What does surge protector do

It can be difficult finding the right surge protector for your needs at a good value. What makes a surge protector good? And why are some surge protectors much more expensive than others? Are there any features you should be looking out for? Surge protectors only have a limited lifespan depending on how hard they work. Even when the surge protector properly diverts a surge, the protector itself can suffer damage in the process.

As such, one of the most important features is an indicator light. An indicator light will let you know that your surge protector is working fine.

Is the indicator light not working? Time to buy a new surge protector. As for protection power, good surge protectors will come with a UL rating, a rating put out by the independent Underwriters Laboratories that test the safety of electronic devices. Don't bother with a surge protector that doesn't have a UL rating. Also, make sure that the product is a "transient voltage surge suppressor" as many UL-rated power strips still might not offer surge protection.

The clamping voltage is the measurement that prompts the surge protector to start redirecting the excess electricity away from the plugged-in devices. In other words, a surge protector with a lower clamping voltage will trigger earlier, thus protecting your devices quicker.

Any surge protector with a clamping voltage below volts should be good enough for home use. This is the maximum amount of energy the surge protector can absorb. If the surge breaches this maximum, it renders the surge protector useless. The higher the joule rating, the more energy can be absorbed by the surge protector, so a higher joule rating will often indicate a longer lifespan for the product. For best household protection, you'll want a surge protector with a joule rating of at least The response time is how long it takes for the surge protector to detect a surge in electricity.

A lower value means a faster response. This reduces the time that your plugged-in devices are exposed to the surge, thus protecting them better. Ideally, you'll want a surge protector with a response time of 1 nanosecond or faster. So don't use this as a replacement for home or renter's insurance.

There are a number of products on the market that claim to "condition" the power from the wall, promising improved performance in your gear. Here's the dirty little secret: Your gear already does this. All electronics have a power supply that takes the incoming wall current v in the US , filters it for noise, and converts it into whatever the device needs.

Almost nothing actually runs on volts or alternating current, for that matter , so unless you've got some really wacky or cheap gear, and live in an area with bizarrely inadequate power, a power conditioner isn't something you need. You're always going to need more outlets. You'll undoubtedly add more gear, without necessarily getting rid of your current gear. I'm not saying that if you think you need four outlets, you should get 12 -- but at least six is probably a good investment.

Most modern devices use "wall warts" -- plugs that convert AC power into DC power and look like little boxes with electrical prongs sticking out. Consider getting a surge protector with wider spacing between sockets, or sockets that can be rotated or moved, to accommodate chunky plugs. Note how the APC example in the image above has several close-spaced outlets, for small plugs, and also six wide-spaced for wall warts.

If you want total protection, consider that phone and cable lines can carry power spikes, too. Some surge protectors have connectors for these as well. Many surge protectors come with USB connections, so you can charge your mobile devices without having to use their wall warts. Handy, for sure, but check what the output amp rating is. Generally, this is either 1 or 2 amps often labeled 1A or 2A.

This is how much flow you can get through the pipe, so to speak. You'll want at least 2 amps for quicker charging. Most modern phones have the ability to fast-charge, but you'll need to use their wall warts for that. If you don't need to quickly charge them, though, these lower power ports will work just fine.

Most hotels and hostels have few accessible outlets, yet everyone has multiple devices that need recharging. Most portable power strips add two to three additional outlets, plus offer direct USB charging see no.

Remember the joule rating we discussed earlier? Well, it means that over time, a surge protector is going to wear out. Some will give you a warning or shut off when their protection drops below a safe level. Many will just keep working, without protection, and you won't know it until a power spike damages your gear.

This type of protection can be used along with in-home surge protectors for the ultimate protection against electrical damage, including surges from lightning. Keep in mind that a surge protector is only as good as your grounding. You will not get much benefit from a surge protector if you own an older house that has ungrounded outlets or you do not have proper grounding and wiring. This is because there will be no escape route for the excess voltage.

You may have heard the warning that space heaters should never be plugged into a power strip for safety reasons. This is absolutely true. High-voltage appliances such as space heaters can easily overheat a power strip and cause an electrical fire.

Surge protectors work differently than power strips. This causes the space heater to lose the connection and power. However, not all surge protectors have this built-in breaker, and space heaters can easily overwhelm a surge protector. To be on the safe side, avoid plugging high-power appliances like air conditioners and space heaters into a surge protector.

Instead, plug these devices directly into a wall. Now that you know what a surge protector is and how it works, make sure you know what to look for when buying a surge suppressor for your electronics.

You will also want to check the energy absorption rating and clamping voltage. The first refers to how much energy the surge protector can absorb before failing and should be a minimum of to joules. Clamping voltage is the amount of voltage that triggers the MOV. Ideally, this should be volts or less. Want the ultimate protection against dangerous power surges? Call Brennan Electric today to learn about whole-house surge protection in Seattle and request a free estimate.

We can also help you with electrical repairs, installation, and maintenance as well as generator installation.