Did you hear the one about the car that was designed to run on a PC? Guaranteed to crash at least once a day.
Just kidding. But since you use your computer regularly, you're probably used to the occasional crashes, hang-ups, etc. that come with the territory. It happens, you re-boot, mutter a few words in the general direction of Redmond, Washington, and off you go again until the next glitch comes along.
It's usually a software problem, maybe accompanied by an ominous message like "YOUR SYSTEM HAS PERFORMED AN ILLEGAL OPERATION " or "INSUFFICIENT MEMORY TO RUN THIS APPLICATION". But sometimes it's not the software's fault. It could be a question of inadequate power quality. Power quality? Since when does power have "quality"? It's either on or it's off, right? Well, yes and no. Back in the dark ages BC (before computers), it usually was sufficient that the power turned on whenever you flipped the switch. And it usually did, except during summertime brownouts when too many people turned on their air conditioners at the same time or after the occasional blackouts when lightning (or some motorist) struck a pole. Other than that, electric power quality was unremarkably adequate.
That's no longer the case, because the way we use electric power has changed significantly. Just a few years ago, most of the electrical uses in our homes (and in our factories and offices, for that matter) involved lighting, electric motors and a few transformers. We still need those things today, but we also increasingly rely on what we might call "electronic" applications of electric power. Electronic applications include not just computers and their peripherals, but all of the appliances, tools, instruments, thermostats, burglar alarms, audio/video equipment, copiers, fax machines and other gadgets that contain some form of microchip or "logic circuits". It's those electronic gadgets that are so finicky about power quality. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) even has a name for them; they call them "Sensitive Electronic Equipment," and have published special recommended practices to deal with them correctly. These things simply can't tolerate the sort of lapses in power quality that light bulbs and electric motors routinely shrug off.
Since more and more sensitive electronic equipment is finding its way into our homes - especially as home offices become more popular - we've prepared this article to explain the concept of power quality and how it can affect you. We'll also explain how the proper use of copper wiring can ensure that your sensitive electronic equipment functions properly. And, if you're considering building a new home or thinking about re-wiring your current one, we'll mention a few pointers that will "build in" good power quality from the start.
Continuity, Voltage and Frequency/Waveform
