Voltage fluctuations may be categorized as either persistent or spurious. Persistent voltage levels outside the range specified for the equipment will cause overloads, intermittent problems and either acute or eventual component failure. Even more damaging are spurious changes, commonly called spikes or surges.

Spikes can be caused by poor connections, current demands from other devices (often motors) on the same power source, lightning, or interference from electromagnetic sources that are picked up and transmitted on the power line. An example of this would be the interference a television picks up when a vacuum cleaner is running in the same room.

What does it do?
Power conditioning products are designed to minimize or eliminate the problems outlined above. At the low end, a workstation may be equipped with a power strip having a built-in surge suppresser. If a voltage spike comes across the line, the surge suppresser will absorb it, destroying itself in the process.

More sophisticated power conditioners have surge suppressers that absorb spikes without damage, and filters to reduce or eliminate electromagnetic interference. They may have isolation transformers, which do not step the voltage up or down, but merely transmit it across the transformer windings, so that the output to the system is not directly connected to the incoming power source. Power conditioners may have voltage regulation that insures, within limits, that the output voltage remains constant even if the incoming voltage varies.

At the high end, these units may contain circuits that transform the incoming voltage to DC, which is used to charge a battery bank, and to feed a circuit that recreates the AC voltage used by the system. In the event of a power failure, the batteries can feed the AC generating circuitry long enough to affect an orderly shutdown of the system. There may be a signal line running from this type of unit to the system, to inform it of a power loss and the need to shut down the system.

How is it used?
Power conditioners are an important part of maximizing the reliability and data integrity on a server. They are generally used on servers and other components whose failure may cause a widespread network outage. The quality of the power feeding a system can vary widely depending on the state of the power coming into the facility, as well as the other devices on the same power system. Power conditioners provide a measure of safety from these fluctuations. As power conditioning equipment increases in capability, it also increases in cost. Therefore, investments in power conditioning generally track the importance of the devices and data they protect.

Where do I get more information?
Contact your local CBV Office.