Quote:
Originally Posted by jimbo2012
I would think to put surge protectors on individual items would work well.
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Just because both use a similar name does not mean both are equivalent. The best protection possible is a short connection from each utility wire to earth ground. That must already exist on a TV cable or satellite dish. But that would harm AC electric and telephone service.
So make that same short as possible (ie 'less than 10 foot') connection to earth via a 'whole house' protector. No protector does protection. Either the protector connects destructive transients to earth (just like a wire). Or it does not claim to protect from typically destructive transients.
A minimal 'whole house' protector starts at 50,000 amps. Because a typical lightning strike can be 20,000 amps. We install protectors to make all surges irrelevant - tiny ones and direct lightning strikes. A protector must remains functional even after a 40,000 amp lightning strike.
The list of responsible companies that provide this are long including Square D, General Electric, ABB, Siemens, Intermatic, and Leviton. A Cutler-Hammer solution sells in Lowes and Home Depot for less than $50. Or the electric company can install one behind their meter.
But again, no protector does protection. An informed consumer spends little time worrying about the protector. And more time worrying about what does the protection. Single point earth ground. Nobody but the homeowner is responsible for that earth ground. Only earth ground does the actual protection.
A protector adjacent to an appliance has no earth ground. Does not claim to protect from typically destructive surges. And can be so undersized as to fail during a surge. In rare cases, an adjacent protector even causes a fire. Just another reason why informed homeowners earth a 'whole house' protector. To protect those power strip protectors. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground.
What is seen - the protector - does not do the protection. An item most people do not see does the protection.