[themarinos]

[QUOTE=metoo21;2282013]My inside air handler is hardwired - not plugged in. I had an electrician install a whole house surge protector.

You can get a whole house surge protector from the power company. You have the option to pay it monthly or buy it out right it's your choice

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Altavia

A nearby lightening strike could induce a surge directly into the wiring into the air handler, before the whole house protection can help. Adding protection close to the air handler reduces the risk.

I understand your point, but the air handler is just a fan. Wouldn't the same logic also apply to more expensive items, such as the water heater and the refrigerator?

[Jameson]

Originally Posted by dmwalsh33

I have a surge protector on my outside AC unit. The company now tells me I need a surge protector on the inside air handler. Is that necessary? Thank you for your assistance!

I'm just curious. Did this come up as a result of them installing a new system and telling you this was needed for warranty to be active or was someone doing some routine system maintenance and just trying to upsell you?

[jrref]

I'm one of the engineers in the Villages Lightning Study Group headed by Len Hathaway. We give presentations on Lightning protection and surge protection to many groups frequently in the Villages. If you have the time it's well worth it to go to one of the presentations so you can make your own informed decision.

There were a lot of responses to the initial question. There are two parts to the answer. There is nothing that will 100% protect your home from a direct lightning strike. A lightning protection system (lightning rod system) will minimize and or may prevent damage and will significantly lessen the risk of your home burning to the ground from this type of weather event. Because of all the building in the Villages we hear more and more about homes being struck and burning to the ground over the past couple of years.

The other part concerns surge protection. This more frequently happens when lightning strikes near your home. When this occurs your home may get hit by an "induced"surge which frequently trips circuit breakers, especially freezers and door openers in your garage but depending on the intensity can damage your HVAC system, inside and out, all your appliances, electronic equipment, pool and spa equipment, etc.. Surge protection is a layered system. There is a surge protector you can purchase or rent from your electric company mounted on the electrical meter which will protect you against surges coming in from the power lines. This happens statistically 20% of the time. Everyone is correct, the electric company has a sophisticated surge and grounding system to protect from this type of event and because most power surges don't come into your home from the utility many who have this device still report surge damage in their home. In addition to the surge protector at your electrical meter you can install what is called a "whole house surge protector". There are many but the Eaton Ultra is one of the more affordable and effective ones that's commonly installed by most electrical companies such as Pikes and Lenhardt. This surge protector is mounted at your electrical circuit breaker box. Because its located at the breaker box the other 80% of the power surges you can get such as at the outside HVAC unit, pool, spa, outside lighting, etc, will be shunted by this device at the circuit breaker box and reduce and or eliminate the surge from spreading to the rest of the circuits in your home. Because surges are so fast, the surge protector has to be as close to the source as possible to be effective. The surge protector mounted on the electrical meter can help, but it's not designed to shunt these other types of induced surges.The "whole house" surge protector will protect your appliances, washer dryer and all other devices that are hard wired such as the HVAC air handler and your electric hot water heater.The final protection are the surge protection power strips, plug-in or point of use surge protectors which you install at your TVs, computers and any other sensitive electrical equipment. These devices will shunt and protect your equipment form any remaining surges that get through your meter or whole house surge protector. If you want to go further you can install point of use surge protector outlets or plug-in protectors for your microwave, dishwasher, garage door openers, etc. and or hard wired surge protectors at you outside HVAC unit, pool and spa equipment.

To summarize, Surge Protection is a layered system. You want to install devices to reduce and or eliminate the power surge so by the time a large surge reaches your home devices it's small enough for the point of use surge protector to handle it. Damage from power surges is covered in your homeowners insurance but you still have to pay the deductable and deal with replacing all the damaged devices. We live in the lightning capital of the USA so investing in surge protection is probably a wise investment but like insurance, it depends on your tolerance to risk. I can tell you personally, there are many homeowners who experience an induced power surge from lightning strikes and loose all there electronic devices and never talk about it meaning it happens more frequently here in the Villages than you would expect. Most of us have at least $1,000 deductable on our homeowners insurance which more than pays for the surge protection I discussed here in this respose.

Hope this helps put the topic in perspective.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Jameson

I'm just curious. Did this come up as a result of them installing a new system and telling you this was needed for warranty to be active or was someone doing some routine system maintenance and just trying to upsell you?

Not required for warranty for any HVAC system I have ever owned.

[biker1]

Before signing up for the SECO surge protector that is installed as a ring on your power meter, you should read the warranty coverage. Here is what I consider the most important part:

Under no circumstances will MTI guarantee performance due to a lightning strike not carried down the utility power lines and through the utility transformer and then the SPD to the residence.
This warranty excludes all stand-alone “electronic equipment” using microchip, microprocessor or transistor technology, such as but not limited to computers, televisions, DVD Players/Recorders and Security Systems.

Originally Posted by goodoldan

What they're telling you is that they'd like some additional profit, please. Did they happen to mention where this dreaded surge might come from? What about your TV, or even your electric toothbrush? Are you going to be heartless and leave them unprotected?!?!

Nearby lightning would be the obvious, most likely source of a surge on the power to your home. SECO offers a legitimate whole-house power line surge protector that is installed at the electric meter for either a one-time charge of about $200, or alternatively for an ongoing fee of about $5/month on your bill.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by biker1

Before signing up for the SECO surge protector that is installed as a ring on your power meter, you should read the warranty coverage. Here is what I consider the most important part:

Under no circumstances will MTI guarantee performance due to a lightning strike not carried down the utility power lines and through the utility transformer and then the SPD to the residence.
This warranty excludes all stand-alone “electronic equipment” using microchip, microprocessor or transistor technology, such as but not limited to computers, televisions, DVD Players/Recorders and Security Systems.

I agree. The SECO cost is $350, not $200. Also, I would suggest reading the entire "exclusions" clause in the warranty. The warranty covers almost nothing. It doesn't even cover damage to an electrical outlet.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by biker1

Before signing up for the SECO surge protector that is installed as a ring on your power meter, you should read the warranty coverage. Here is what I consider the most important part:

Under no circumstances will MTI guarantee performance due to a lightning strike not carried down the utility power lines and through the utility transformer and then the SPD to the residence.
This warranty excludes all stand-alone “electronic equipment” using microchip, microprocessor or transistor technology, such as but not limited to computers, televisions, DVD Players/Recorders and Security Systems.

This has been discussed before but the warrenty clearly is designed to pay if the surge protector fails which they will check when it's sent back to the factory if the indicator lights go out and as I mentioned, it's not designed to protect sensitive electronic equipment. It's designed to block and or reduce a large surge coming from the power grid so your subsequent whole house surge and point of use protectors can manage the remainder of the surge. It will also protect non-electronic motor driven devices such as you washer/dryer if it's an older type or an electric stove for example if they don't have any electronic digital controls.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I understand your point, but the air handler is just a fan. Wouldn't the same logic also apply to more expensive items, such as the water heater and the refrigerator?

There is some electronics in the air handler. There is an electronic motor controller device in the fan motor housing and mine failed when the former owner got a power surge. It was never noticed because it only effected the system when the Aux Heat was engaged. I found the problem when I bought the house and tested the HVAC heating. Also, your thermostat runs off of the air handler power so that can be affected by a surge as well.

[pikeselectric]

Originally Posted by easeonby

You can have the electric company install a surge protector behind the meter which protects the whole house. I would still add surge protectors for your sensitive electronics.

Hi Easeonby - There are two forms of whole home surge protectors. The power company is reponsible for their equipment, which is the meter and power supply components. They have their own surge unit that they provide which is installed at the meter.
A licensed electrician can install a whole home surge unit for your interior panel/or where your main breaker is located (meter main if applicable), which will protect your home's major appliances. We offer the Eaton Ultra Whole Home Type 2 unit that serves this purpose and protection.
Good news is, you can have both power company's unit and our unit.
Think of it as a double blanket of protection

[pikeselectric]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I agree. The SECO cost is $350, not $200. Also, I would suggest reading the entire "exclusions" clause in the warranty. The warranty covers almost nothing. It doesn't even cover damage to an electrical outlet.

This is good to know. The Type 2 Eaton Ultra Surge Protector has an extensive warranty, including limited lifetime for replacement of the unit and up to $75,000 of damage to the home's major equipment, electronics, etc. Of course, there is a clause of "direct lightning strikes" but, personally and I suggest this to all of our customers, paying for the protection is worth it instead of paying thousands to replace appliances because of a slight surge from a power company issue at random.

[Randall55]

Originally Posted by pikeselectric

Hi there. Casandra with Pike's Electric here. My suggestion/advice would be a whole home surge protector on your home's electrical panel/service. We install and highly recommend the Type 2 Eaton Ultra whole home unit, which is designed to protect all of your home's major appliances and equipment. This includes your AC, air handler, kitchen appliances, washer/dryer, etc. This unit is backed with a limited lifetime warranty. I'd love to help you find out if we can install this in your Villages home and offer you a Talk of the Villages discount. Give me a call if you are interested (352)748-6251

How many amps of protection does this whole home unit provide?

[pikeselectric]

Originally Posted by Randall55

How many amps of protection does this whole home unit provide?

Hello Randall, here is the specification sheet of the Eaton Ultra Type 2 unit with all of the technical ratings: https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/skuPage.CHSPT2ULTRA.pdf

[biker1]

The issue is that many (most) people will see that there is a warranty and assume their appliances/devices are covered if they are damaged. My post was simply to suggest that people actually read the SECO warranty and have their expectations set appropriately.

Originally Posted by jrref

This has been discussed before but the warrenty clearly is designed to pay if the surge protector fails which they will check when it's sent back to the factory if the indicator lights go out and as I mentioned, it's not designed to protect sensitive electronic equipment. It's designed to block and or reduce a large surge coming from the power grid so your subsequent whole house surge and point of use protectors can manage the remainder of the surge. It will also protect non-electronic motor driven devices such as you washer/dryer if it's an older type or an electric stove for example if they don't have any electronic digital controls.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by biker1

The issue is that many (most) people will see that there is a warranty and assume their appliances/devices are covered if they are damaged. My post was simply to suggest that people actually read the SECO warranty and have their expectations set appropriately.

Correct, so while the utility surge protector warrenty clearly states it won't protect any devices with electronics the Eaton whole house surge protector and point of use surge protectors warrenty does state it will cover these devices. Of course there are exclusions but there is some coverage.