Are there any power strips worth the extra money? Most that I seem to buy are low quality and was wondering if it makes a difference protecting equipment such as cameras, computers etc.
Power Strips
- Thread starter GGorman04
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For computers I use APC battery backups. I even have one for the main TV in the house that the modem and router are plugged into.
When I needed a power strip, I got this: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FAZWK9O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
When I needed a power strip, I got this: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FAZWK9O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Power strips?
Or surge protectors?
I lost a nice Yamaha amp in a lightning storm two years ago...it was "protected" by an inexpensive surge protector, so I don't recommend cheap ones....
Or surge protectors?
I lost a nice Yamaha amp in a lightning storm two years ago...it was "protected" by an inexpensive surge protector, so I don't recommend cheap ones....
Power strips don't 'protect' anything really.
However, if there's a lightning storm, turning off a power strip "isolates" gear from the power grid so it won't get zapped, which is rare anyway.
One benefit of a power strip is to keep ink jet / bubble jet printers "off". When the power goes off for a minute or second, these printers Power Up and stay on all day with the print cartridges in the 'unparked' position where they dry out! I think manufacturers did that on purpose figuring you'll never know!
So when I'm not using the printer, the power strip is switched OFF so the printer can't turn it's self ON after a power glitch!
However, if there's a lightning storm, turning off a power strip "isolates" gear from the power grid so it won't get zapped, which is rare anyway.
One benefit of a power strip is to keep ink jet / bubble jet printers "off". When the power goes off for a minute or second, these printers Power Up and stay on all day with the print cartridges in the 'unparked' position where they dry out! I think manufacturers did that on purpose figuring you'll never know!
So when I'm not using the printer, the power strip is switched OFF so the printer can't turn it's self ON after a power glitch!
I'm not convinced that turning off a strip would do much. Most switches have a small airgap. That said, it's better than nothing.
Supposedly most strips use low quality switches, not meant to switch full current. Or so I've read. I try not to switch any real load with a power strip as a result.
Supposedly most strips use low quality switches, not meant to switch full current. Or so I've read. I try not to switch any real load with a power strip as a result.
JHZR2
Staff member
Ive got all my good stuff on ISOBAR strips. The big white blocky ones. Also a few single outlet protectors also from Tripp lite.
I suspect that some of the noise filtering, while not necessarily improving the quality of sight/sound/etc., might help with longevity of circuit boards in some equipment.
I suspect that some of the noise filtering, while not necessarily improving the quality of sight/sound/etc., might help with longevity of circuit boards in some equipment.
I have several APC UPS units. Can get them for around $100 for 1350- 1500 on sale via Sam club or Newegg and sometimes Best Buy. Couple home theater units for a plasma set and the audio equipment and they also condition the power to make the set last longer or so I'm told and hope. Have saved a couple pellet stoves and are highly recommended by manufactures as they will automatically go into a safe shut down mode. I just lost my power at lunch and the stove just kept going for the 15 or minutes the juice was off with 15 minutes to spare.
Had a lighting strike the maple 30 ft from house last spring and no issues in the house but the well wires got torched. I sit in the middle of couple of treeless sections and I get wacked a lot.
Had a lighting strike the maple 30 ft from house last spring and no issues in the house but the well wires got torched. I sit in the middle of couple of treeless sections and I get wacked a lot.
Thanks for the advice.
Many surge protectors take a hit and turn off a "protected" light. Good luck noticing. The next hit will fry your electronics.
Some like Ace Hardware take a hit and stop working.
The UPS is a better but more costly solution. I have one for PCs and one for modem/router.
Some like Ace Hardware take a hit and stop working.
The UPS is a better but more costly solution. I have one for PCs and one for modem/router.
This is the one I bought and should protect you if it stops working like one of the posters said:
http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-surge-protector/
http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-surge-protector/
If it's 'surge protection' you are after, the best route is to have an electrician install a whole-house surge arrestor in your main breaker panel. From there, it will protect your house wiring, light switches and everything that's plugged in.
Originally Posted By: GGorman04
Thanks for the advice.
Was it advice? Or just an emotion. "I do this. Therefore it is best." Is that a recommendation - or wild speculation?
An honest recommendation says where hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate. Only then does effective protection exist. Using concepts will proven over 100 years ago. Nothing plugged in and adjacent to an appliance makes effective protection claims. If it did, then the poster cited relevant specification numbers. Where are those numbers?
How does its hundreds of joules 'absorb' a surge that is hundreds of thousands of joules? It doesn't. How does its 2 cm protector part 'block' what three miles of sky could not. A protector adjacent to appliances must either 'block' or 'absorb' a surge. Where are numbers - always required in honest answers?
One defined the effective solution. A 'whole house' protector connected low impedance (ie less than 10 feet) to single point earth ground is demonstrated by science and proven by experience over 100 years ago.
Near zero joules power strips must be protected by a superior 'whole house' solution. That best solution costs about $1 per protected appliance. Specification numbers - not dollars - define effective solutions.
How many joules does a UPS absorb? Even less. Another recommendation that was made by ignoring spec numbers.
Manufacturers known by any guy for their integrity provide effective and properly earthed solutions including Intermatic, Square D, Ditek, Siemens, Polyphaser (an industry benchmark), Syscom, Leviton, ABB, Delta, Erico, General Electric, and Cutler-Hammer (Eaton). A protector is only as effective as its earth ground.
Not listed are manufacturers of near zero joule protectors and no low impedance connection to earth: such as APC, Tripplite, Belkin, Panamax, and a company long known for their scams - Monster. Monster has a long history of identifying such products. Then selling an equivalent at much higher prices. Many foolishly assume it is better because it costs more. Same 'many' routinely ignored spec numbers. Surgex, Brickwall, and ZeroSurge are only series mode filters - not protectors. None of those have an earthing connection. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground.
Thanks for the advice.
Was it advice? Or just an emotion. "I do this. Therefore it is best." Is that a recommendation - or wild speculation?
An honest recommendation says where hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate. Only then does effective protection exist. Using concepts will proven over 100 years ago. Nothing plugged in and adjacent to an appliance makes effective protection claims. If it did, then the poster cited relevant specification numbers. Where are those numbers?
How does its hundreds of joules 'absorb' a surge that is hundreds of thousands of joules? It doesn't. How does its 2 cm protector part 'block' what three miles of sky could not. A protector adjacent to appliances must either 'block' or 'absorb' a surge. Where are numbers - always required in honest answers?
One defined the effective solution. A 'whole house' protector connected low impedance (ie less than 10 feet) to single point earth ground is demonstrated by science and proven by experience over 100 years ago.
Near zero joules power strips must be protected by a superior 'whole house' solution. That best solution costs about $1 per protected appliance. Specification numbers - not dollars - define effective solutions.
How many joules does a UPS absorb? Even less. Another recommendation that was made by ignoring spec numbers.
Manufacturers known by any guy for their integrity provide effective and properly earthed solutions including Intermatic, Square D, Ditek, Siemens, Polyphaser (an industry benchmark), Syscom, Leviton, ABB, Delta, Erico, General Electric, and Cutler-Hammer (Eaton). A protector is only as effective as its earth ground.
Not listed are manufacturers of near zero joule protectors and no low impedance connection to earth: such as APC, Tripplite, Belkin, Panamax, and a company long known for their scams - Monster. Monster has a long history of identifying such products. Then selling an equivalent at much higher prices. Many foolishly assume it is better because it costs more. Same 'many' routinely ignored spec numbers. Surgex, Brickwall, and ZeroSurge are only series mode filters - not protectors. None of those have an earthing connection. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground.
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I prefer the power strips/surge protectors in metal cases. If your cheap plastic case surge protector gets hit with a surge, the heat dissipated by the surge suppression devices can ignite the plastic casing. Yes, I have heard of it happening.
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
If your cheap plastic case surge protector gets hit with a surge, the heat dissipated by the surge suppression devices can ignite the plastic casing.
It is called catastrophic failure. Fire happens when MOVs (protector parts) exceed Absolute Maximum Parameters - defined in datasheets. MOV manufacturers are quite blunt about this. MOVs must never fail catastrophically - create fires.
Catastrophic failure occurs when MOVs are grossly undersized. What happens when its hundreds joules tries to absorb a surge that is hundreds of thousands of joules? Fire. It is a rare but too common problem with plug-in protectors. Just another reason why informed consumers properly earth a 'whole house' protector. Because power strip protectors must be protected.
Scary pictures (not text) demonstrate this problem:
http://zerosurge.com/truth-about-movs/
Near zero joule MOVs create a potential fire. Near zero joule power strip protectors should be in metal. Since MOVs that are not providing effective protection are also a fire hazard. First MOVs flame. Then a plastic case burns.
MOVs must never fail catastrophically. That indicator light only reports one type of protector failure - a potential catastrophic type. Protector indicator light warns a protector was grossly undersized for that venue.
Informed consumers make a low impedance connection of a 'whole house' protector to single point earth ground. To even protect power strip protectors. Surges too tiny to overwhelm protection inside appliances can also cause fires inside near zero joule power strip protectors.
If your cheap plastic case surge protector gets hit with a surge, the heat dissipated by the surge suppression devices can ignite the plastic casing.
It is called catastrophic failure. Fire happens when MOVs (protector parts) exceed Absolute Maximum Parameters - defined in datasheets. MOV manufacturers are quite blunt about this. MOVs must never fail catastrophically - create fires.
Catastrophic failure occurs when MOVs are grossly undersized. What happens when its hundreds joules tries to absorb a surge that is hundreds of thousands of joules? Fire. It is a rare but too common problem with plug-in protectors. Just another reason why informed consumers properly earth a 'whole house' protector. Because power strip protectors must be protected.
Scary pictures (not text) demonstrate this problem:
http://zerosurge.com/truth-about-movs/
Near zero joule MOVs create a potential fire. Near zero joule power strip protectors should be in metal. Since MOVs that are not providing effective protection are also a fire hazard. First MOVs flame. Then a plastic case burns.
MOVs must never fail catastrophically. That indicator light only reports one type of protector failure - a potential catastrophic type. Protector indicator light warns a protector was grossly undersized for that venue.
Informed consumers make a low impedance connection of a 'whole house' protector to single point earth ground. To even protect power strip protectors. Surges too tiny to overwhelm protection inside appliances can also cause fires inside near zero joule power strip protectors.
Originally Posted By: westom
One defined the effective solution. A 'whole house' protector connected low impedance (ie less than 10 feet) to single point earth ground is demonstrated by science and proven by experience over 100 years ago.
....Manufacturers known by any guy for their integrity provide effective and properly earthed solutions including Intermatic, Square D, Ditek, Siemens, Polyphaser (an industry benchmark), Syscom, Leviton, ABB, Delta, Erico, General Electric, and Cutler-Hammer (Eaton). A protector is only as effective as its earth ground.
A few decades ago, I returned home from an in-depth seminar on grounding, led by a guy who actually knew his subject. First thing I did was to buy a ground rod and then spend a couple of hours swinging a sledgehammer to sink it, right below the electrical service entrance, meter, and external breaker box. Then bond it to the panel. The builders electrical contractor used a copper hose bib, rather than sink a rod.
The second thing I did was to install a metal-encased whole house arrestor on the main panel, with LED indicators for each leg.
Never lost anything electrical nor electronic due to voltage spikes. When I was doing residential work, I'd always recommend to my clients they do the same.
After all, external doors and even windows all have locks these days because they are on the perimeter. That's where electrical wiring protection goes as well: Outside. At the service entrance.
One defined the effective solution. A 'whole house' protector connected low impedance (ie less than 10 feet) to single point earth ground is demonstrated by science and proven by experience over 100 years ago.
....Manufacturers known by any guy for their integrity provide effective and properly earthed solutions including Intermatic, Square D, Ditek, Siemens, Polyphaser (an industry benchmark), Syscom, Leviton, ABB, Delta, Erico, General Electric, and Cutler-Hammer (Eaton). A protector is only as effective as its earth ground.
A few decades ago, I returned home from an in-depth seminar on grounding, led by a guy who actually knew his subject. First thing I did was to buy a ground rod and then spend a couple of hours swinging a sledgehammer to sink it, right below the electrical service entrance, meter, and external breaker box. Then bond it to the panel. The builders electrical contractor used a copper hose bib, rather than sink a rod.
The second thing I did was to install a metal-encased whole house arrestor on the main panel, with LED indicators for each leg.
Never lost anything electrical nor electronic due to voltage spikes. When I was doing residential work, I'd always recommend to my clients they do the same.
After all, external doors and even windows all have locks these days because they are on the perimeter. That's where electrical wiring protection goes as well: Outside. At the service entrance.
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
I prefer the power strips/surge protectors in metal cases. If your cheap plastic case surge protector gets hit with a surge, the heat dissipated by the surge suppression devices can ignite the plastic casing. Yes, I have heard of it happening.
You get what you pay for. A twenty dollar metal power strip will offer little protection.
I prefer the power strips/surge protectors in metal cases. If your cheap plastic case surge protector gets hit with a surge, the heat dissipated by the surge suppression devices can ignite the plastic casing. Yes, I have heard of it happening.
You get what you pay for. A twenty dollar metal power strip will offer little protection.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
Originally Posted By: Lubener
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
I prefer the power strips/surge protectors in metal cases. If your cheap plastic case surge protector gets hit with a surge, the heat dissipated by the surge suppression devices can ignite the plastic casing. Yes, I have heard of it happening.
You get what you pay for. A twenty dollar metal power strip will offer little protection.
Baloney!
I paid $20 for 4K Joules and I love it. What burns out in a surge is not the plastic case. It's the cord that burnt with my last two surge protectors in an localized/area-related power surge. Nothing plastic in that surge protector melted and the same happened to 3-4 other households on my residential block, that use similar plastic surge protectors having high # joules.
The surge was pretty bad too. It drew enough smoke in my living room to set-off my smoke/fire ceiling detector 20 feet away, adjacent to a nearby bedroom doorway.
Link for 3940 joule Belkin Surge Protector
Lastly, no damage incurred to either my wall plug, wiring or any of the several plug-in cords to that surge protector. So if you want to spend up-to $100 for a new one with metal casing, go for it. But I'm not.
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
I prefer the power strips/surge protectors in metal cases. If your cheap plastic case surge protector gets hit with a surge, the heat dissipated by the surge suppression devices can ignite the plastic casing. Yes, I have heard of it happening.
You get what you pay for. A twenty dollar metal power strip will offer little protection.
Baloney!
I paid $20 for 4K Joules and I love it. What burns out in a surge is not the plastic case. It's the cord that burnt with my last two surge protectors in an localized/area-related power surge. Nothing plastic in that surge protector melted and the same happened to 3-4 other households on my residential block, that use similar plastic surge protectors having high # joules.
The surge was pretty bad too. It drew enough smoke in my living room to set-off my smoke/fire ceiling detector 20 feet away, adjacent to a nearby bedroom doorway.
Link for 3940 joule Belkin Surge Protector
Lastly, no damage incurred to either my wall plug, wiring or any of the several plug-in cords to that surge protector. So if you want to spend up-to $100 for a new one with metal casing, go for it. But I'm not.
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Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
What burns out in a surge is not the plastic case. It's the cord that burnt with my last two surge protectors in an localized/area-related power surge.
That is a fire hazard. All homes have circuit breakers so that wires never burn out - create potential house fires. That Belkin is undersized (too few joules). It failed. Effective protector never fails on a surge. And do not cost maybe 10 or 20 times more than an effective solution.
Any appliance that creates so much smoke is considered a threat to human life. If that Belkin was found in luggage on a cruise ship, it would be confiscated. Its potential for creating a fire is too dangerous on ships. And it is ineffective protection. Because it failed on a first surge.
Effective protector means nobody even knew a surge existed. Everything is protected. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. That expensive Belkin has no such connection.
What burns out in a surge is not the plastic case. It's the cord that burnt with my last two surge protectors in an localized/area-related power surge.
That is a fire hazard. All homes have circuit breakers so that wires never burn out - create potential house fires. That Belkin is undersized (too few joules). It failed. Effective protector never fails on a surge. And do not cost maybe 10 or 20 times more than an effective solution.
Any appliance that creates so much smoke is considered a threat to human life. If that Belkin was found in luggage on a cruise ship, it would be confiscated. Its potential for creating a fire is too dangerous on ships. And it is ineffective protection. Because it failed on a first surge.
Effective protector means nobody even knew a surge existed. Everything is protected. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. That expensive Belkin has no such connection.
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A friend took a seminar some years ago where the cord to the surge suppressor was looped into a loose knot by the instructor. Idea was that a large surge coming down the line would cause the cord to burn in two. Wonder if it works? I used to use Panamax?? surge suppressors with computers that I sold. Around $100, metal, fuse, circuit breaker, hard drive drop out relay, multiple MOV'S, SPARK GAP tube (forget what you call them, but they are FAST, THE RELAY SET IT UP SO IF POWER WENT OFF, your computer did NOT start up automatically, so it did not get in the brownout wave caused by TV, refrigerator, air conditioner, etc. causing a massive voltage surge, etc. Still, most folks want something for a small price...better than nothing! As to grounding...I still don't understand it.
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