Be Prepared & Protect Your Electrical Equipment From Power Outages

Power outages are caused by a number of natural or man-made events. A major windstorm may blow down power lines or blow trees, branches, or other debris into power lines. A lightning storm may strike a power pole or transformer. Other causes may include a system overload due to high temperatures and air conditioner use or an automobile that hits a power pole. Electric systems are also very interconnected, so a major outage on a Rocky Mountain Power system may affect power delivery on the Spanish Fork system.

Whatever the cause, power outages are an inconvenience and can even cause damage to personal equipment. Customers may be without power for a few hours or several days. Outages require power users to be prepared and to have an outage kit which will help minimize the impact of the outage on you and your family. Outage kits should include items such as: battery- operated flashlights, alarm clocks and radios; water; non-perishable foods; and manual can openers.

During a power outage, you should also turn off or unplug any major appliances or sensitive electrical equipment. This will prevent overloads when power is restored and it may also protect your appliances or equipment from any resulting power surges. Spanish Fork Power does everything possible to provide the most reliable power to your home and business. Power customers are responsible to do the same. We have included several tips to protect your personal equipment when the electrical system experiences a power outage or surge.

Surge Protectors
To properly protect your electronic devices from surges, purchase a relatively inexpensive surge protector, which is not the same as a power strip. Spanish Fork City Power recommends you have a minimum 600 joule up to 1200 joule surge protector for all your sensitive electrical equipment such as televisions, stereos, computers, etc. When you consider purchasing a surge protector, be sure it is not just a power strip. A power strip will only give you additional plugs and will not provide surge protection.

Uninterruptible Power Supply
An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is a step up from the surge protector and is also a battery backup. A UPS can actually be used to run your computer or electrical equipment while the power is out. A battery backup can keep your computer or other equipment running from 5 minutes to a couple of hours during an outage. With a UPS in place, you have time to safely turn off your equipment or continue to work during an outage. If you operate a business, a UPS system may enable you to continue operating some functions of your business until power is restored.

Spanish Fork Power encourages you to take the necessary steps to protect your own equipment from being damaged during a power outage or surge.