Home and Auto It's Surge Supressor Season

Dinny Bossa Nova · 03-28-2011, 08:17 PM

If you bought your surge protection unit several years ago and it was the cheapest one on the rack at walmart, bad things can happen.

When a surge supressor supresses a surge it is called "clamping" or something like that. Once MOST ALL if not all cheap supressors are capable of clamping only one time. And if your budget brand clamper has clamped, it won't tell you it has. It will still "work" as in everything plugged into it will still get power, but those devices are no longer protected.

One thing to consider when buying a surge supressor is its clamp rating. It is typically expressed in joules, which is a fancy word for a wholebuncha volts. If the one you are buying does not have a joules rating, find one that does and pony up.

Does anybody know anybody, or know anybody that knows anybody that actually collected the tens of thousands of dollars insurance on a blowed up system that was protected by the twelve dollar surge supressor? It says so on the wrapper.

A power "conditioner" is a good (about 200 bucks) choice for your man cave high-end electronics system, but I would probably even have it plugged in to a high quality supressor.

A good tip for the budget supressors is piggyback two or three of them before you plug in your devices and replace EVERY year before thunderstorm season.

Lightning comes in over phone lines quicker than other ways, so your satellite receiver or any other phone line connected to expensive or crucial stuff should be disconnected FROM THE WALL and line moved away from outlet.

I know I am not the only sparky around here, so correct me or chime in.

Dinny

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03-28-2011, 08:17 PM	Topic Starter
Dinny Bossa Nova MVP Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $9990442	It's Surge Supressor Season If you bought your surge protection unit several years ago and it was the cheapest one on the rack at walmart, bad things can happen. When a surge supressor supresses a surge it is called "clamping" or something like that. Once MOST ALL if not all cheap supressors are capable of clamping only one time. And if your budget brand clamper has clamped, it won't tell you it has. It will still "work" as in everything plugged into it will still get power, but those devices are no longer protected. One thing to consider when buying a surge supressor is its clamp rating. It is typically expressed in joules, which is a fancy word for a wholebuncha volts. If the one you are buying does not have a joules rating, find one that does and pony up. Does anybody know anybody, or know anybody that knows anybody that actually collected the tens of thousands of dollars insurance on a blowed up system that was protected by the twelve dollar surge supressor? It says so on the wrapper. A power "conditioner" is a good (about 200 bucks) choice for your man cave high-end electronics system, but I would probably even have it plugged in to a high quality supressor. A good tip for the budget supressors is piggyback two or three of them before you plug in your devices and replace EVERY year before thunderstorm season. Lightning comes in over phone lines quicker than other ways, so your satellite receiver or any other phone line connected to expensive or crucial stuff should be disconnected FROM THE WALL and line moved away from outlet. I know I am not the only sparky around here, so correct me or chime in. Dinny sent from my laptop using HuntnPeck
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