The weatherman has predicted severe thunderstorms in your area and rain has started beating against the roof. You look up from the computer as a clap of thunder rumbles in the distance.
"No! Not now," you mutter. Not when the muse has finally shown up and is helping you through that difficult scene that has plagued you for the last two days. Maybe you're on deadline with not a moment to spare for piddley little things like severe weather and power outages.
What do you do? Do you turn off the computer, shut everything down and leave it to chance that you won't lose that inspiration? Do you give up on the scene you're writing, counting on the storm ending soon and that the hard-to-pin- down muse will linger through it all?
Or do you keep on working and hope and pray that lightning doesn't hit an electric pole nearby or that the electric current to your home doesn't spike and fry all of your expensive computer equipment to a smoldering pile, taking with it your current masterpiece?
As writers, this is a dilemma we face everyday. Storms knock out power, send abnormal voltage spiking through the lines making it impossible to safely use our computer and all of its related hardware. We begrudgingly turn everything off, not daring to risk the chance of losing our expensive system as well as the novel we are working on. We scramble for a pen, a yellow notepad and candles, just in case. Then we sit down and write the scene in longhand all the while grumbling loud enough to rival the thunder outside because of the extra work and loss of time.
But like a rainbow at the end of a storm, there is now a ray of hope. Actually, it's been around quite a while but in talking with fellow writers, I realized it may be unknown to other creative but perhaps technologically challenged friends called writers. It's a miracle in a box called an UPS unit, or uninterruptible power supply. With this magic box at your side you can scoff at thunderstorms, work through inclement weather; even create a new opus during total loss of electricity.
An UPS unit is the granddaddy of all surge protectors AND MORE. Because it has a powerful built in battery with its own DC to AC power inverter, it instantly (in a matter of milliseconds,) switches over and furnishes the electricity needed by your computer in the event of unstable or total loss of electricity. So sensitive is it, that its warning buzzer sounds to let you know that the household current has a problem and that it has automatically taken over before the lights in the room dim or go out. With an UPS unit, you can safely continue to work by the light of your monitor while the rest of the house lies in darkness.
The difference between a surge protector and an UPS unit is tremendous but simply put, a surge protector is a device meant to protect equipment from transient over voltages only. It acts as a buffer for your computer against spikes of high electricity. It does not help with low or dropped voltage, brown outs or total loss of power. It will NOT keep the power running to your system if the electricity quits altogether. Now, you may say since it does protect from over voltage and is inexpensive ($10.00 and up,) that this is good enough.
DON'T be fooled. A surge protector will not protect your expensive computer from a total crash that may destroy your hard drive if the power goes out at the same time your system is accessing data. Many of us have our computers set to automatically save our work at a set interval of time. If the computer is in the process of doing this, if you have manually hit "save" or if it is reading or writing data to the hard drive at the same moment the electricity spikes or goes out, your hard drive may be damaged, possibly beyond repair.
n UPS unit provides surge protection through instant power conditioning, as well as back-up protection and distribution of power for your equipment. It handles voltage spikes, low voltage, brown outs and total loss of power with ease. With an UPS, there is no loss of power to your computer thus you are able to work through brief power outages, save your work and shut down with no loss of valuable information. With an UPS, there is NO danger to your hard drive even with total loss of power at the same time your computer is accessing data.
UPS units come in various sizes, shapes and prices from $50.00 to $300.00 and up. I have one that sits on the floor beneath my desk and is approximately the size of a large shoebox. It is very heavy. Depending on the model you choose, you'll see that they vary in number of electrical outlets and phone jacks available. One thing to note, not all of the plugs on an UPS are backed up by the battery. Normally half of the total available outlets on the unit will be non-backed up electrical outlets, meaning they are covered by the built in surge protector only. Thus you want to get one that has as many backed-up outlets as you need or can afford.
UPS units have phone jacks that protect your phone from lightning surging through the lines. And, if you are connected to the Internet doing that all-important research or just checking your bid on ebay when the power goes out in your home, you will not lose the Internet connection as long as the normal phone lines are still in operation.
You can find UPS units for sale in many department and computer specialty stores such as Sam's Club, Office Depot, Copy Max, CompuServe, CompUSA and others. Some basic requirements to look for are the number of battery backed-up versus surge protected only electric outlets, phone jacks, USB connection, watts and rated run time. By run time, this means "on average", how long will the UPS unit supply steady needed electricity for your system based on the size of the equipment you are running. Remember, the heavier load of electricity it requires, especially for a large monitor, the less time the UPS will supply. If you operate a large monitor and system, you can realistically divide the rated run time by half.
Several UPS manufacturers have web sites where you can find further information. One such site is that of APC, often considered the "Cadillac" of UPS. To learn more and decide how powerful a unit you need, visit their web site at www.apc.com/sizing.
The following are a few examples of different UPS units, their specifications and average prices. Note some of the model numbers are the same so look at the watts number and other specifications to tell the difference between models.
APC brand, model 350VA, three battery backed-up and three surge only electrical outlets, 180 watts, 11 minutes average run time, and telephone jack for $50.00.
APC brand, model 350VA, four battery backed-up and three surge only electrical outlets, 220 watts, 17 minutes average run time, an USB connection, and telephone jack for $150.00.
APC brand, model 650VA, three battery backed-up and three surge only electrical outlets, 410 watts, 38 minutes average run time, an USB connection, and telephone jack for $300.00.
All of this may seem a bit overwhelming. The main thing to remember is that with the aid of an UPS, you will gain piece of mind as well as safeguard your computer and that next great American novel. So, the next time severe weather threatens, your deadline is looming and you just had an epiphany on a difficult scene, just smile and keep typing. With an UPS unit you'll be covered and home free.
Deborah Gafford is a retired schoolteacher and author of several magazine articles and books, from children's adventure to romance. In her spare time she enjoys creating Victorian millinery. Her latest book, YOU'R IN GOOD HANDS (WITH AL TATE), is currently under consideration with Harlequin Duets. She welcomes visitors to her web site at http://members.tripod.com/DeborahGafford.
©2001, San Antonio Romance Authors, all rights reserved. Articles may not be reprinted without permission.
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