I was wondering if anyone had an APC or other brand of battery backup surge protector on you machines. We spend alot of money on our machines and would sure hate to loose them to a power surge or outage. If you do have one on your machines, what brand and size did you purchase?

Absolutely! I have an APC brand UPS for my Bernina

I really don't know how to ask this but how do you determine what size to buy. I can't find how many watts or what that you would need? I can't find the info on my machine

That is a great idea - thanks for mentioning it. I have a surge protector on our computer, TV, microwave (learned that one the hard way), freezers, keyboard & fridge.
I believe its time to add a couple in my sewing room.

Yes, of course...my sewing machines and this computer plus the TV are on a large computer power backup/surge protector.

I was very glad that I had it, as last summer I took a surge. The protector bit the dust, but saved all the machines....

I was told that even if you're using a surge protector you should still unplug your machine from the wall when not in use. I do this faithfully.

I do that too. I want to get a good surge protector but my being electronically challanged I don't know which one to buy. I have looked in my machine books and online and had not found how much elect. my machines pull or how to decide which one will do the job for my new quilting machine and my MB4.

i have them on everything.

about 10 years ago our house was hit with lighting and we lost everything (computers, tvs, dvd players, gym equipment, kitchen appliances, etc) and while home owners insurance covered everything we still never want that to happen again.

We have them on everything as well!

Overkill isn't a bad thing in this case...mine is almost the size of a shoebox...but it saved everything.

I have my machines plugged into a supper heavy duty, large one,(maybe over done)
then that one is plugged into another one. The one closest to the sewing machine is turned off when I am not sewing.

I have these on my computer and sewing machines. Note: not all the plugs are battery back up.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/APC+-+55...788&st=battery backup surge protector&cp=1&lp=2

I do this too.

Thanks so much. I looked at the site. So 550VA is large enough for your machines.

I have APC's too but mine are bigger than that one. I lost everything in 2005 to a house fire that started from a cheap surge protector that my sewing machine was plugged into. The fire investigator told us the fire had been smoldering in the floorboards for days before it erupted. We were told only to buy the good ones that guarantee coverage if anything happens as they are the best and that is what we did.

Battery back up was the first thing my machine was plugged into!

Not all battery backups are surge protectors. Make sure that the battery backup you buy is. I lost my whole computer system by not being aware of this fact.

Ok here is what I did after reading all of these informative replys.I bought a APC 1000va/600watts with VAR tecnology. I also bout a surge protector to plug into the wall and then plug the APC into the surge protector. This is what the young man said he did and he also lives in an older home and has not had any problems. So.....hope I did the right thing. Thanks again for all of your information.

me,too!

Westom, are you a quilter? I noticed all your posts are related to surge protectors.

Ask your Electric Company.......I have one they put into the meter and it costs very little each month.....It's guarenteed as well.....You loose something to power surge or fried they will replace it.......Rita

I paid about $150 for mine from Radio Shack. It was a great investment to protect the girls! Gammie and Gabby (my 2 Gammills).

Definitely!!! On my sewing machine and longarm machines both, afterall if your going to spend that much money whats another 60.00? I think it is a wise investment and a great decision. In fact I believe dealers should stock them and encourage people to use them, it could possibly save much heartache.

We had a high end surge protector hit by lightning and my computer was plugged into it and fried the motherboard. It also melted all the cords that were plugged into the walls. Just have to say there were great fireworks in my living room that day! We had to replace all the breakers to and that was not cheap. Thank goodness for insurance! Now when we have storms everything gets shut off and we use big flash lights till the storms pass.

No, I hadn't thought of it but I do have one on my computer. It was expensive, something like $150 but I guess in the grand scheme of things, that is a small price to pay for protection on our sewing machines! I think I'll plug the machine into the protector since they are in the same room. Thank you for the idea!

Vanessa in Oklahoma