Whole Home Surge Protector

[Twitch03]

Are they worth it? Building a new house and have the option to get one installed for $150-200 I believe. I already have surge protectors for things like TV's and Computers, would whole home be a benefit?

 

[cbrsurfr]

Worth every penny

 

[Twitch03]

How hard to install one yourself? I haven't really looked into it, but are they over charging for what seems to be a $50-75 item?

 

[boomerang]

How hard to install one yourself? I haven't really looked into it, but are they over charging for what seems to be a $50-75 item?

Very easy if you're comfortable working in the electrical panel. My best man at our wedding is an electrician and I had him install one for us while I watched and we shot the shit. When he was done I said, "that's it"? Not a lot to it. New ones appear different then ours so you might want to do a little research.

To explain a bit further, ours mounts on the underside of the breaker panel. The panel is surface mounted in our unfinished basement so that works out fine in our case. It has two lights on it. I was told that when one or both lights go out, that it's time to replace it. If I remove the cover on it, there is a nasty burned electrical component odor. There are sacrificial something or another's in there (that's a highly technical term btw) and obviously some of them have bit the dust. They absorb the surge and sacrifice themselves in the process. That's how ours works but it's been in place for 21 years. Newer ones may work entirely different, I don't know.

 

[Blain]

Delta Surge Products

 

[mizzou]

My mom had one and she still had a major power surge damage electronics.

 

[richardycc]

it's easy, most are only 3 wires. But if you screw up, you can cause serious damages or death. I got the sycom one for $50 on ebay.

 

[paperfist]

I was going to have an electrician install one, but he said once it gets zapped you have to replace it and at $200 it didn't sound worth it. Is that true?

 

[Blain]

I was going to have an electrician install one, but he said once it gets zapped you have to replace it and at $200 it didn't sound worth it. Is that true?

Install one what (model)?
$200 for labor, part or labor & part?
Is anything you're trying to protect worth $200 or more?

 

[paperfist]

Install one what (model)?
$200 for labor, part or labor & part?
Is anything you're trying to protect worth $200 or more?

He didn't give me the model, it was about a year ago that I wanted to install one. $200 just for the part. Said it was fairly simple to install, but didn't quote labor.

Yes, of course I have a ton of electronics. 3 TVs, this crazy computer I'm typing on and a bunch more I'm forgetting.

The way he made it sound though is the slightest surge is going to knock it out.

 

[Blain]

You don't need to spend $200 (parts only), for whole house protection.
I installed a Delta LA302R surge arrestor and CA302R surge capacitor for less than $90.

I would probably install an Eaton or Square D / Schneider Electric whole house SPD (surge protective device), if I were installing today.

 

[MongGrel]

For the money it's worth it on a new house.

Nothing will stop a direct lightning strike, but I'd get one anyway.

 

[NutBucket]

I don't think they're designed for lightening strikes, just stuff coming from the utility.

 

[Blain]

It's a given that NOTHING will protect against a fairly direct lightning strike.
But lightning strikes don't account for most surges.

 

[paperfist]

You don't need to spend $200 (parts only), for whole house protection.
I installed a Delta LA302R surge arrestor and CA302R surge capacitor for less than $90.

I would probably install an Eaton or Square D / Schneider Electric whole house SPD (surge protective device), if I were installing today.

Thanks for the information Blain! $90 sounds a lot more reasonable. I have an electrician come to clean up some wiring so I'll see about having him install one of those.