La Luz and UPS units

Barcadero wrote:

Are UPS and surge protectors readily available for purchase in the San Miguel de Allende area?

Office Depot in Mexico carries UPS's and surge protectors.  Surge protectors are available in discount and department stores.  I haven't looked for UPS's elsewhere.  Electrical supply and some hardware stores may carry them too.

I have a laptop as my only computer (well, except for the smartphone)  and take the battery out when not traveling.  I got a UPS from Office Depot because of electricity went out once or twice a month for a few minutes.

I'm no electrician so the following is mostly supposition.

As I understand it, surge protectors aren't much use unless they are connect to ground.  Houses with builtin grounded outlets are few and far between even if they have 3 prong sockets.  Something you may want to look into.

Office Depot or Walmart both have the large UPS's that have an isolation transformer inside ...... 10 times better than those power strips. Good for a surge and has battery backup.  Plan on $100+ US

sparksmex wrote:

Office Depot or Walmart both have the large UPS's that have an isolation transformer inside ...... 10 times better than those power strips. Good for a surge and has battery backup.  Plan on $100+ US

That's about what I paid 2 years ago for my UPS.  It has served well even without ground.

One website I found says that without ground, the size and location of the surges that you are protected from are limited.
http://ask.metafilter.com/146615/My-out … ctor-be-OK

Sixteen years and counting without an UPS or surge protector. Survived lighting storms where the power went out for days. I leave the battery in my laptop so when the power goes out, I can shut the laptop down normally. I really don't think of it as living on the edge.

joaquinx wrote:

Sixteen years and counting without an UPS or surge protector. Survived lighting storms where the power went out for days. I leave the battery in my laptop so when the power goes out, I can shut the laptop down normally. I really don't think of it as living on the edge.

Is it worth it to invest $100 in a piece of gear that might last 5 years to protect $800 to $1,000 that may have useful lives of 3 years or so and then will protect the next generation of equipment for another 3 years or so?  Some people buy extended warranties that pay off, some people buy extended warranties that don't and most don't even consider them.

The probability of the surge protector or UPS ever being called into service is extremely low.  Once in about 27 years of only computers, a motherboard got fried on me and it happened in Mexico.  It most like wasn't due to a surge but to constantly varying voltages when I didn't have a UPS.  Finger in the air, I opted for a UPS.

I know and I've heard it before, so call me crazy. I remember my mama's words when she said, "Johnny boy, you don't have to wear a belt and suspenders!".