Just to clarify that PM, we lost the equipment in HUGE power fluctuations when our generator lost its regulator. The power goes out here roughly every third month - surge, surge, brownout, surge, surge, surge - and that hasn't ever damaged any of our electronics. I'm just not positive that is a good example. Other rural-livers might be able to better advise you.

{shudder} The smell of burning 600s is not pleasant! When all the lights turned crazy bright and the EP600s emitted an odor, I made a run for my little home theater. I had to get over a nightstand and behind my bed in a heartbeat to grab the power cord for my 500 - I practically skinned my tummy on the phone on the night stand! It was hard to know where to run - I also unplugged my UPS but didn't unplug a phone with a bluetooth headset and it was fried - not much survives that sort of surging, I guess. {/shudder}