When the power grid is restored, electricity does not return steadily, but with micro-outages and surges that directly impact the electronic boards of modern devices. According to Argentina News Agency, in homes with refrigerators, televisions, computers, and air conditioning units, a single voltage spike can cause irreversible damage. At that moment, voltage surges and electrical spikes can burn household appliances plugged in, even if they are turned off, in seconds. A voltage spike can damage the compressor or starting system, which is one of the most expensive repairs. The ideal is to unplug it during the blackout and reconnect it a few minutes after the power stabilizes.
What should be unplugged without fail during a power outage: - LED, OLED, and Smart TVs - Computers, laptops, and video game consoles - Routers, modems, and TV decoders - Air conditioners - Microwaves and electric ovens - Audio equipment and home theater systems These devices have delicate electronic boards that do not tolerate voltage spikes well.
Buenos Aires, January 15 (NA) – When there are repeated power outages, the problem is not just being left without electricity: the real risk appears when the service returns. The most modern devices and those with internal electronic components are the most vulnerable. Voltage surges when the electricity comes back can cause damage to household appliances. The good news is that most of these problems can be prevented with a simple action: unplugging sensitive devices in time.
Household appliances that should always be unplugged Not all equipment reacts the same way to an electrical variation. A single return of unstable current can leave a power supply, a board, or a transformer out of service.
What happens if you leave them plugged in When the power comes back, the voltage does not enter smoothly and progressively. That's why unplugging certain key equipment can prevent losses of thousands of pesos. Many users believe the danger is only during the blackout, but in reality, the most critical moment is the reconnection.
This phenomenon can cause: - Burning of power supplies - Damage to motherboards - Intermittent failures that appear days later - Equipment that "turns on but doesn't work well" In many cases, the appliance does not break completely, but it gets damaged and starts to fail over time, which later results in an expensive repair or a direct replacement.
The refrigerator: to unplug or not to unplug? The refrigerator raises doubts because it is key to preserving food. The recommendation is: If the outage is brief: leave it plugged in and do not open it. If there are intermittent outages: it is advisable to unplug it during the instability. The refrigerator motor suffers a lot from repeated outages and reconnections. In practice, what happens is a succession of micro-electrical shocks until the grid stabilizes. Special care must be taken with Smart TVs when the power goes out.
