My Hill

[Alpaca]

Yeah. We weren't in Rome that night, but in some small middle of nowhere in a purely touristy hotel, and the only option they gave us was dinner in the hotel that night, so we got resourceful...

In Rome, on the other hand, we ditched the tour group and explored on our own, which was awesome.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

Sounds like it would be ridiculously cool. -is jealous-


Quite day on my hill. First day off since Friday, which is nice. Means I'll be able to deal with the hordes of recently released school children and their frustrated parents without killing them for making my store messy or being rude*.


_{*Any of the younger Toadfish who may consider joining the ranks of 'Bucks should know that it's pretty exhausting if you aren't naturally perky. I'm not, so I tire out at about four days straight of work.}

[Griffin NoName]

Disgusted by all the people on other hills who have topic drifted in my absence from my hill

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Re: Using UPS instead of surge suppressors.....Not A Good Idea.

UPS's are expressly designed to supply mains power in absentia.   They typically have little or no conditioning, in and of themselves.

Ignore the "warranty" on the package label-- cashing in on those is impossible (I've actually tried-- no juice).

ANY typical sub-$100US power conditioner is effectively used up by 6 months, and entirely by 1 year out--- it's just a power-strip by then. 

Regardless of any pretty little LED lights indicating otherwise.  I've examined the circuitry on many of those, in curiosity, and I've even rebuilt a number with new MOV's.   (the actual "working" suppressor part-- similar to a fuse.)   

The only difference between the super-cheap ones and the expensive ones is two-fold.  The number and size of the MOV's and the absence of RF interference modules*. 

The more expensive ones have multiple MOV's to absorb power-surges.  The real cheap ones typically have only 3-- one between each of the power "legs" and ground**.   These are only good for a SINGLE surge-- and then they are Done.

I'm looking at bypassing the MOV thing entirely.... with this, on My Hill***

At $180US, it's completely MOV-free.  It uses actual serious electrical chokes and other Mystical Weavels to condition the electrical mains-- something only an Electrical Engineer can appreciate.   


____________________

<sub>* RF is radio-frequency-- that 1,000 megawatt AM radio station right next door imposes considerable noise on your electrical mains.  But.  RF is one of the EASIEST things to filter-out, and your basic computer power supply, which is SWITCHING (no heavy transformers) does this automatically.  An unneeded extra expense-- something else to break on your surge suppressor.

** The importance of GOOD GROUNDS.  If your electrical outlet does NOT have a good ground-- I mean a GOOD ground-- it is basically worthless.   Even the very high-$ ones, DEPEND on shunting the surges through an MOV to the ground.  If that ground is MISSING or POOR-- the surge back-feeds into your PC, making a bad situation WORSE.

THREE PRONG CORDS ARE A MUST.      In many commercial shops, the require a SEPARATE, ISOLATED ground wire for their computer rooms.   I wired just such a thing in my previous house-- I suppose I ought to set up one in this one, too....

*** See, Griffin?  Back On Topic!</sub>

[Griffin NoName]

The only difference between the super-cheap ones and the expensive ones is two-fold. 

That's a great sentence on your hill; admiring it from My Hill.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

Currently I have a one outlet Belkin surge protector on the wall, attached to a UPS that goes to a (supposedly) surge protected power strip. Same setting 3 times (main computer, home theatre, and main room TV/DVD/VCR/Speakers).

I'm crossing my fingers it works when needed.

Or quite possibly I'm just deluding myself that those things will protect the stuff attached on My Hill.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Currently I have a one outlet Belkin surge protector on the wall, attached to a UPS that goes to a (supposedly) surge protected power strip. Same setting 3 times (main computer, home theatre, and main room TV/DVD/VCR/Speakers).

I'm crossing my fingers it works when needed.

Or quite possibly I'm just deluding myself that those things will protect the stuff attached on My Hill.

Put a surge strip/thingy between the UPS and the mains.  Replace it faithfully every 6 to 12 months.  You'll be fine.

Still on My Laptop Hill-- too lazy on Sunday to Do Something.   

[Sibling Chatty]

At My auxiliary Hill in the Killeen area, to go have my O'scan. Soon to be radioactive AGAIN, on This Hill

[Griffin NoName]

Waving at Chatty from My Hill

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

Bring lemonade to our radioactive Chatty from my Hill.

[pieces o nine]

Preparing for (possibly) two more days of rain on this hill island...

[Aggie]

We ain't flooded yet, but so am I....  and we've had rain like we had snow last month on My Hill.

Calgary doesn't generally have weather this consistently precipitous.... I am hoping / expecting (and probably will be regretting) a scorching hot summer - also rare here.

[Sibling Chatty]

Back at My Home Hill, not glowing in the dark anymore.

Getting my act together to get to Louisiana, pending a car...that works.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Rain on again, off again on My Hill.

These are the April Showers we had when I was a kid....only now they come in June.

Global Warming, doncha know?

August will also be wet, but September and October will be dry, dry, dry.  No Traditional Jack-O-Lanterns Allowed (firehazard).

[Aggie]

Settling in after a 17 hour workday on My Hill.  Or a northern version thereof - I can still see the last traces of the sunset and it's past midnight.