Surge Protectors

What is a surge protector? A device that shields computers and other electronic devices from surges in electrical power, or transient voltage, that flow from the outlet. Standard American voltage for home and office buildings is 120 volts. Anything over this amount is considered transient and can damage electronic devices that are plugged into an outlet. Even though power surges are so brief that they are measured in nanoseconds, they can cause considerable damage to electronic equipment.

Most people think that you only need them during lightning storms. The most common cause of power surges come from high-power electrical devices, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and elevators. These high-powered pieces of equipment require a lot of energy to switch on and turn off components like compressors and motors. In a lightning storm, you should never rely on your surge protector to save your computer. The best protection is to unplug your computer. If the surge protector has a built in line for a phone or network cable it is wise to unplug that also from the protector or computer. If the surge protector is unplugged from the wall, this will disable the protection for the data line.

You should definitely use a surge protector with your computer. It is filled with voltage-sensitive components that a power surge could damage very easily. At the least, this damage will shorten the life of your computer, and it could very easily wipe out all of your saved data or destroy your system. Computers are very expensive items, and the data they hold is often irreplaceable, so it's only good economic sense to invest in a quality surge protector.

There are many different kinds of surge protectors. Some will have protection for a phone, fax, coaxial, or network line built in. Most surge protectors will have an indicator light that tells you whether or not it’s functioning properly. They range in the amount of protection they can offer. Power strips range a great deal in quality and capacity. There are three basic levels of surge protectors:

• Basic power strip – These are basic extension cord units with five or six outlets. Generally, these models provide only basic protection.
• Better power strip – For $15 to $25, you can get a surge protector with better ratings and extra features.
• Surge station – These large surge protectors fit under your computer or on the floor. They offer superior voltage protection and advanced line conditioning. Most models also have an input for a phone line or network cable, to protect your modem from power surges, and may feature built-in circuit breakers. You can get one of these units ranging from $30 to $100.

What do I look for when buying a surge protector? On a listed surge protector or the box, you should find a couple of ratings. Look for:

• Underwriters Laboratories (UL) ratings– The product should have a “UL” marking somewhere on the protector along with “transient voltage surge suppressor”. This will guarantee that they have some surge protection capabilities and meet a marginal safety standard. This means that it meets the criteria for UL 1449, UL's minimum performance standard for surge suppressors. There are many power strips listed by UL that have no surge protection components at all. They are listed only for their performance as extension cords.
• Clamping voltage - This tells you what voltage will cause the surge protector to conduct electricity to the ground line. A lower clamping voltage indicates better protection. There are three levels of protection in the UL rating -- 330 V, 400 V, and 500 V. Generally, a clamping voltage more than 400 V is too high.
• Energy absorption/dissipation - This rating, given in joules, tells you how much energy the surge protector can absorb before it fails. A higher number indicates greater protection. Look for a protector that is at least rated at 200 to 400 joules. For better protection, look for a rating of 600 joules or more.
• Response time - Surge protectors don't kick in immediately; there is a very slight delay as they respond to the power surge. A longer response time tells you that your computer (or other equipment) will be exposed to the surge for a greater amount of time. Look for a surge protector that responds in less than one nanosecond.