How to clean up mains power?

We're having to reset our office network at least once a day. it locks up and
only a power cycle will get things going again.

We've replaced the router and the DSL modem. No joy. Firmware is up-to-date.
The neighboring office manager says that they are experiencing similar
issues. The building is old and will be bulldozed within a year (60's/70's
vintage wiring).

How can we confirm or eliminate the power as the culprit? Would like to take
steps to filter the mains power rather than measure it (ie, strip chart
recorder) because I'm certain that it's the culprit, and spending a few $$ on
cleaning up the power is $$ well spent, IMHO.

The current power strip powering the network devices -- DSL modem, Ethernet
network router/switch (no wireless) -- has integral surge protection but
nothing more.

All suggestions are welcome.

Sparky

Posted by Eeyore on August 10, 2007, 5:28 am

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SparkyGuy wrote:

> We're having to reset our office network at least once a day. it locks up and
> only a power cycle will get things going again.
>
> We've replaced the router and the DSL modem. No joy. Firmware is up-to-date.
> The neighboring office manager says that they are experiencing similar
> issues. The building is old and will be bulldozed within a year (60's/70's
> vintage wiring).
>
> How can we confirm or eliminate the power as the culprit? Would like to take
> steps to filter the mains power rather than measure it (ie, strip chart
> recorder) because I'm certain that it's the culprit, and spending a few $$ on
> cleaning up the power is $$ well spent, IMHO.
>
> The current power strip powering the network devices -- DSL modem, Ethernet
> network router/switch (no wireless) -- has integral surge protection but
> nothing more.
>
> All suggestions are welcome.

Since it's unclear what exactly the problem is, an uninterruptable power supply
(UPS) would be your best choice.
A *filter* won't stop problems due to mini-brownouts you see.

Graham

Posted by Al Dykes on August 10, 2007, 7:55 am

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>We're having to reset our office network at least once a day. it locks up and
>only a power cycle will get things going again.
>
>We've replaced the router and the DSL modem. No joy. Firmware is up-to-date.
>The neighboring office manager says that they are experiencing similar
>issues. The building is old and will be bulldozed within a year (60's/70's
>vintage wiring).
>
>How can we confirm or eliminate the power as the culprit? Would like to take
>steps to filter the mains power rather than measure it (ie, strip chart
>recorder) because I'm certain that it's the culprit, and spending a few $$ on
>cleaning up the power is $$ well spent, IMHO.
>
>The current power strip powering the network devices -- DSL modem, Ethernet
>network router/switch (no wireless) -- has integral surge protection but
>nothing more.
>
>All suggestions are welcome.
>
>Sparky
>

IMO, If you think you have power problems, you need to spend a few
bucks on professional advice before you spend bucks on hardware. Call
an electrician.

That being said, if all the core equipment, (DSL router, broadband
modem, WiFi access point, etc), is on a small UPS, you've eliminated
lots of possible power problems. If you do this and you still have
problems, you have big problems or they are unrelated to power.

--
a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m
Don't blame me. I voted for Gore. A Proud signature since 2001

Posted by Michael A. Terrell on August 10, 2007, 10:38 am

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Al Dykes wrote:

> >We're having to reset our office network at least once a day. it locks up and
> >only a power cycle will get things going again.
> >
> >We've replaced the router and the DSL modem. No joy. Firmware is up-to-date.
> >The neighboring office manager says that they are experiencing similar
> >issues. The building is old and will be bulldozed within a year (60's/70's
> >vintage wiring).
> >
> >How can we confirm or eliminate the power as the culprit? Would like to take
> >steps to filter the mains power rather than measure it (ie, strip chart
> >recorder) because I'm certain that it's the culprit, and spending a few $$ on
> >cleaning up the power is $$ well spent, IMHO.
> >
> >The current power strip powering the network devices -- DSL modem, Ethernet
> >network router/switch (no wireless) -- has integral surge protection but
> >nothing more.
> >
> >All suggestions are welcome.
> >
> >Sparky
> >

>
> IMO, If you think you have power problems, you need to spend a few
> bucks on professional advice before you spend bucks on hardware. Call
> an electrician.

Don't waste your time. Call your electric company and ask them to
loan you a test set to monitor and log your power line.

The last place I worked was having excessive failures on the
production floor, and erratic computer problems all over the building. I
looked into one of the breaker boxes and told them what was wrong. They
told me I didn't know what I was talking about, that the wiring was done
to code. So, they called in the industrial electricians who wired the
building. They walked around removing breaker box covers, scratching
their asses, then sticking the covers back on.

Their final report was, 'We don't see nothing wrong.' Our problem
was found by the utility company, and proven by using the monitor. The
building was 25 years old, and used the then allowed two gauges smaller
neutral three phase system. The harmonics caused by lots of switching
power supplies cause high currents in the neutral, which causes heating
and erratic equipment shutdowns. The neutrals were supplemented with
larger neutrals, to make it equivalent to two gauges larger. 99 % of
our problems went away.

--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Posted by DLR on August 11, 2007, 3:33 pm

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Michael A. Terrell wrote:

> The last place I worked was having excessive failures on the
> production floor, and erratic computer problems all over the building. I
> looked into one of the breaker boxes and told them what was wrong. They
> told me I didn't know what I was talking about, that the wiring was done
> to code.

Wired to code is a safety issue. Clean power isn't really addressed by the code
except where too small a wire would cause a voltage drop.

And yes the double conversion UPS is best. I treat the others as something to
use and hope the computer doesn't turn off when the power drops for a bit. Other
than that the surge protection they have in them is about the same as the power
strip you get at Staples.

Every time we've had "strange" computer issues and I've gotten the office to go
with said "good" UPS setups, the strange has vanished. And usually the money
spent was way less than the total diagnostic route. Around here and in many
parts of the country getting the power company's help in such issues is an
almost hopeless task. They put on their DVM that the linemen carry on their belt
and if it reads between 110 and 125 (or whatever the allowed range is) they
declare victory and leave.

But yes we do first check for obvious stuff in the breaker box, shared breakers
with the offset press, old wiring that's failing, etc...

David

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