Surge Protection Checklist

The tips below will help you select a surge suppressor that will help protect your equipment.

Overview | Protect Your Computer | Surge Protection Checklist | Types of Power Disturbances

  • A surge suppressor must protect your equipment from every connection to the outside world. If you have cable TV, the suppressor must protect incoming power as well as the cable line. Equipment attached to a telephone line should have protection for the power and telephone line.
     
  • Most suppressors have limited energy handling capabilities for lightning and should be used in conjunction with a lightning arrester installed at your main power service entrance. If you don't already have one, have a licensed electrician install a UL-listed lightning arrester for you.
     
  • A plug-in surge suppressor should be UL-listed and have a number on it telling you how many volts it will let through to your equipment before it begins to operate. This number will be printed next to the UL label and be listed in kV or volts (kV or kilo-volts is equal to 1000 volts). Look for a number equal to or less than .5kV or 500 volts for a plug-in device.
     
  • Suppressors should also have electrical noise filtering. Look for EMI/RFI filtering information usually shown as a number. In general, the higher the number, the better the suppression.
     
  • Suppressors should have some type of indicator (usually an LED) to show its protection is working. The better products will shut off power to the connected equipment when the device has received a surge large enough to destroy it.
     
  • Suppressors DO NOT save energy and will not reduce your electric bill. A quality suppressor does not have to be expensive. Products providing adequate protection can be purchased for $15 to $70.
     
  • After you have found a surge suppressor that meets your needs, you can further protect your equipment by plugging them into circuits that do not supply large electrical loads like refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners.

Overview | Protect Your Computer | Surge Protection Checklist | Types of Power Disturbances

Last Updated: 08/20/2008