Powercuts during summer months may damage data

APC's statistics show that most power cuts occur during the summer months when overvoltage or power cuts might occur and damage sensitive electronic devices that can lead to short-circuit or fire.

Electronic and electrical devices are designed to operate at a certain maximum supply voltage, and considerable damage can be caused by voltage that is higher than that for which the devices are rated.

For example an electric light bulb has a wire in it that at the given rated voltage will carry a current just large enough for the wire to get very hot, giving off light and heat, but not hot enough for it to melt. The amount of current in a circuit depends on the voltage supplied: if the voltage is too high, then the wire may melt and the light bulb would have "burned out".

Similarly other electrical devices such as PCs and servers may stop working, or may even burst into flames if an overvoltage is delivered to the circuit of which these devices are part of. A surge suppressor is an appliance designed to protect electrical devices from voltage spikes.

Christian Bertrand, Director, APC by Schneider Electric - ME & Turkey, said:

"Power consumption in the summer months goes up substantially due to heavy use of air-conditioners and people choosing to stay indoors, causing pressure on the power grids, leading to 'load shedding' or power cuts. That's where the need comes to protect your electrical devices at home or office. The usage of surge suppressors and UPS systems are still incomparably low considering the damage overvoltage may cause to a device and ultimately to the business."

In a radical situation of utility power failure, an uninterruptible power supply facilitates constant electric power to electrical equipment. It also provides battery backup in sudden electric power failure or unacceptable voltage drop (due to erratic weather conditions) that could lead to a severe service disruption in various industry sectors like medical & financial establishments, agricultural setups, commercial units, factories and educational institutions.

APC sees a healthy growth for surge protectors and Uninterrupted Power Supply systems in the Middle East during the summer months. According to market research, the combined Middle East and Africa UPS market was estimated to be worth $282m in 2007 and is forecast to grow to $488.4m by 2012, a CAGR of 11.6%, significantly outpacing the worldwide average.

"Growth drivers in the region for surge suppressors and UPS systems are basic IT and infrastructure investments in office and home-office environments, voltage fluctuations and power cuts, specially during summer months, and a general awareness for the need to protect data and expensive electrical devices," concluded Bertrand.