Resolved Recommendation for surge protector?

I realized lately that I've never used a surge protector with my laptop, and I also might need to replace the one with the desktop as well.

Not having been in the market for one in over ten years, has anyone had any problems with a particular brand? Anything to avoid or is there one standout brand?

 

Have you considered a battery backup (UPS - uninterrupted power supply) for your desktop PC? Many times in bad weather my UPS has bailed me out - not just for power surges, but for brownout conditions, too.

I haven't priced them of late, but I like the American Power Conversion (APC) units.

 

Got to agree on the UPS.

 

The APC unit is also available at the link that Evan Posted. $164.00. Neil.

 

Here's one (UPS) similar to mine...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842101311

 

We'll probably not get the UPS. The laptop here has a battery (obviously), and even if that were to go out too, I typically save work every 60 seconds or so (habit I developed from the good old days of the 5 1/4 inch floppies).

I was shocked to hear that they are now barely bigger than the laptop adapters. The one I have for our desktop now is a stand, that we put our monitor on.

Anyways, its even cheaper on amazon with free shipping, so I'll get it there.

Thanks for the recommendations.

 

Yes! Even top quality surge protectors can only take a few hits - depending on the number and size of the hits and should be replaced periodically. The primary energy consuming component in surge and spike protectors are MOVs - metal-oxide varistors. These devices are excellent at absorbing energy that exceeds its rated voltage, but does so by converting that energy into heat. And as noted in my signature below, heat is the bane of all electronics. So MOVs are sacrificial lambs, if you will. Unfortunately, they don't ever warn you they have lost their protection capabilities.

When I was in tech school, we were taught a surge and spike protector is like a motorcycle helmet. When it saves your noggin ONCE after you slam into the curb, buy a new helmet - even if it still looks fully intact. It did its job, now retire it.

I agree with all of the above and URGE you to get a "good" UPS with AVR. "Good" because cheap ones (like cheap power supplies) are... well cheap. They don't provide a clean output. And they may not have a fast enough "cutover" time. The best UPS provide a "true sinewave" output but are very expensive.

Fortunately, we don't need the best, just a "good" UPS as they provide a "stepped approximation to a sinewave" output and very fast cutovers. And for computer equipment, that is just fine. Note if using an UPS on a PC with a cheap PSU, one that is not 80+ Certified, you may need a "true sinewave" UPS. Just another reason to use a "good" 80+ Certified PSU in your PCs.

Even the best surge and spike protectors simply chop off (clamp) the tops of the sinewaves. And with extreme high voltage events, they simply kill power.

And remember, a surge and spike protector will do absolutely nothing during abnormal "low" voltage events like dips (opposite of spikes), sags (opposite of surges) or brownouts (long duration sags). In those events, power will just be cut off - never good for hard drives, or the data on them. If the low voltage event is not at the threshold where power is cutoff, the connected equipment power supplies and voltage regulator circuits must compensate and that puts extra stain (and generates extra heat) on those devices (see sig again).

True, notebooks have batteries so hard drives crashing are not likely a problem (if your battery is still good - but note all notebook batteries fail, eventually). But a UPS will also protect and keep all your network equipment up and connected too. As more and more homes are moving to VoIP phone service, keeping the network running during power outages can be a life-saving advantage.

 

Bill, don't the better surge protectors have an indicator light to warn you if the surge protection is dead?

 

I don't know. Maybe. The one on my laser printer is like this Belkin denoting a good ground with one LED and another LED that indicates "Protected" - but I don't know what that really means other than the MOVs are still within specs.

This $80 Tripp-Lite has more LEDs but regardless if "good ", "better" or "best ", they are still surge and spike protectors - they provide no "regulation" whatsoever. They simply "clamp" or chop off the excess voltage in high-voltage events by consuming the excess energy, converting it to heat, then dissipating that heat into the air. And they do nothing for low-voltage events.

The better protectors are simply able to consume and dissipate more energy more quickly.

So you may have a point that some protectors may provide some indication they have lost their protection capabilities. I should have been more clear. But unfortunately, when I visit client houses, they typically have something like this $10 strip.

The argument is often made that "they offer $10,000 equipment guarantee" and that may be true, and fine if all you care about is the hardware in the event of a lightning strike. But that does nothing for all your data or the downtime you will encounter until you convince them their product failed and they pay to replace it - assuming you kept the receipts.

 

BTW, I have a nice 1500VA UPS for my big screen TV, DVR, Blu-ray player and HT receiver too!

 

I've never heard of using a UPS for home theater equipment, but I guess it would offer protection in case of brownouts.

I have an 8 socket Panamax surge protector for my setup.

 

Really?

Power filtration and regulation devices have been around in the "audiophile" realm for audio recording and reproduction equipment for decades. Adding battery backup was a natural progression.

Then as "stereo" was supplanted by "surround sound ", and then as big screen TVs became affordable (more or less) for the home buyer, "surround sound" audio equipment was supplanted by A/V equipment so too did "UPS with AVR ".

HT UPS with AVR

Brownouts are not really that common. It is really all about regulation to compensate for very fast anomalies, and mostly surges and spikes, that affect audio and video reproduction equipment. Those are damaging, a tiny bit at a time, on electronics.

But also, if you live in countries or areas where the power grid is less stable, or if like me, you live Eastern Nebraska (in the middle of Tornado Alley) and have frequent severe weather, power outages are not uncommon. But it is not the actual outage that causes the problems for HT equipment. It is the unstable return of power (flickers) and massive surges and sags as power is restored and ACs, refrigerators, and everything else make huge demands on the unstable grid as they start back up. A good UPS with AVR will smooth all that out.

People talk about their fancy 5.1 computer speakers that cost $400, including the sub-woofer that includes all the electronics. But in a "modest" home theater system, the front left speaker may cost $400 with no electronics. Then there's the front right, rears, center, and subwoofer. Not to mention an A/V receiver to power them, BluRay player, and maybe a DVR.

And that's just for the audio!

A decent (but not exorbitant or jumbo) 55" TV costs more than many computers.

Note there are some who swear by the "whole house" suppressor your power company likely tries to get you to buy. Those suppress high-voltage event coming ONLY off the grid. A good thing, yes. But (1) they do nothing for low voltage events, and (2) they do nothing for high-voltage (or low) events originating from within your own home or office. Events from high-wattage devices like the microwave oven, clothes dryer, coffee pot, toaster, fridge, oven, water cooler, AC. Nor do whole-house suppressors protect your home theater or computer equipment (or your data) when that 1500W $15 hair dryer made in the back woods of China with parts from a similar factory up river fails.

That is certainly better than nothing. And for sure, Panamax is a major player with a long history of reliable products. But do note all surge and spike protectors wear out - and should be replaced periodically. Most experts say every 5 years, or sooner.