Type 2 Surge Protector
 

Has anyone had a Type 2 Surge Protector installed in the circuit breaker box in the garage? These are sometimes called "whole house surge protectors" even though that's not technically correct. I'm not talking about the Seco surge protector installed at the meter.

If so, can you recommend the company who installed it. Any pictures? I'm trying to figure out how one is installed in a typical home in the Villages. There isn't much room around the circuit breaker box.

We used Pike's Electric in Wildwood 352 748 6251 they came in ant they cut a hole below the electrical box in the garage was there about a half-hour, cost was 425.000
You can call them and they will send email with all the information

Type 1 device at the meter is the optimum protection.

Due to the high transient energy of a strike, the length of the wire for Type 2 devices installed at the breaker box limits effectiveness, the wires need to be as short as possible.

There are units that plug in like a circuit breaker but have lower protection.

I have the Type-1 surge protector from Seco and had Pike install the Type-2 in my circuit breaker box yesterday. This may be a little overkill but there is no way 100% guarantee you are going to be able to stop a dangerious surge so you can only do as much as you can. Pike is expensive but they install the best Eaton Ultra surge protector and they did an excellent job cutting the sheetrock under my panel and installing the protector. They also moved two circuits so they could install the protector breaker as close as possible to the main keeping the wires short. They came the same day and a licensed electrician does the work.

When i was in NY i installed the very same surge protector myself and never had an issue with surges while my neighbors did. This surge protector is very difficult to install in our circuit breaker boxs here in the Villages because the access holes in the panel aren't always positioned so the breaker can be mounted flush with the wall. So if you are planning to do it yourself be prepared to drill a new hole or modify one of the existing ones or just have a licensed electrician like Pike do the install and your done. This is really not a DIY type project unless you are very familiar working with the electrical panel because you are working very close to the main.

Good info - thanks!

I'm also a belt and suspenders guy so I put an Eaton protector from my previous home in a box behind the gas dryer plugged into an unused 220v dryer connection.

Not optimal but that is the closest outlet to the breaker box in the house.