As fire season fast approaches, SVC Technologies/285 Computer Repair would like to share some reminders to keep you and your technology safe.
Probably the most important thing is to check often for any battery, charger or other component recalls. We've provided a link to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission that allows consumers to search for product recalls although it may not be all-inclusive. Directly searching the manufacturer's website for important information regarding specific devices is also encouraged.
http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2014/Goo ... -Chargers/
Check power cords for insulation that is coming apart from bending too much or from dogs/cats chewing on it or otherwise being frayed by getting caught up on something with a sharp edge. Replace any cords with even minor damage.
When leaving devices at home for any length of time, always make sure to shut them off completely and unplug them.
Make sure to have a quality surge protector and do not overload the power strip.
If a storm is brewing it is always wise shut down all devices and unplug all cables including phone cables, cords and wall plugs which will prevent lightning strikes that can travel through everything. Lightning strikes can cause a device to overload and arc, especially in power supplies and circuit boards.
If a laptop is running hot the cooling system likely needs to be serviced. Portable fans may work for a short time but could damage the hard drive and/or motherboard in the end. Additionally, hot laptops are potential fire hazards, especially if other components are failing which may cause wire insulation and/or plastic parts to melt. If a laptop is running hotter than normal, it is not okay.
Monitors in direct sunlight could potentially get so hot that it may cause already failing parts to break down and that could ignite the plastics or any debris nearby. By keeping blinds closed and utilizing power management, i.e. decreasing the length of time that passes before it goes into sleep mode when not in use.
Take the time to back-up any important data and place the storage device in a separate location. Cloud based back-up services may also be an option.
Some people may argue that with the advanced technology of today, if a laptop fan was to fail and the device became too hot, the built in thermal shut down would turn the system off before a fire starts. Our company specialized in board level repairs and we see a lot of thermal shut down failures that have caused arcing (especially from spills) and shorted out which caused boar, hard drive and battery failures. Once arcing is an issue, the fan can carry the spark outside of the device which could ignite other debris nearby. Our goal is to educate the public to eliminate even the rare chance of life and property damage caused by electronic devices.
Please call or stop by on any Monday with any question you may have regarding this subject. We will keep sending reminders throughout the season.
