Should you protect your Spectrophotometer and Chroma Meter with Surge Protection?
The short answer is YES, you should always protect your Instruments from Power Surge (Or Spikes), accidentally using the incorrect AC adaptor and the like.
Just to clarify, while a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is typically used for PC’s in the Laboratory or in situ in the factory, low voltage instruments like a Spectrophotometer, unless you expect a long power out, does not require this more expensive solution. A PC requires a controlled shutdown, so if you don’t need backup for long power outages, you can use a simple UPS rather than a more complex expensive one.
Instruments however often have internal battery options, or if the power is out, nothing will be working, so a UPS solution is overkill in most cases.
What you really want to protect yourself from is:
- Spikes in Power supply
- Spikes from crossing over to a generator
- Spikes from when the power is reconnected
- Plugging in the wrong AC adaptor (Most KM devices are 5v)
In this case, off the shelf “Surge Protectors” are sufficient.
With thanks to ELLIES for the images.
We do not endorse or recommend any particular brand, and suggest your site electrician makes the selection decision
