I can tell you from experience that the biggest problem copier owners in NJ have to worry about is voltage surges. They are a common occurrence, and often not covered by extended warranties.
Damage from voltage surges is considered human error, because it could have been prevented by taking the right precautions, such as using a surge protector. It’s the same reason why warranties on most electronics do not cover accidental damage.
If and when a voltage surge occurs, and you do not have a surge protector for your copier, you will know if it has caused damage because there will be an error message on your computer screen.
In more extreme cases, depending on the severity of the voltage surge, a copier’s boards will completely blown out. This will render the machine unusable until the blown out parts are replaced.
There are two important things that often get overlooked when buying a surge protector for a copier. First, the surge protector should be made specifically for copier machines. It cannot be guaranteed that a generic surge protector made for a wide range of electronics will protect your copier.
Second, business owners a often make the mistake of plugging multiple copier machines into one surge protector. Ideally, each copier machine in the office should have its own dedicated surge protector.
The reason for that is because the most common way boards in a copier machine get damaged is through a voltage surge. Having one surge protector per copier increases your level of protection against voltage surges.
When more than one copier is plugged into a surge protector, the protection it is able to provide is being divided amongst the number of copiers that are plugged in. That means some copiers will end up being protected from a voltage surge, while others will bear the full brunt of the blast.
Surge Protector For a Copier: Inexpensive to Replace
Boards for a copier can cost several thousand dollars to fix – by comparison, a surge protector for a copier is relatively inexpensive to replace. Therefore it makes good business sense to protect your more expensive investments with a single surge protector for each copier.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, it’s important that you buy the right type of surge protector for your copier. Cheap surge protectors can be purchased from big box stores, but I would recommend staying far away from those.
Specialty stores like Dean Office Solutions, or specialty online shops like Panamax, are better options for finding a surge protector that is specifically made for use on copiers.
It cannot be understated how important this is.
If there’s one takeaway you leave with after reading this post – when shopping for a surge protector, make absolutely sure it’s made to be used with copier machines.
Conclusion
To recap, it’s your responsibility to protect your equipment from voltage surges. Buying surge protectors made for copiers, and having one surge protector per copier, can increase your protection against voltage surges.
You never know when or where voltage surges are going to strike. Whether buying new equipment or used equipment, we recommend having a surge protector for your copier from the minute you begin using the machine.
If you need more information about buying the right surge protector for a copier, please contact me or leave a comment below.