PureAV Power Glossary

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PureAV Power Protection Glossary

Coax protection

There are two types of coaxial connections on PureAV Power Protection products: one for satellite systems (such as DirecTV or Dish Network) and one for cable TV and outdoor antennas. The satellite system connection is designed especially to handle the higher voltage satellite systems send between the dish and the satellite receiver.

Custom Delay/Time Delay

Allows selected components to be turned on after other components. Most commonly used to avoid the annoying and potentially damaging speaker "thump" created by high-current amplifiers.

Electromagnetic interference

Typically experienced as a loud buzzing or low frequency hum coming from the speakers. Numerous household appliances, either in your home or nearby can cause this, primarily those with electric motors like vacuums, washing machines or electric garden tools like mowers, trimmers and clippers.

Ground fault

An electrical short caused by a circuit being grounded somewhere other than at your home's proper grounding source. Faulty or damaged wiring are the typical causes of a ground fault. Left unrepaired, a ground fault can lead to serious electrical problems. If a ground fault is detected, it's a good idea to have a licensed electrician check it out.

Joules

The higher the joule rating, the better the protection. The technical answer: One joule is equal to the work done when a one amp of current is passed through a resistance of one ohm for one second. For example, a 100-watt light bulb uses 100 joules every second.

Over-voltage

A power surge that happens when high-current items like air conditioners are switched off. The suddenly surplus voltage is dissipated across the rest of the circuit and can sometimes far exceed the peak current of your electronic equipment.

Radio frequency interference

Typically experienced as "snow" in a TV screen or "pops" in your speakers, there are numerous sources of radio interference. Some sources are nearby like CB or Ham radios, or cell phones. Other sources can be far away like radio stations, microwave towers and the like.

Switched outlet

An AC outlet that delivers power only when the power protection component is turned on. Some A/V receivers have switched outlets, but rarely with the added power protection features that PureAV Power Protection components provide.

UL listed

UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories Inc., an independent, non-profit, product safety testing and certification organization. Since 1894, UL has been one of the leaders in testing products for public safety. If a product is UL listed, it has been tested and approved by the laboratory.

Under-voltage

Sort of like a "brown out" when insufficient voltage is available to properly run an electrical device. This can be particularly damaging to devices that have motors like DVD players and VCRs . Typically caused when too many electrical devices are trying to draw power at the same time. Under Voltage is a very common problem during hot weather.

Unswitched outlet

An AC outlet that delivers power all the time, as long as the device with the outlet has power to it. Useful for components that have memory.

UPS (uninterruptible power supply)

A battery backup that will continue to deliver power during brief outages. Highly recommended for components that have extensive personalized settings such as high-end AV receivers, HDTV's, and media centers.

Voltage spike

This is what most people think of when they realize they need surge protection. Typically caused by lightning or when the power suddenly comes back on after an outage. Power spikes like this often result in serious damage to electronic components.