Electronics protection

Ronycoca · 02-01-2008

How do you protect your electronics (computers, etc) from the effects of humidity, heat, salty air leading to corrosion and eventual failure?

tarzan95959 · 02-01-2008

Hi and welcome to the group .
In Bocas Del Toro most folks keep there computer in a air conditioned room . More important than that is to use a good surge protection/battery backup device to protect the computer . Have the computer draw its power through the battery to keep the electric flow and voltage correct at all times . Panama experiences a lot of spikes and brown outs . It can destory a PC really qiuck .

GordonS · 02-01-2008

This is interesting. I had previously understood that Panama's electrical supply was fairly stable and reliable. While it is normally a wise idea anywhere to use a UPS for power conditioning, does Panama experience many power outages? Do many people use Solar panels or alternate energy sources such as wind generators? Do homes often have battery storage and inverters?

tarzan95959 · 02-01-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonS

This is interesting. I had previously understood that Panama's electrical supply was fairly stable and reliable. While it is normally a wise idea anywhere to use a UPS for power conditioning, does Panama experience many power outages? Do many people use Solar panels or alternate energy sources such as wind generators? Do homes often have battery storage and inverters?

HI Gordon !
I was speaking from my own observations being in Bocas Del Toro which runs on a deisel driven generators . Carenaro , Bastimentos and Solate islands gets what is left over and that can create the Brown Out and Spikes . Can't say much about the mainland power supply . Many homes in Bocas Del Toro are solared power with AC inverters and battery banks . I also have a 400 watt wind turbine too added to my system . I love Solar power and would not hook up to the power grid if it was avalible ! I have more electric power than I know what to do with and I love not getting a electric bill each month .

PanamaPat · 02-02-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordonS

This is interesting. I had previously understood that Panama's electrical supply was fairly stable and reliable. While it is normally a wise idea anywhere to use a UPS for power conditioning, does Panama experience many power outages? Do many people use Solar panels or alternate energy sources such as wind generators? Do homes often have battery storage and inverters?

In Panama City, electricity is very stable but short blackouts do happen every now and then (twice a year or so in my experience; I witnessed one at the airport a couple of weeks ago). Most businesses do use a UPS to protect their computers, but homes generally don't seem to have inverters or backup generators of any kind. It's probably not worth it for a couple of minutes a year.