Selecting The Right Surge Protection; Selecting The Right Equipment; External Keyboard Or Pointing Device - General Dynamics Itronix GoBook MR-1 Manual

GoBook MR-1
Surge Protection
A large amount of computer and high technology equipment damage is directly related to AC power and telephone
line problems. These problems can include surges, spikes, noise, interference, and weather-related problems, which
in turn can cause glitches, hang-ups, crashes, performance slow downs, and down time with computer equipment.
The market is flooded with hundreds of AC power line surge suppressors advertising high performance surge
protection; only a few of them actually provide adequate protection.
This section provides guidelines for selecting a quality surge suppressor to be used with your GoBook MR-1, and it
helps identify a few sources for products with acceptable performance.

Selecting the Right Surge Protection

Consider the level of quality you need when selecting a surge suppressor. This depends on factors such as surge
environment, the type of equipment to be protected, and the quality of the electrical wiring and service.
Surge Environment
Surge environment refers to the damage potential from electrical surges in a particular geographical area. A high
quality suppressor should be used if there is frequent lightning activity in the area and the location service is fed by
overhead utility poles.
Quality of Electrical Wiring and Service
Wiring should be up to current NEC standards and have verified good AC grounds. It is important that your
computer system be plugged into a grounded AC outlet when charging and that all peripherals connected to your
system reference the same AC ground.

Selecting the Right Equipment

There are a number of companies that sell quality surge suppressors such as Sutton Designs, APC, and Panamax.
When you are looking for a surge suppressor, consider these things.
Expect to pay at least $50 for a good quality surge suppressor
The surge suppressor should be a UL 1449, 497, and 1283 listed for surge suppression, modem surge
protection, and RFI/EMI noise filtering respectively
The surge suppressor should have diagnostic LEDs that verify good AC ground, proper wiring, and proper
surge operation. On/off switches that light are not recommended since they can produce electrical noise
The Joule ratings should be a minimum of 480 Joules for the AC surge circuit
Quality surge suppressor manufacturers generally offer a lifetime warranty
Consider obtaining a protected equipment coverage policy which insures the equipment in the event of surge
damage
The devices that will be attached to the computer also need to be surge protected.

External keyboard or pointing device

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