Recent content by westom

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NECRO plugging computers into ungrounded outlet - what's the worst that could happen?

Safety ground is about shorting a connection (fault) to utility AC hot wires so that a circuit breaker will trip - to disconnect utility AC power - to protect human life. Static electricity is charges in a human body connected to charges found beneath feet. A connection maybe down an arm...
- westom
- Post #39
- Jul 24, 2016
- Forum: OT Discussion Club
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Which UPS is better ?

Many know that a surge protector must not be plugged into a UPS. But many do not know why. A UPS in battery backup is typically not as 'clean' as they would have you believe. For example this 120 volt pure sine wave UPS outputs 200 volt square waves with a spike of up to 270 volts. That is...
- westom
- Post #12
- Jul 12, 2016
- Forum: Computer Building
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Is it possible for a power surge to come through your ethernet cable...

Toughness is defined by numbers. An electronic power supply should withstand voltages as high as 600 volts without damage. That was a standard before PCs existed. Today's electronics are often tougher. Ethernet (for low current signals) is more robust; will withstand 2000 volts without...
- westom
- Post #37
- May 2, 2016
- Forum: Computer Building
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Is it possible for a power surge to come through your ethernet cable...

Little to no relationship exists between words protector and protection. Any protector that would 'block' or 'absorb' a surge is bogus. Especially true of adjacent power strips or that UPS. Those only claim to protect from surges that are routinely converted by your computer's PSU into rock...
- westom
- Post #34
- May 1, 2016
- Forum: Computer Building
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House Power and Outlet question.

Another example of the underlying principles. Code is only about human safety. It says nothing about appliance safety or reliable operation. That 'browned' neutral wire is not a human safety issue since it would not cause a fire. Our electricians stopped using backstab connections only years...
- westom
- Post #41
- Apr 6, 2016
- Forum: Computer Building
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House Power and Outlet question.

That can be detected even using a $6 multi-meter and some robust appliance such as an electric heater, iron, vacuum cleaner, etc. Known is a ballpark distance back to a breaker box and the wire's gauge. A voltage difference appears between neutral and safety ground when a major appliance is...
- westom
- Post #39
- Apr 6, 2016
- Forum: Computer Building
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House Power and Outlet question.

If a receptacle connection is firm (using screws; not a backstab method), then sanding was unnecessary. Backstab type connections can be problematic for computers. Ground only exists to protect human life. It has no useful function for hardware protection. If an appliance plug has a third...
- westom
- Post #37
- Apr 6, 2016
- Forum: Computer Building
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House Power and Outlet question.

When we built an early 1960s home, all wire was BX. BX to three prong receptacles (ie kitchen) had a ground wire included. Other BX (ie that connected to bedrooms) had no internal ground wire. So those receptacles could only be two prong. Those had to be two prong because that BX connection...
- westom
- Post #29
- Apr 4, 2016
- Forum: Computer Building
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House Power and Outlet question.

GFCI is how to get human safety without any safety ground. Safety ground is also called equipment ground. It is completely different from earth ground. Effective protectors work by connecting tens of thousands of amps on a low impedance (ie less than 10 feet) wire to earth ground. Then...
- westom
- Post #26
- Apr 4, 2016
- Forum: Computer Building
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House Power and Outlet question.

Because an outlet tester reports some wiring faults, that means it always reports wiring as good.? Of course not. I said it will report some wiring faults. But can also miss other wiring faults. That means it cannot report a receptacle as good. Electricity is different at both ends of a...
- westom
- Post #25
- Apr 4, 2016
- Forum: Computer Building
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House Power and Outlet question.

If a receptacle is wired defectively (ie if neutral and safety ground prongs are connected together), then a surge protector will claim it is grounded, a UPS will indicate no wiring fault, and the outlet checker will claim the receptacle is good. Any yet the receptacle is clearly wired...
- westom
- Post #20
- Apr 4, 2016
- Forum: Computer Building
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House Power and Outlet question.

Existence of safety ground has no affect on a UPS or PC. That safety ground exists for human protection. It does nothing for transistor (ie surge) protection. It would not cause a shutdown. Does that safety ground exist? Many will rewire receptacles using same uninformed reasoning that made...
- westom
- Post #18
- Apr 4, 2016
- Forum: Computer Building
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Weird power on thing

Get a meter, request instructions. spend minutes executing those instructions. Then (and only then) are every question answered. Then learn how a computer really works. Instead, you want to attack another because you ignored directions in one sentence and wasted time with a Kill-A-Watt. One...
- westom
- Post #14
- Feb 23, 2016
- Forum: Motherboards
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Weird power on thing

None of that was relevant. Not even remotely relevant. Stated quite clearly was what is required. You ignored all that to discuss something irrelevant. Extracted was only what your numbers reported. Interesting that computer assemblers are told to buy PSUs that are double what is required...
- westom
- Post #11
- Feb 23, 2016
- Forum: Motherboards
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Weird power on thing

Many computer assemblers have no idea how electricity works. Therefore have no idea how to select a PSU. Help lines do not want to teach how electricity works. So we tell computer assembler to obtain a PSU twice the needed wattage. Your numbers demonstrate intentional oversizing. Even your...
- westom
- Post #9
- Feb 22, 2016
- Forum: Motherboards

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