[pikeselectric]

Hi Talk of the Villages members. Hope you all are doing well this week.
Starting off the week bringing to you an update from Pike's Electric. We have received many calls inquiring about surge protection we offer and the differences between SECO Energy's MitiGator and our unit we offer, the Eaton Ultra. I figured I would make a post for you to read up on which will aide you in the decision for what protection is right for you and your home!
1. I have the SECO Energy surge protector, Do I need the Eaton Ultra as well? The MitiGator surge protector from SECO Energy is installed at your meter of your home, considered a Type 1 device. The Eaton Ultra CHSTP2ULTRA is a Type 2 device, which is installed on the panel side of your home close to the main breaker. This unit acts as a blanket over your home's major appliances and electronics. SECO will encourage you to have a Type 2 device, such as the Eaton Ultra installed alongside their MitiGator (due to the limitations in coverage). So in short, yes, you should have both, or at minimum a Type 2 surge protector for certain.
2. Not all surge protectors carry the same coverage, so be sure to read the fine print. . Take a look into the warranty closely. There are limitations to surge protectors, Type 1 and 2. Some units even have a limitation of coverage from 1, 3, to 5 years. The Eaton Ultra is a LIMITED LIFETIME warranty. Which means, for the lifetime the device is active you are protected, and once it takes a hit, you can file a claim for a replacement device. It also carries $75,000 in coverage on connected equipment, which includes but is not limited to: washer, dryer, range, dishwasher, fridge, A/C, pool equipment (if wired to main panel), TVs, computers, etc. The SECO Energy MitiGator is a 15 year warranty with NO coverage for electronics including TVs, computers, etc.
3. Do I need separate protectors on my A/C equipment or pool equipment? If you have the Eaton Ultra installed, the coverage includes your A/C equipment/pool equipment, however, it doesn't hurt to have multiple protectors. At Pike's Electric, we offer DITEK single surge suppression devices which we sell/install for $20.00 each. These can be another form of protection locally to appliances you may keep plugged in if you are away for months at a time or on a trip. Our customers love this for their kitchen fridge, primarily, As you keep it plugged in while away, and probably keep some storage in it.
4. How long does it take to install? We can schedule an install appointment within 1-2 weeks and it takes about an hour for installation. There are some requirements, including space available in your service panel for the unit, so be sure to call or email me to qualify for the install. If your panel is at full capacity, we may have to create space for the unit, or provide you a quote.
5. Will the Eaton Ultra protect my home from lightning? . Loaded question, but the answer is no, the unit will NOT protect you from a direct lightning strike. We highly encourage you to research into lightning rods/protection systems of the like. The Eaton Ultra is a surge protection device. Thus protecting your home's sensitive appliances and electronics from surges. Surges can occur from nearby lightning strikes, power company issues or sudden outages, malfunctioning equipment causing a surge, etc.

Please feel free to comment on the thread or reach out to me privately if you have further questions via call or email! Surge protection is one of my favorite topics. I am happy to help!
- Casandra
Office: 352-748-6251
Direct Email: cnelson@pikeselectric.com

[New Englander]

So what does Pike charge to install theEaton Ultra?

[jrref]

With all the recent storms we have had in the past couple of weeks here in the Villages, many have realized the need for surge protection. When we have storms with cloud to ground lightning, when a lightning bolt hits a home, a tree or the ground for example, an electromagnetic pulse is generated which travels through the air and can couple to your electrical system at the HVAC, or pool and spa equipment, cable lines and any other electrical circuit in your home. When these events occur, since there is usually no spectacular fire, it often is never reported and the homeowner is left to work with the insurance company, pay the deductible and possible future policy increases to replace any damaged or destroyed appliances, HVAC and pool equipment, TVs, computers etc. What makes it worse is some surges do not destroy but can damage appliances which then fail months after the event and the insurance claim closed.

While lighting is a something we have to live with here in Central Florida, there are things us as homeowners can to "manage" this risk. First, you can install a whole house surge protector which is installed at your circuit breaker panel. The Eaton Ultra surge protectors do an excellent job as this Type-2 surge protection device. Since it's located at the circuit breaker panel, any rise in voltage from the power utility or any branch circuits in your home will be blocked or reduced so the rest of the Type-3 or what we call point-of-use protectors such as power strips, cubes, etc., can handle whatever surge remains. This is why surge protection is a "layered" system. Focusing on surge protection for several years here in the Villages, it's my opinion that every homeowner should make it a priority to install this Type-2 whole house surge protection device because it's not if but when this type of event can happen. The recent electrical code has changed so all the new home builds now have this type of surge protector installed. I know there will be people reading this that lived here for 10 years or more that never had this happen to them but with all the climate change occurring over the years, severe storms have increased this risk. If you still have cable TV, it's very common this induced surge can couple to your cable line as an entry to your home. If a lightning strike is close enough to your HVAC and or pool and spa equipment, the surge can couple directly to those entry points. Fortunately, you can install a surge protection device on your cable line entry point in your garage and at your HVAC and pool and spa disconnect boxes.

The installation of a whole house surge protector at the circuit breaker panel should be installed by an electrician since it's not a DIY project. You can use your own electrician or any of the electrical companies here in the Villages to have it installed but since Pikes is offering a "special" discount right now, it's a good time to consider having one installed since surge protection is very important now that we are in "storm" season. Lightning induced power surge damage to home electronics happens way more that you would believe. We don't hear of these events because there is no spectular fire.

Concerning the surge protection device installed by Seco at your electrical meter, this device is specifically designed to block or reduce power surges coming from the power utility. It is not designed to protect sensitive electronic devices as the Eaton Ultra is designed to do and it specifically states this in their warranty documentation. According to a Leviton study, power surges from the power utility occur approximately 20% of the time whereas power surges from everywhere else occur 80% of the time. So, you need Both to cover all possible power surge events. If you can't install everthing at one time, I would install the Seco protector after installing the Type-2 protection at the circuit breaker panel and updating all of your Type-3, point-of-use protectors such as power strips, etc.. since these devices will protect your home from the most common lightning induced power surges.

So, now is the time to get a whole house surge protector.

[New Englander]

I am just curious what they charge.

[Proplusplumbingllc]

Originally Posted by New Englander

So what does Pike charge to install theEaton Ultra?

$525.00. Some restrictions apply to qualify for our promotional price so you will have to call us to confirm this pricing would apply to your home's service

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by New Englander

I am just curious what they charge.

Cost is in the attached flyer:

$525 Installed!
Some restrictions apply. Promotion ends 7/1/25.

[New Englander]

Thanks

[Sparky365]

The Eaton Ultra cost $103. and the 2 pole 50amp Breaker (required) is $ 20. on Amazon.
You will need 2 breaker spaces in your panel.

[Fran from MI]

I would also suggest that everyone who is interested follow through and read the Warranty Coverage for this unit. Like all Warranty's, coverage is limited and only covers what your homeowners policy does not.

[rsmurano]

I worked for multiple gas/electric utilities for over 30 years and the best surge protection to have is outside the house at the meter. If you get a surge protector installed in your electrical box, you already went thru the meter thru your buss and then your surge protector will control it.
I’ve had these units installed by the utility company in my last 8 houses for over 40 years. The utility company offers insurance against damage. You are susceptible to incoming surges thru your copper cables for your Ethernet but if you have fiber, you’re ok.

Electric companies want you to use them because that’s where they make their money. If you use these electricians surge devices and they go bad, you have to rehire them to put a new 1 in plus the cost of the surge device. Whereas, if the utility surge protector goes bad, it’s on a lease and they will come out and replace it for no charge (check with your utility on that).
I had a neighbor that had multiple appliances (all with the newer technology for touch buttons/glass touch panels) that went bad multiple times because of surges which happened every week. I told him to get the utility surge protector at the meter and never had another issue in the following 2 years we were there.
I’ll pay the utility $6 a month for its surge devices forever for this protection

[jrref]

Originally Posted by rsmurano

I worked for multiple gas/electric utilities for over 30 years and the best surge protection to have is outside the house at the meter. If you get a surge protector installed in your electrical box, you already went thru the meter thru your buss and then your surge protector will control it.
I’ve had these units installed by the utility company in my last 8 houses for over 40 years. The utility company offers insurance against damage. You are susceptible to incoming surges thru your copper cables for your Ethernet but if you have fiber, you’re ok.

Electric companies want you to use them because that’s where they make their money. If you use these electricians surge devices and they go bad, you have to rehire them to put a new 1 in plus the cost of the surge device. Whereas, if the utility surge protector goes bad, it’s on a lease and they will come out and replace it for no charge (check with your utility on that).
I had a neighbor that had multiple appliances (all with the newer technology for touch buttons/glass touch panels) that went bad multiple times because of surges which happened every week. I told him to get the utility surge protector at the meter and never had another issue in the following 2 years we were there.
I’ll pay the utility $6 a month for its surge devices forever for this protection

It pains me to say that your post is mostly incorrect. I know you have experience working in the industry and are trying to help but, as an electrical engineer, we have visited the company that makes the MitiGator that Seco is using and fully understand it's internal circuitry, it's pro's and con's.

This surge protector is designed to block and or manage very large surges coming from the power utility and as such, the warranty doesn't cover any device, appliance, etc, with an electronic chip installed which in todays world covers about everything. There has been a lot of discussion here on TOTV about this fact. It's internal design is slightly different than what is in the Eaton Ultra or the PSP Vortex which are meant to be installed at your circuit breaker panel and does cover every device and appliance even if it has an electronic chip. It's secondary to your homeowners insurance but insurance nevertheless.

While the MitiGator is an excellent and a needed surge protector, as one of the engineers in the Villages Lightning Study group, we are aware of a significant number of cases where Villagers had significant device damage or destruction from an induced lightning power surge with only the MitiGator at the meter installed and only a few with minor impact using both the MitiGator installed at the meter and the Eaton Ultra or the PSP surge protectors installed at the circuit breaker panel as a result of an induced power surge from a lightning event.

Surge protection is a layered approach. Depending on how the power surge is coupled to your home either from the power feed from the utility or from you pool and spa equipment or any other point of your home's electrical system, the goal is for these surge protectors to block or reduce the surge down enough so your Type-3 protectors such as power strips, plugs, etc, at your sensitive electronic equipment such as TVs, computers, modem, etc. can block the remaining surge and protect your homes devices.

As far as surge protectors going "bad", all surge protection devices will only be able to absorb a specific number of surges and this varies with the intensity and number of events. Generally, as long as the lights on the protector are still ON, you will be protected. In the event it does need replacing, the labor cost should be minimal since the surge protector is covered, you don't need new circuit breakers and all that needs to be done is the old protector removed and the new one installed in the same location. Generally, the surge protector at the meter and at your circuit breaker panel should last a very long time unless you are subjected to a lot of large surges.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by Sparky365

The Eaton Ultra cost $103. and the 2 pole 50amp Breaker (required) is $ 20. on Amazon.
You will need 2 breaker spaces in your panel.

You forgot the flush mount kit needed here in the Villages for $30.
Amazon.com

Although you can purchase all the components, installing one of these is not a DIY project since you will need to open the electrical panel to install it and work around the live electrical feed even with the main breaker turned OFF. Because of the location of the cable "knockouts" at the bottom of the panel, you may even need to drill the hole larger or use a special adaptor to mount these devices to the panel. I've seen enough of these done where if you don't have the right tools and experience working in the electrical panel, it can be a dangerous project.

[MicRoDrafting]

Originally Posted by New Englander

So what does Pike charge to install theEaton Ultra?

ALWAYS HIRE a
LICENSED ELECTRICIAN for
ANY Electrical Modifications

ESPECIALLY work within
your Circuit Breaker Panel

UNFORTUNATELY
most Handymen are NOT Properly Trained nor Respect the Risks of Shoddy Installations …

… recently read a posting explaining how a local “Handyman” did NOT wire GFCI receptacles properly in a widow’s master and guest bathrooms.

And the only reason she called in a Licensed Electrician was because the light over the mirror would flicker when she turned on the light switch.

[metoo21]

Originally Posted by jrref

You forgot the flush mount kit needed here in the Villages for $30.
Amazon.com

My main breaker is in a panel below the meter on the outside of the house which I believe is now standard in the south side of the villages. Therefore my secondary SPD (a Siemens FS140) is located outside at the bottom of this panel. So the flush mount kit is not needed in all situations here.

What do you know about the Meter Treater 575-1SL-A that Leesburg installs? Leesburg handles gas and electric for some villages. Is it the same unit that SECO calls the MitiGator?

One thing that has not been mentioned is an SPD on the AC units. My research 3 years ago led me to the Intermatic CD1-024R Compressor Defender. This is installed on the side of the disconnect by the outside unit. Also protects agains brownouts.

Another note is if you have a whole house generator with an automatic transfer switch, it does not have an SPD to protect its circuitry or the circuitry of the generator. PSP created the GSP-50 last year that mounts inside the transfer switch box.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by metoo21

My main breaker is in a panel below the meter on the outside of the house which I believe is now standard in the south side of the villages. Therefore my secondary SPD (a Siemens FS140) is located outside at the bottom of this panel. So the flush mount kit is not needed in all situations here.

What do you know about the Meter Treater that Leesburg installs? Leesburg handles gas and electric for some villages. Is it the same unit that SECO calls the MitiGator?

One thing that has not been mentioned is an SPD on the AC units. My research 3 years ago led me to the Intermatic CD1-024R Compressor Defender. This is installed on the side of the disconnect by the outside unit. Also protects agains brownouts.

Another note is if you have a whole house generator with an automatic transfer switch, it does not have an SPD to protect its circuitry or the circuitry of the generator. PSP created the GSP-50 last year that mounts inside the transfer switch box.

The Meter Treater is the same device that Seco installs. It's made by the same manufacturer. This manufacture supplies meter mounted surge protection devices for many electric utilities across the country.

So, if you get a new HVAC system installed, especially if its a variable speed inverter system, your HVAC company should install a device at the power disconnect on the condensor which is a surge AND an over and under voltage protector. If that's not installed, you can get your electrician such as Pikes or Lenhart or your favorite company install a surge protector at the ourside disconnect.

As far as the generator is concerned, check with the company who installed it but I would think a surge protector would be good to have there as well.