Electronic appliances such as computers, TVs, DVD players, and cordless phones are susceptible to damage from power surges. Power surges occur when something boosts the electrical charge at some point in the electrical lines. This increases the current flow of electricity to your wall outlet.
Power surges can be caused by many sources including
- Wind damage
- Squirrels and other animals in contact with power lines
- Vehicle accidents involving utility poles
- Home appliances (air conditioners, refrigerators, power tools, etc.)
- Restoration of power after an outage
- Faulty, loose, or improperly sized wiring
- Faulty circuit breakers
- Inadequate grounding
Surge protectors, also known as surge suppressors, protect equipment by reducing power surges and spikes to a level that cannot damage electronic equipment. Unlike power strips that offer no protection, high quality surge suppressors offer reliable protection for years.
No product on the market will prevent lightning from striking a home nor will any product protect against lightning damage. However, surge protection can provide protection from lightning-induced surges that enter the home through the electric service, satellite/cable, or telephone lines only.
Surge protection helps guard your electronic equipment from potentially damaging power surges that may appear only as a flicker of the lights or as nothing at all.
A surge suppressor must be plugged into a properly grounded three-prong outlet to work. A good grounding system is your first line of defense against power surges. Grounding limits voltage spikes due to lightning or power line surges. If your home features two-prong or improperly grounded three-prong outlets, contact an electrical contractor to upgrade your electrical system.
Types of Surge Protectors
Meter Surge Protectors
Meter surge protectors provide surge suppression and protect your electrical system from power surges originating outside the house.
Electrical Panel Protection
Electrical panel protection provides protection similar to a meter surge protector.
Plug-In Surge Protectors
Plug-in surge protectors provide protection by stopping power surges before they damage your home electronics equipment. Most plug-in surge protectors have LED indicator lights and/or audible alarms to alert you if the unit has been damaged and requires replacement. There are three basic levels of plug-in surge protectors:
Basic power strip - Extension cord units with five or six outlets that provide only basic protection.
Better power strip - Extension cord units with better ratings and extra features.
Surge station - Large protectors that fit under a computer or on the floor and offer superior voltage protection. Most models also have an input for a phone line to protect your modem from power surges, and may feature built-in circuit breakers.
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) - This basic design of a continuous UPS is to store power on a battery. If the power goes out, your computer will continue to run, feeding off the stored battery power. This will give you a few minutes to save your work and shut down your computer.
Other Surge Protectors
Surges on telephone and cable lines do just as much damage as surges on power lines. If your electronic equipment is connected to a telephone or cable line, you can protect it from surges. To protect against telephone line surges, be sure your equipment is plugged into a surge protector that also includes a phone-line input jack. You can also purchase a cable surge protector to protect against surges on a cable line.
KUB recommends purchasing products that are UL listed. Plug-in surge protectors and electrical panel protection products are available at local home improvement or electronics retail stores and range from $29 to $129 depending on features and level of protection. For details or questions about a specific surge protector, consult your retailer. For true whole-house protection, all electronics should be plugged into outlet surge suppressors with phone, satellite/cable TV, or digital satellite system protection.
Sources for Additional Information
Federal Citizen Information Center