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  LIGHT If the lights go out you'll need a flashlight. The most important thing is, remember where you put it. There are all sorts; The Epicenter.com has one you wear like a ring, and you can find a wide variety at Flashlights.com. Just make sure you have plenty of batteries. And maybe a candle with matches. POWER There are all sorts of devices to keep the power flowing. You can charge your handheld computers and cell phones with the instant chemical charger from Electric-fuel. Surge Protectors Power outages (and lightning strikes) can also result in surges of electricity that can cause permanent damage to electronics and other equipment. Power strips, surge protectors and voltage regulators are designed to filter these spikes. APC, the best known name, has a Surge Protection Selector to recommend company products. Some geeks, burned in the past by surges, refuse to plug any electronics directly into the wall without a surge protector. (See APC Power Event Definitions for more on brownouts (aka "sags), blackouts, spikes, surges and noise.) Uninterruptible Power Supply These power protection systems are designed to tide you over through brief power outages, usually just long enough to safely exit or backup computer work. The batteries won't keep your fridge running but they're perfect if you need time to send one last email. So-called smart models can run backup scripts on your Windows PC. You might also want to consider one for a fish tank. If you think the electricity might be out a long, long time, there are also solar lights and solar battery chargers, and you can even get a diesel generator. Top |
