Affected by Power Cuts? Tips to Prevent Electronic Devices from Being Damaged Quickly

Communities in various regions have been complaining about the increasingly frequent power cuts occurring recently. The repeated blackouts are considered not only disruptive to daily activities but also bring a fatal threat that is rarely realised for household electronic devices.

Responding to this issue, an electrical engineering expert from the University of Muhammadiyah Malang, Prof Machmud Effendy, stated that the most severe damage to electronic devices does not occur when the power goes out. Instead, it happens when the electricity flow returns due to a drastic voltage spike, known as a power surge.

Prof Machmud explained that the public has often misunderstood the root cause of damage to their electronic goods. Technically, the highest and most damaging risk actually arises when the power supply is restored, where electrical energy enters the components in a very large amount within a very short time, thus damaging components designed for a specific voltage range.

“Generally, what has more potential to damage electronic devices is when the power comes back on. When the electricity network transmits, voltage disturbances often occur that can far exceed the normal voltage of 220 volts,” he said in a written statement, quoted on Monday (6/7/2026).

This surge can impact various household devices such as televisions, computers, chargers, Wi-Fi routers, washing machines, and air conditioners. Components like the power supply and the electronic circuits inside them are the parts most vulnerable to electric current instability.