Surge protectors

**gorn** · 07-21-2003, 04:13 AM

Okay so i was talking with some friends and one mentioned that his uncle said a normal powerstrip surge protector wouldn't protect anything from a real surge, and i've heard this before but my question is why?

Anyone have any info or links?

Thanks

**stryder144** · 07-21-2003, 04:55 AM

Basically, the powerstrip does not have the type of circuitry that can arrest the over voltage. With real surge protectors you get more circuitry that will stop the electrical surge from going past the suppressor stage. With the simple versions you have to blow a simple fuse, which has too wide a range of tolerances as far as how much voltage it will let through. This can lead to problems when it comes to the delicate circuits that a typical computer has. Too much voltage, even a relatively tiny variation, can cause major trouble. It is always best to go with a high end surge suppressor or a combination UPS/surge protector (I've even used the version that will protect against brown outs).

**ZeratulsAvenger** · 07-21-2003, 06:19 AM

Even with a good surge protector you still aren't completely free of worries are you? Can't the surge(from a lightning strike) go through cable lines? Which in this day and age, with many having cable, would still have the possibility to zap your computer. Maybe this is completely off the subject of surges and brownouts.... but since I live in AK, I don't ever see them, or have them from what I can tell. Maybe I am just lucky though(if it turns out we arent even talking about weather related problems... in which case, ignore me

)

**stryder144** · 07-21-2003, 08:43 AM

[quote author=ZeratulsAvenger link=board=14;threadid=7412;start=0#msg68240 date=1058768354]
Even with a good surge protector you still aren't completely free of worries are you? Can't the surge(from a lightning strike) go through cable lines? Which in this day and age, with many having cable, would still have the possibility to zap your computer. Maybe this is completely off the subject of surges and brownouts.... but since I live in AK, I don't ever see them, or have them from what I can tell. Maybe I am just lucky though(if it turns out we arent even talking about weather related problems... in which case, ignore me

)
[/quote]

You can buy surge protectors that have ethernet, phone, and power protection. That should cover the cable users and dsl users.

**gorn** · 07-21-2003, 12:15 PM

[quote author=stryder144 link=board=14;threadid=7412;start=0#msg68238 date=1058763326]
With the simple versions you have to blow a simple fuse, which has too wide a range of tolerances as far as how much voltage it will let through.
[/quote]

See this is what we were thinking, like the fuse doesn't blow until it hits 200 volts and then those 200 fry the computer. But then wouldn't it be more likely that a small surge (190v or so) would get thru for a long period of time and fry it and a big surge (20,000v) would just blow the fuse right away and not hurt it?

thanks

**trickster** · 07-21-2003, 12:16 PM

It might be true, but if you buy a surge protector from APC or any brand-named one, they assure you a surge won't damage your equipment, and if it does, they will reimburse you up to $25,000. (At least on the ones I have bought.)