Interesting that they claim the surge came in the PLASTIC water line, also interesting that their website specifically lists refrigerators. as covered items. The SECO logic does not hold up, the system will not protect for a direct strike (no argument) however, it is supposed to protect for a nearby strike, so how did a nearby strike get to the rain sensor (irrigation sensor), or the water supply line (refrigerator) when this is all in plastic pipe????

It's the water that is the conductor. As a matter of fact, it's a very good conductor.

Pure H2O is not a conductor. The minerals within it conduct.

$6/month for me as well on the lease with a $25 installation fee from SECO.

SECO here, may not cover everthing but is better than what came with the house, which was nothing. :icon_wink:

If you have a SECO surge protector (also know as a ring or meter-based arrestor) on your meter it is intended to protect only surges that originate with SECO or lightning surges that come through the electrical feed into your home. However, this is not the only way a lightning induced surge can enter your home. Lightning can enter via cable TV, satellite TV, telephone lines, water lines, and can even be induced into your home by the electromagnetic field of even a nearby strike. Therefore, you need secondary surge protection (also known as point-of-use or plug ins). SECO gives you a starter kit but in most cases you will need to purchase other surge protectors for all of your valuable and sensitive electronics. In many cases homeowners fail to protect their TVs and computers because they don't run the coaxial cable and telephone lines through a surge protector.

You can protect the irrigation system controller with a surge protection device if the surge comes through the electric lines. However, there is no practical way to protect the wiring from the controller to the external solenoid control valves in your yard and a lightning surge into the ground can fry the controller.

REMEBER LIGHTNING LOVES TECHNOLOGY!

Lightning...How about the type of surge protector that mounts within the electrical panel similar to the way the circuit breakers do? Even though the electrical panel is probably only a couple of feet from the meter, does the panel mounted type give different protection?
Cost aside, is one type better than the other?

A surge protection device (SPD) installed by a licensed electrician is an alternative to the SECO SPD on the meter. It should be located as close as possible to the electric panel to keep the wiring as short as possible with no need for splices and connected to a dedicated breaker. This is not "whole house" protection as you frequently see mentioned on this web site. You still need secondary surge protection as discussed in my earlier post.