The power source here on Samui is very bad. Not only do we get frequent outages, the current is not stable (to say the least). I have gone through a few laptops, batteries, and transformers. My question: Should I work with the laptop plugged in most of the time or should I charge up the battery and then work on battery power until it needs a recharge? I am using both a Dell and a Mac Powerbook. Thanks for any useful suggestions and information.

The power source here on Samui is very bad. Not only do we get frequent outages, the current is not stable (to say the least). I have gone through a few laptops, batteries, and transformers. My question: Should I work with the laptop plugged in most of the time or should I charge up the battery and then work on battery power until it needs a recharge? I am using both a Dell and a Mac Powerbook. Thanks for any useful suggestions and information.

Buy a decent UPS. This will flatten the power out and give you some backup for outages

The power source here on Samui is very bad. Not only do we get frequent outages, the current is not stable (to say the least). I have gone through a few laptops, batteries, and transformers. My question: Should I work with the laptop plugged in most of the time or should I charge up the battery and then work on battery power until it needs a recharge? I am using both a Dell and a Mac Powerbook. Thanks for any useful suggestions and information.

Buy a decent UPS. This will flatten the power out and give you some backup for outages

Would you recommend this for someone using only laptops? Last time I checked into this the owner at the largest local electrical supplier (Supot here on Samui) recommended what is really some kind of upgraded multi plug connector with fuse box. I am pretty sure he understood my request clearly. Is there an option for a device to even out the current and deal with surges from lightening that would be better for someone who doesn't need the battery function a UPS provides? Thanks

UPS. The best solution all round. Does not need to be a big wattage one if your only running a laptop and say router.

Smallest available will give you an hour or so on a laptop.

The power source here on Samui is very bad. Not only do we get frequent outages, the current is not stable (to say the least). I have gone through a few laptops, batteries, and transformers. My question: Should I work with the laptop plugged in most of the time or should I charge up the battery and then work on battery power until it needs a recharge? I am using both a Dell and a Mac Powerbook. Thanks for any useful suggestions and information.

Buy a decent UPS. This will flatten the power out and give you some backup for outages

Would you recommend this for someone using only laptops? Last time I checked into this the owner at the largest local electrical supplier (Supot here on Samui) recommended what is really some kind of upgraded multi plug connector with fuse box. I am pretty sure he understood my request clearly. Is there an option for a device to even out the current and deal with surges from lightening that would be better for someone who doesn't need the battery function a UPS provides? Thanks

You could try something like this but as you said you had outages, I would go for a ups personally.

http://www.i-tech.com.au/products/78406_Eaton_POD_8_Way_Power_Filter_Board.aspx

Make sure the UPS has an AVR (automatic voltage regulator) function.

That will smooth out the changes in the voltage.

A UPS alone only helps when the power cuts altogether.

To be honest I would expect the power brick of the laptop to isolate

your PC from the changes on its own.

Where I live voltage regulation is pretty awful, but I have never had a problem with my notebook

in over 7 years.

laptops (and similar) have usually a power supply 100-250 Volt 50-60 Hz (and less shouldn't matter).

So you are safe unless they do something really wrong.

If you have land, you can put in earth rods (more than 1 and on different lines) and if you are confident that they are good, jump earth to the zero line.

That is very 1960 and if someone cut you the earth line you have some bigger problems, so you should know what you do....But it improve things.

i have seen voltage problems even through laptops: my wife has a Windows 7 phone, when plugged into a laptop at home it has problems detecting finger presses (actually it gets lots of false positives in addition to the actual press) when i take it to my office or plug it into an "official" phone ac-to-usb charger i don't have the problem.

after the transformer out on my street blew and had to be replaced, i tried again and then no problems at all. so it seems the voltage flux got through to my laptop's usb power at least.