Many homeowners believe that adequate surge protection begins and ends with plugging their computer into a power strip. Unfortunately, that's seldom the case.
First of all, not all surge protectors live up to their name; some are little more than glorified extension cords. Second, a surge will follow any wire into a house —
phone and cable lines included — and threaten fax and answering machines, televisions, satellite systems, computers, and modems. And third, as the owners in
the Acton remodel discovered, delicate electronic circuitry has proliferated throughout our homes, leaving common appliances as vulnerable as computers to the
effects of surges. A power surge may last for only a few millionths of a second, but at its worst, it carries tens of thousands of volts, enough to fry circuit boards,
crash hard drives, and ruin DVD and home-entertainment systems. Lightning-induced surges are the most powerful and most feared: A 200,000-amp jolt
crashing through a power line will burn standard 20-amp wiring like a light bulb filament. But a lightning strike has to be less than a mile from the house to cause
harm, and in fact most surge-related damage is not caused by lightning. Far more common, if not as dramatic, are surges caused by downed power lines,
sudden changes in electricity use by a nearby factory, or even the cycling on and off of laser printers, electric dryers, air conditioners, refrigerators, and other
energy-sucking devices in the home. The damage inflicted by these minor power fluctuations can be instantaneous, and may not show up for some time.
The Best Defense
Guarding against surges requires a two-pronged approach: a whole-house suppressor to tame the big, dangerous power spikes and an individual circuit (or
"plug-in") surge suppressor for vulnerable appliances and electronic devices. Both types essentially act like pressure-relief valves. Normally they just sit there,
allowing electric current to flow through them. But with higher-than-normal voltage, the devices instantly divert excess voltage to the ground wire. (The best ones
react in less than a nanosecond.) As soon as voltage levels return to normal, the flow of electricity is restored, unless the surge was big enough to melt the fuse
built into some units.
Typically, whole-house suppressors are hard-wired to the service panel, a process that takes a licensed electrician about two hours. Whole-house systems
should be rated to stop a 40,000-amp surge, at minimum. Features to look for include thermal fuses, and lights or alarms that indicate when a device has taken a
hit. Protection for an average house with 200-amp service will run from $266.00 - $500.00 which normally include the electrician's labor. Separate but smaller
whole-house units are recommended for the phone and cable lines. These protect fax and answering machines, televisions, and modems. Guaranteed
Electrical Services can provide you with a wide range of Surge Protection devices.
First of all, not all surge protectors live up to their name; some are little more than glorified extension cords. Second, a surge will follow any wire into a house —
phone and cable lines included — and threaten fax and answering machines, televisions, satellite systems, computers, and modems. And third, as the owners in
the Acton remodel discovered, delicate electronic circuitry has proliferated throughout our homes, leaving common appliances as vulnerable as computers to the
effects of surges. A power surge may last for only a few millionths of a second, but at its worst, it carries tens of thousands of volts, enough to fry circuit boards,
crash hard drives, and ruin DVD and home-entertainment systems. Lightning-induced surges are the most powerful and most feared: A 200,000-amp jolt
crashing through a power line will burn standard 20-amp wiring like a light bulb filament. But a lightning strike has to be less than a mile from the house to cause
harm, and in fact most surge-related damage is not caused by lightning. Far more common, if not as dramatic, are surges caused by downed power lines,
sudden changes in electricity use by a nearby factory, or even the cycling on and off of laser printers, electric dryers, air conditioners, refrigerators, and other
energy-sucking devices in the home. The damage inflicted by these minor power fluctuations can be instantaneous, and may not show up for some time.
The Best Defense
Guarding against surges requires a two-pronged approach: a whole-house suppressor to tame the big, dangerous power spikes and an individual circuit (or
"plug-in") surge suppressor for vulnerable appliances and electronic devices. Both types essentially act like pressure-relief valves. Normally they just sit there,
allowing electric current to flow through them. But with higher-than-normal voltage, the devices instantly divert excess voltage to the ground wire. (The best ones
react in less than a nanosecond.) As soon as voltage levels return to normal, the flow of electricity is restored, unless the surge was big enough to melt the fuse
built into some units.
Typically, whole-house suppressors are hard-wired to the service panel, a process that takes a licensed electrician about two hours. Whole-house systems
should be rated to stop a 40,000-amp surge, at minimum. Features to look for include thermal fuses, and lights or alarms that indicate when a device has taken a
hit. Protection for an average house with 200-amp service will run from $266.00 - $500.00 which normally include the electrician's labor. Separate but smaller
whole-house units are recommended for the phone and cable lines. These protect fax and answering machines, televisions, and modems. Guaranteed
Electrical Services can provide you with a wide range of Surge Protection devices.
| Whole House Surge/Lightning Protection |
| The information in this page is an excerpt from: Jim Collins, This Old House magazine |
Guaranteed Electrical Services has the experience and knowledge to inspect your current electrical panel and service type to recommend the surge equipment
that best suit your needs.
Our installation is covered by our best of industry 5 year transferable warranty with a lifetime product warranty in their class. For instance, our residential single
phase 120 - 240 volt hard wire panel surge protector is rated for a peak of 150,000 surge amps with a response time of < 5 nanoseconds. We also provide surge
devices for digital and analog coax along with voice and data situated at the point of entry.
that best suit your needs.
Our installation is covered by our best of industry 5 year transferable warranty with a lifetime product warranty in their class. For instance, our residential single
phase 120 - 240 volt hard wire panel surge protector is rated for a peak of 150,000 surge amps with a response time of < 5 nanoseconds. We also provide surge
devices for digital and analog coax along with voice and data situated at the point of entry.
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