Surge Suppressor Recommendation

[mojothehut]

Hey all,

I'm in the market for a high quality surge suppressor. Recently built a fairly costly computer and live out in the country. I also love in Tornado Alley and this spring may be epic with storms. So I'm looking to protect my rig =)

I'd like to keep it in an $80-150 range. Any suggestions?
So far I've been looking at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16842111080

Or any specs I should look into? More than just the amount of Joules?

My computer has an 860watt psu if that matters.

 

[westom]

I'd like to keep it in an $80-150 range. Any suggestions?
So far I've been looking at ...
Or any specs I should look into? More than just the amount of Joules?

Understand that any useful recommendation is tempered by numbers. For example, is your computer so hot as to toast bread? Then it does not consume anywhere near to 860 watts. It is probably consumig somewhere between 100 and 200 watts. And maybe short term demand into 300s watt.

Will that thousands joules in the Tripplite absorb surges that are hundreds of thousands of joules? Many believe that because by ignoring numbers. A protector adjacent to your computer must either block a surge or absorb it. Will a 2 cm part somehow stop what three miles of sky could not? More damning numbers.

Protection is always about where hundreds of thosuands of joules are absorbed. Nothing inside a house will or even claims to absorb or block that energy. So they take a 3 power strip. Add some ten cent parts. And tell you it is quality because it sells for $80 to $150. The word scam applies.

Faciliities that suffer direct lightning strike routinely without damage instead install something that is completely different (but unfortunately has a same name). This one protector to protect everything works only because it connects hundreds of thosuands of joules (and all lesser surges) harmlessly to earth. A low impedance (ie 'less than 10 foot') connection. Your telco with wires all over town suffers about 100 surges with each storm. How many days is your town without phone service after every thunderstorm to replace their switching computer? Never? Exactly. You are strongly advised to learn about and earth one 'whole house' protector. If your computer needs that protection, then so does the air conditioner, furnace, TV, clocks, dimmers switches, and bathroom GFCIs. Even a Tripplite needs that protection.

 

[Meghan54]

That one you linked, OP, is fine. I've used that brand as well as Panamax and a couple of others. They all seem to function as intended, as a sacrificial unit at the outlet level.

I'd tend to suggest you ignore westom and his hyperbole. His rhetoric is laced with just enough facts sprinkled amongst his FUD that it sounds great, but his song and dance has been busted enough times with pure factual information that his postings should be viewed as nothing more than a mosquito buzzing around your ear.

BTW....depending upon what your computer's configuration is....cpu, video card, overclocking either or both, can easily consume over 400W at full tilt, contrary to what was posted earlier.

 

[westom]

That one you linked, OP, is fine. I've used that brand as well as Panamax and a couple of others. They all seem to function as intended, as a sacrificial unit at the outlet level.

A surge did not destroy the furnance, dishwasher, clocks, GFCIs, radios, refrigerator, smoke detectirs, circuit breakers, dimmer switches, or other appliances. All those and the computer already have protection so robust as to not be damaged by a surge ... that easily destroyed an undersized protector.

Grossly undersizing a protector gets the naive to recommend it. Even Panamax spec numbers say it is undresized. It was recommended only because it is expensive?

It failed on a surge too tiny to damage other appliances. The engineer, who cites numbers and did this stuff even decades ago, asks damning questions.

Informed consumers spend many times less money (about $1 per protected appliance) on the high quality and well proven solution. A 'whole house' solution protects a computer and all other appliances. And does not fail in a manner so catastrophic as to become a potential house fire.

Somehow a surge, too tiny to damage anything else, proves a destroyed Panamax is high quality? Total nonsese justified by attacking the messenger. Grossly undersized Panamax did what Panamax spec numbers said it would do - fail catastrophically. Catastrophic failure, in rare cases, creates a fire. More reasons why informed consumers earth a 'whole house' protector. To remain undamaged even after a direct lightning strike. And to even protect that so expensive and undresized Panamax.

 

[Elixer]

Hey all,

I'm in the market for a high quality surge suppressor. Recently built a fairly costly computer and live out in the country. I also love in Tornado Alley and this spring may be epic with storms. So I'm looking to protect my rig =)

I'd like to keep it in an $80-150 range. Any suggestions?

If I were you, I rather get a UPS.
While a surge suppressor can help in some situations, it can't help during black/brownouts or other line noise.
This way, you can always be running on battery power, for a clean signal, and when (not if!) a black/brown out happens, you are ready, and your machine is safe.

 

[Meghan54]

If I were you, I rather get a UPS.
While a surge suppressor can help in some situations, it can't help during black/brownouts or other line noise.
This way, you can always be running on battery power, for a clean signal, and when (not if!) a black/brown out happens, you are ready, and your machine is safe.

That's what I tend to run, a UPS with AVR. And I run my cable/internet through them, too, as most damaging surges come through the phone/cable vs. the electrical grid. Have seen many more computers, TV's, etc. damaged via cable vs. the electrical outlet surge. But a UPS with AVR will definitely smooth out the small surges and drops in voltage before they ever hit the equipment.

 

[westom]

That's what I tend to run, a UPS with AVR.

And again, technicals and UPS specifications contradict that assumption. A UPS typically connects the electric grid directly to computers when not in battery backup mode. That 'direct to AC' connection is when power is cleanest.

In battery backup, power can be dirtier. For example, this 120 volt sine wave UPS outputs 200 volt square waves with a spike of up to 270 volts. Yes, that 'dirtier' output is a sum of pure sine waves (remember high school math?). They did not lie. They just forgot to define 'sine wave' with a spec number such as %THD. Then naive consumers, who ignore manufacturer spec numbers, will assume 'cleaner' power.

Of course, electronics are so robust that that 200 volt square wave is also ideal power. Robust electronics designs are why so many UPSes can output power 'dirtier' than anything seen on the grid.

Same applies to AVR. Ideal voltage for electronics is even when incandescent bulbs dims to 50% intensity. Best AVR is already inside every computer. That is what its PSU does. Why spend money curing a problem that does not exist? How often do your lights dim to less than 50% intensity? Advertising hypes cures for problems that do not even exist. Then many consumers 'know' they need that cure rather than learn what manufacturer spec numbers really say. Advertising and hearsay proves it.

 

[westom]

I run my cable/internet through them, too, as most damaging surges come through the phone/cable vs. the electrical grid. Have seen many more computers, TV's, etc. damaged via cable vs. the electrical outlet surge.

Reality is quite different and is found in many relevant details and numbers.

How many joules does that UPS absorb? Hundreds? Destructive surges are hundareds of thousands of joules. Yes, it is a surge protector. And then we include numbers. A near zero surge protector. Probably smaller than that undersized Panamax. It helps to first learn manufacturer specification numbers.

Popular urban myth assumes surges enter on cable. In part because so many do not learn cables and phones already have best protection. As required by codes and industry standards. Protection that has existed longer than any of us. Why then would a surge enter on phone or cable? Wild speculation is based in observations; not tempered by how surges work. Surges do not enter on cable or phone IF that existing and required protection was not compromised.

Most who recommend a UPS do not even know that protection exists. And do not know what to inspect.

A direct lightnig strike far down the street to AC electric is incoming to every household appliance. Are all appliances damaged? Of course not. From concepts originally taught in elementary school science. A current must have both an incoming and outgoing path.

A best and therefore destructive outgoing path may be through a TV or computer via cable or phone line. Incoming from AC mains. Outgoing via cable or phone. Both paths must exist. Damage is often on the outgoing path - a cable, phone, or network connection. Those who know only from observation (also called junk science) falsely assume a surge was incoming on those already surge protected phone or cable wires.

Damage exists because a naive consumer did not earth a 'whole house' protector. No properly earthed 'whole house' protector means a surge goes hunting for earth destructively via appliances. Protection means that surge current must never enter the house. Otherwise the outgoing path to earth (ie cable or phone connection) gets damaged.

And, of course, a UPS does nothing to avert that destructive hunt. If in doubt, read manufacturer specifications numbers. Where is the spec number that defines that cable or phone protection?

Future damage is averted when a 'whole house' solution is properly earth. The most important word here is not "protector". Best protection for cable is a connection direct to earth; no protector.

Important: a protector is only as effective as its earth ground. A requirement not found in a UPS recommendation. Informed consumers learn why an earthed 'whole house' solution is the best quality and least expensive solution.

 

[Blain]

Zero Surge 8R15W