system can result in electrical shorts, which can cause serious damage to the system.
Buildings in which climate is controlled usually maintain an acceptable level of
humidity for system equipment. However, if a system is located in an unusually humid
location, a dehumidifier can be used to maintain the humidity within an acceptable
range. Refer to the "Specifications" section of this user's guide for the operating and
storage humidity specifications.
Altitude
Operating a system at a high altitude (low pressure) reduces the efficiency of the
cooling fans to cool the system. This can cause electrical problems related to arcing
and corona effects. This condition can also cause sealed components with internal
pressure, such as electrolytic capacitors, to fail or perform at reduced efficiency.
Power Protection
The greatest threats to a system's supply of power are power loss, power spikes, and
power surges caused by electrical storms, which interrupt system operation and/or
damage system components. To protect your system, always properly ground power cables
and one of the following devices.
Surge Protector
Surge protectors are available in a variety of types and usually provide a level of
protection proportional with the cost of the device. Surge protectors prevent voltage
spikes from entering a system through the AC power cord. Surge protectors, however,
do not offer protection against brownouts, which occur when the voltage drops more
than 20 percent below the normal AC line voltage level.
Line Conditioner
Line conditioners go beyond the overvoltage protection of surge protectors. Line
conditioners keep a system's AC power source voltage at a fairly constant level and,
therefore, can handle brownouts. Because of this added protection, line conditioners
cost more than surge protectors. However, line conditioners cannot protect against a
complete loss of power.
Uninterruptible Power Supply
Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems offer the most complete protection
against variations on power because they use battery power to keep the server
running when AC power is lost. The battery is charged by the AC power while it is
available, so when AC power is lost, the battery can provide power to the system for a
QutePC‐1010 User's Manual
11
Preface