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» Surge Power Conditioning
» Residential Electrical Wiring: Guide to Home Wiring
» Need Electrical Help? Get a Quick Reply! Ask the Electrician
Whole House Surge Protector Devices
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By Dave Rongey
Summary: Voltage Spikes, Surges and other Electrical Disturbances can ruin or severely damage computers, DVD Players, Stereos, televisions,and wreak havoc with telecommunications systems. |
The Basics of Surge Protection Devices
UNDERSTANDING AND SELECTING SURGE PROTECTION DEVICES
With so many surge devices available, how do you know which is right for your application?
The payoff is well worth the cost and effort of installing surge protection devices. It’s far less expensive to invest in protection than it is to replace costly equipment.
How do you know which surge protector to purchase?
Implementing a tiered protection plan is just half the battle. The other half is investing in quality equipment that will actually do its job.
| HOW TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE GOOD SURGE DEVICES AND PROTECTION |
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Rating |
Description |
Low suppression rating/clamping level (typically 330V for AC point-of-use protectors) |
A measure of the voltage-limiting capability of the protector, this rating states the voltage level that the suppressor will allow to pass through it. The lower the suppression rating, the better the protection. |
Joule rating |
With a low suppression rating, the higher the joule rating the better. |
Maximum impulse current rating |
A withstand rating that determines the maximum current the device can survive. The higher the number the better, typically around 40,000 amperes. |
UL 1449, second edition listing |
Shows that the product has passed the most recent tests for safety. |
Guaranteed protection |
A measure of the manufacturer’s confidence in the actual performance of the product. |
A tiered protection plan pre-empt's the costly damage that power disturbances can cause and more than pays for itself in both time and money. And when a tiered protection plan is reinforced by installing first-class devices that offer quality construction, acceptable ratings, compliance with standards, and the power to truly protect, the biggest payoff may well be the one that’s most valuable and most difficult to measure—peace of mind.
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