Plasma Protection Ups Or Isobar?

[PEXPRESSFAN]

I just got a 50" LG Plasma and Blu Ray last week and we have been getting brownouts where we dont lose power but our lights flicker and all the clocks and TV's in the house turn off. I have been going crazy researching on the internet on the best thing to use to keep this problem from ruining my stuff. Right now I have a regular surge protector and that is not keeping the surges from kicking my stuff off, I have the TV,cable box,reciever, subwoofer,wii, and blue ray plugged into it. I keep hearing that you should use a UPS but I also read you should use a ISOBAR6ULTRA. My question is which is the best protection for my stuff and will keep these surges or brownouts from kicking my stuff off while they are on and ruin them? also the brownout problem is in the neighborhood cause all my neighbors had the same problem at the same times. I thank you in advance for any help you offer.

 

[bandphan]

IMO UPS would be the choice. There have been a few discussions regarding this in the General forum, you might want to search there for some opinons

 

[nibhaz]

From your description of the problem it really sounds like you need an Automatic Voltage Regulator or AVR for short. Something like this. Most UPSs have an AVR built in, so of the two options you’ve presented I would say that you want a UPS.

Also, I didn’t see anything in the ISOBAR’s literature that suggested it would correct for low voltage during a brown-out so I don’t see how this would be a viable solution for your situation.

 

[Rickster71]

Welcome to Audioholics!

Has the Power Co been notified?

It very possible (depending on how many homes are affected) it’s a bad transformer, out on the pole.

Brown outs are bad news for anything with a compressor too, refrigerators, AC units, etc.

The POCO is the place to start.
Let us know how you make out.

Rick

 

[nibhaz]

Welcome to Audioholics!

Has the Power Co been notified?

It very possible (depending on how many homes are affected) it’s a bad transformer, out on the pole.

Brown outs are bad news for anything with a compressor too, refrigerators, AC units, etc.

The POCO is the place to start.
Let us know how you make out.

Rick

+1 for Rick, that's where you should really start.

 

[PEXPRESSFAN]

Thanks

I contacted my power co and the told me they were doing some underground work at the time we said we got the brownouts, but we get these bout every 3 months or so and they usually are 1 time and done but we had 3 yesterday within 20min period and last weekend we had 2 back to back. So it looks like UPS is the way to go, I am on a very tight budget and am going to have to buy 3 of these cause I have a LCD in the bed room The Plasma in the living room and my computer. Ones I seen I could afford is at bust buy they are APC-550VA....Cyberpower425VA. I only have BestBuy, staples, and a parts express near me. And since you mentioned the fridge, would it be safe to use a surge protector on it or would it not help with this problem? thanks again you guys are great.

 

[nibhaz]

I contacted my power co and the told me they were doing some underground work at the time we said we got the brownouts, but we get these bout every 3 months or so and they usually are 1 time and done but we had 3 yesterday within 20min period and last weekend we had 2 back to back. So it looks like UPS is the way to go, I am on a very tight budget and am going to have to buy 3 of these cause I have a LCD in the bed room The Plasma in the living room and my computer. Ones I seen I could afford is at bust buy they are APC-550VA....Cyberpower425VA. I only have BestBuy, staples, and a parts express near me. And since you mentioned the fridge, would it be safe to use a surge protector on it or would it not help with this problem? thanks again you guys are great.

Unfortunately, neither the APC nor Cyberpower you listed feature an AVR, they are purely UPSs.

At BB you would need to step up to the Cyberpower 685VA UPS to get the AVR feature your situation warrants.

Are you opposed to ordering on line? You can get a standalone AVR for just under $40 if you look.