Sean...   
      
   SD>Don't use that button on a daily basis.  The UPS needs to be on at all times   
   SD>to make sure it's working correctly.   
      
   SD>Otherwise, you might as well plug in your devices to a surge-protected power   
   SD>strip and save your money.   
      
     I do have some surge protected power stripes besides the 3 UPS's. I've got   
   3...one for each of the computers (the main BBS computer, and one for   
   each of the laptops). The original BBS computer quit booting up (not   
   sure if it is motherboard or hard drive failure), but I quit using it at   
   least 2 months ago. I basically need to just take it to PC Assistance,   
   and have them wipe the drive, and use the rest for parts.   
      
     However, if there's a threat of thunderstorms in my area, EVERYTHING   
   gets unplugged in the apartment...EXCEPT for the refrigerator/freezer,   
   stove, dishwasher, and garbage disposal, as they're part of the   
   apartment, and I wouldn't be responsible for repair or replacement on   
   those if they got zapped by a lightning strike or surge.   
      
     Thunderstorms in Arkansas are prolific lightning producers...and   
   sometimes, it's like living in an ungrounded Faraday cage. In one   
   recent 12 hour period, they measured 2500 lightning strikes across   
   Arkansas...with Pulaski County (Little Rock) getting 500 strikes in one   
   hour!!   
      
     I heard of a ham radio operator who had SPARED NO EXPENSE for   
   lightning protection. You name it, he bought it, and installed it. He   
   took a direct or very close to direct hit...his tower, mast, antenna,   
   and coaxial cable...were VAPORIZED (not a trace left)...then all of his   
   UPS's and the devices they were protecting, were DESTROYED. So, all that   
   money that he spent was for nothing.   
      
     Take it from someone who has personally suffered 2 indirect   
   strikes...I still got the shock, but carry no electrical charge, and can   
   be handled safely ...about the power of lightning. Each bolt:   
      
   1) Is 5 miles long   
   2) Can strike as much as 20 miles from the parent thunderstorm   
   3) Is 50,000 Degrees Fahrenheit (5 times hotter than the sun's surface)   
   4) Has 300,000 volts...and 30,000 amps of electricity   
      
     In short, it's no contest. I'd rather be offline a few hours or days,   
   rather than permanently, from a lightning strike.   
      
   SD>Sean   
   SD>(who has six UPSes running as he types in his room)   
      
     Braggert.    
      
     I've always used UPS's from American Power Conversion, even when the   
   BBS first came online in December, 1990 (on a Radio Shack 32K Model 100   
   laptop). In fact, over 20 years ago, my submission on how good APC units   
   work, was noted as "Letter Of The Month". The image from that is on the   
   BBS's website (toward the bottom of the page) at   
   http://wx1der.dyndns.org   
      
   Daryl   
      
   ---   
    þ OLX 1.53 þ So easy, a child could do it. Child sold separately.   
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
                                                                                     
   --- Virtual Advanced Ver 2 for DOS    
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS (1:19/33)