Can a modern computer handle having a modern electric space heater plugged into the same AC circuit?
For the sake of this question, let’s define modern as built after 2010.
Assume the AC circuit is professionally installed.
Also assume nothing else will be on the circuit except for, at most, a computer monitor, a USB 3.x hub with 3-4 old external platter-based hard disk drives connected to it, an inkjet printer/scanner, and a cell phone charger.
Sub-questions:
- Does it matter if the computer is a laptop or a desktop?
- Does it matter if the space heater uses ceramic or traditional non-ceramic heating elements?
- Does it matter if the space heater includes a motor that allows it to oscillate (rotate) during use?
The concern mostly centers around surges and momentary peak loads potentially caused by a space heater damaging the computer’s components (or hard drives connected to a USB hub).
The user of each computer is elderly or disabled and relatively poor, so additional costs for UPS devices isn’t too practical.
