Are your electronics protected ? What is the difference ? (Surge Protector, Power Strip) ?

What you should Know about protecting your electronics!

Surge protectors are an inexpensive way to protect your gear against random power spikes and surges damage. They're not all the same. Here are a few tips before you start shopping.

With all of the electronics in the home today, it is essential to protect against power surges, spikes and brown outs. 

But there are products that may not protect you equipment as expected. 

First, electronics devices are susceptible to any power surge or spiike, this is to say the if the voltage or current gets high enough it will damage the electronics connected.  The best way to reduce or eliminate the potential damage would be to use a UL rated Surge Protector. As an example, the Tripp-Lite AV810 

Trip-Lite AV810

can protect a variety of electronics included lighting strikes protection for Coax and Phone. This type of surge protector is rated in Joules that is to say the amount of energy the surge-protector will protect against.  The higher the number of joules the better... 

The next item is a Power-Bar or Power-Strip, This is not a surge protector

woods Model # 0414068801 

 but rather a multi-plug outlet and offer almost zero projection against power surges or spikes, as an example the woods Model # 0414068801 has 0 joules protection and only offers additional outlets to plugin additional equipment. If you are using a Power strip to protect your equipment, you may want to change these out to surge protectors instead. 

There is one last surge protector that you might want check out... A whole home surge protector.  This type of protection protects all outlets in the home.  An example is the Leviton Model #51120-3R, while this type of device might be initially expensive it will replace the need to individual surge protectors thought the home. 

Leviton Model #51120-3R

The Inside Difference 

A generic power strip (left) offers far less voltage diversion and suppression than surge protectors like the Panamax SP8-AV (right). The Panamax also has widely spaced outlets that accommodate power adapters without blocking adjacent outlets. Its right-angle plug lets you move furniture closer to the wall. And it comes with a $50,000 connected-equipment warranty.

Bottom Line

There really is no reason not to get a surge protector. How much you need it will vary. If you live in an area with lots of thunderstorms, your gear is probably more likely to experience power surges. Even if you live in the desert, your A/C or refrigerator could kick power spikes back down the lines to your A/V gear.

Since most surge protectors are cheap, they're worth getting, just in case.

Thanks,

Perry Lombard, CPI

Richmond Home Inspections 

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