusion based in speculation. Somehow an $85 UPS does what a $500 UPS does? Where does the APC app note say that? Why does it not say so much that is relevant to this router problem?

Well, USENET normally frowns on any sort of commercial postings, but since you asked, you might try:

but I make no promises. The stepped ouput sine-approx would appear to be your "double-conversion". You may have different preferred vendors.

This applies when diagnostics are easy and cheap. As they might be for you or me. The undersized neutral is easy to check with a DVOM: just measure AC from neutral to ground. Anything more than a volt or two means trouble. Much easier than disturbing connections (which usually makes problems disappear).

However, for someone less experienced, part swapping (or sequential reboots as I suggested) may be more cost-effective than hiring rather pricey electricians. The OP is at least on the right track by asking for help. I see my responsibility is to tailor my advice. Not always repond with what I'd do, or some sort of "ideal" solution.

-- Robert

All three numbers on each wall receptacle (neutral to ground, neutral to hot, ground to hot) also report informative facts. Many will not obtain those numbers because the numbers mean nothing to them. They forget. Numbers are major facts and create useful replies from the other side of usenet.

Provided were numerous simple and inexpensive diagnostics. For example a 50 foot three wire extension cord test. An icon on the desktop that runs a script to collect ping and other useful numbers. The $10 line filter. But a $500 UPS only to perform diagnostic testing? A $500 UPS does not eliminate all possible electrical problems - as was assumed. So if the problem still exists, does that prove it is not from AC mains? No. Circuits still exist to carry AC electric anomalies completely around that UPS.

A UPS that outputs a sine wave does not define a double conversion UPS. That model (if I have properly recognized it) is simply a standby supply with a cleaner output. It still connects router directly to AC mains when not in battery backup mode; does no electricity 'cleaning'. That UPS also would not provide useful information on the OP's router lockup.

A better test. Buy a cheapest UPS. Run router from that UPS in battery backup mode. Does that 'dirty' electricity cause router lockup? If not, then is router lockup due to AC electricity? Another diagnostic that is so much less expensive.

You didn't read the APC paper in your previous post otherwise you would see that the APC 350VA unit you are suggesting for $70 is NOT a double conversion type. It is a basic line interactive BACK-UPS. That means the load runs on normal mains supply - along with all the voltage variations and noise - as it does without the UPS. Only when the mains fails does switchover occur and the load then runs from battery powered SMPS converter (18 min at 50% load) - which will be free of the mains input voltage fluctuations and noise.

Using this type of UPS is almost useless in cleaning up power. It is true that the UPS does have the usual surge protection devices you might find in a multi outlet power distribution board - but that's about all.

APC make a range of Smart UPS RT which are double conversion and models start at 1500VA and with a ERP of $1,150. It is generally not economical to use D?C for loads less than this value.

There is another APC document which compares the BACK-UPS andf the D/C UPS

Sanyo Denki do make a 1KVA D/C UPS but they won't be cheap either

If there is no problem with the RELIABILITY of mains supply, but it is just fluctuating and noisy, then a D/C UPS may not be needed. It may be cheaper to use a power conditioner. APC make a range of these as well