It is important to know what type of surge protectors to use, as well as how they can help protect your home and appliances from electrical damage. Surge protectors come in various types, from power strips to load-sensing plugs, but you should choose based on your specific needs.
The first thing to look for is the amount of wattage that your appliances require, and then check to see if the protectors have a load-sensing feature.
If the protectors have this feature, they will let you know when the incoming power is too high, so you can switch to a different line of power.
Power strips vs surge protectors
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When you are buying electronics for your home or office, you might be wondering what the difference is between power strips and surge protectors.
Both are designed to protect your devices from short bursts of energy. However, there are some significant differences between the two.
Basically, power strips are an extension cord with a number of outlets. Some even come with a circuit breaker. They can be purchased for under $20.
Surge protectors are similar in function, but they can be more expensive. They also come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
These are mainly used for protecting appliances and other electronic equipment from damage from a short spike of power.
Buying a power strip is often a quick and easy solution for expanding your electrical outlet. You can choose from a variety of models, including those with a programmable LCD timer and USB charging ports.
Load-sensing plugs
Having surge protectors with load-sensing plugs can protect your electrical equipment from a power surge. These surges can cause damage to your electronics, a fuse, and the wires.
Usually, surges are caused by lightning strikes. Lightning travels through the earth and lands on the buried conductors.
This causes ground currents to flow over the buried wires and pass through them. The voltage of the earth increases by several hundred volts for a short period of time.
If you live in an older home, the wiring may not be in proper condition. In addition, you might have ungrounded outlets. Unless you have proper grounding, a surge protector will not protect your appliances and electronic devices.
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Connecting to line, neutral and ground
When installing surge protective devices, it is important to know the benefits of each connection.
If you install the device improperly, you may be putting your equipment at risk of sustaining damage.
The primary purpose of a surge protector is to protect against the short-term, high-voltage overvoltages associated with lightning strikes and utility switching.
These are sometimes referred to as transients. However, many other disturbances in your building can also lead to surges.
A common misconception is that connecting the device to the line, neutral and ground will divert all of the transients to the neutral wire.
Although this might be true in theory, in real-life surge conditions, it is not likely to have much of an effect.
Durability
A surge protector provides an added level of protection to your electronics. If you are buying a new surge protector, it’s important to know how to find one that will last for a long time.
One of the most important things to look for when choosing a surge protector is the joule rating. Higher joule ratings mean more protection.
They can help you avoid expensive equipment damage. This includes home theater systems, power tools, and other high-powered devices.
However, you can get by with a lower joule rating on smaller appliances.
Another thing to keep in mind is how many outlets the surge protector has. There are surge protectors with as few as four or five outlets.
On the other hand, you might want to consider a model with eight outlets.
Indicator lights
Indicator lights on surge protectors can be confusing. They can mean a lot of things depending on the model.
If you aren’t sure what to look for, take the time to understand what each light is meant to accomplish.
Generally, the green light is the best indicator of a surge protector’s capabilities. It is usually accompanied by a red or orange light. Some models also feature a blinking or flickering light.
The red light, on the other hand, isn’t always a bad sign. In fact, it could mean the surge protector is plugged into an active outlet.
However, if the light is dimming or flickering, it isn’t a good sign. You may have an electrical outlet that is faulty or has poor grounding.
