Surge protectors are highly recommended by both the NFPA and the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, as they protect your home’s electrical appliances against damaging power surges.
The question is how exactly a surge protector works to safeguard your electronics against an onslaught of sudden, high-voltage current. The technology’s scientific foundation is easier to grasp than you may believe.
Surge protectors and power strips may seem similar, but they really serve very different purposes. Because just one of these will shield your electronics from a surge of electricity, familiarizing yourself with the distinction is crucial.
If you’re like most people, you have a surge protector (or several) strategically placed around your house or workplace. These surge protectors may be plugged into any standard wall socket and provide additional protection for your electrical devices.
Though designed to enhance safety, surge protectors can pose risks if not used properly.
Monitoring these devices and adhering to essential guidelines can protect your electronics, home, and office from potential fire hazards or outdated protectors.
Contents
How Does The Voltage Drop While A Surge Protector Is In Use?
The surge protector can prevent harmful voltages from entering your electrical system by either isolating them or shorting them to ground. Voltage spikes may instantly destroy your devices if you don’t have a surge protector.
Even with insurance for power surges, successfully claiming for damages can be challenging if your appliances fail unexpectedly.
The old proverb goes something like, “Prevention is Key.” It’s obvious that you should protect your house or company from electrical surges. But how about when the lights go off for a second or two? So, how do you proceed? When the voltage supplied by the power grid is insufficient, your system experiences a brownout.
What is a Brownout?
Unlike a power spike, a brownout occurs from reduced energy production, making power levels too low. Brownouts, whether intentional to avert grid blackouts or accidental due to major power draws, disrupt our electrical systems.
When the power goes out and the bulbs fade to a brownish tint, this is known as a brownout. Depending on the root cause, a brownout can last from a few seconds to a few hours. Dimming lights are often the first indicator of an impending brownout.
Is There Anything You Should Do Immediately During A Brownout?
In the event of a brownout while using a computer, save your work and turn it off immediately. Turn off the main power to your air conditioner, as well as the television, electrical gadgets, appliances, and vacuum sweeper.
This is to stop the power outage from getting worse and knocking down the entire grid. It’s also for the sake of safeguarding whatever you don’t want to start replacing in the following few days since it was fried.
Even though power outages are uncommon, they can happen at any time (depending on where you live, of course). It’s a good idea to turn off the electricity to anything that won’t be replaced for the time being.
Why Do Brownouts Cause Problems?
Sensitive electrical gadgets, such as computers, may cost a lot to repair. It can and will be quickly harmed by the fluctuating voltage. Turn off and disconnect any electrical appliances and devices in case of a brownout. As a result, they won’t be damaged by the harmless low voltage that would otherwise pass through the ground.
In the event of a brownout, a surge protector will not be able to safeguard your electrical devices (or low voltage situation). Brownouts aren’t uncommon, but it’s not uncommon for there to be a power spike as soon as the energy is restored. In this light, it is crucial that you install surge protection on your premises.
In cases like this, power strips come in handy. If you happen to be home during a brownout, you may rapidly shut off the power to the gadgets connected to the power strip by flipping a switch. Your power strip is ready to handle the surge when the power is restored.
How to Determine Which Surge Protector Is Right for You?
Choosing an affordable surge protector that fits your requirements can be daunting. Understanding what sets a high-quality surge protector apart and why some are pricier is key to making an informed decision.
Let’s go through the fundamentals of what to look for in a surge protector.
LED Indicators
Depending on how often and how strongly they are used, surge protectors have a finite lifespan. However, the surge protector may be damaged if it successfully deflects a surge.
The presence of an indication light is so crucial. If the surge protector is functioning properly, a light will turn on. Have you noticed that the warning light is not functioning? It’s time to go out and get a new surge protector.
UL Rating
When it comes to protecting your electronics from damage, look for the UL certification and the rating issued by the independent Underwriters Laboratories.
Don’t use anything that isn’t UL-approved as a surge protector. In addition, many UL-rated power strips may still not provide surge protection, so check sure the device is a “transient voltage surge suppressor.”
Power Supply Voltage Used to Clamp Devices
Clamping voltage is the threshold at which a surge protector will begin diverting power away from the connected devices. The clamping voltage of a surge protector determines how quickly it will activate to safeguard your electronics from damage.
The clamping voltage of a surge protector should be less than 400 volts in order to be used safely in a residential setting.
Joule Scale
The surge protector can only handle up to this much power. When the surge exceeds the threshold, the surge protector stops working.
Higher joule ratings often imply longer product life since they allow the surge protector to absorb more energy.
A surge protector with a joule rating of at least 600 is recommended for home use.
Reaction Time
Devices like laptops, refrigerators, and media centers are too complicated and expensive to risk damage by accidental power surges. Keep in mind that just having a surge protector isn’t enough; you need one that’s tailored to your specific demands.
A surge protector with a reaction time of one millisecond or less is recommended.
Which Goods Are Safe To Use In Conjunction With Surge Protectors?
Connect only high-value, microprocessor-based electrical devices to a surge protector. To prevent damage to your charging desktop computer, laptop computer, TV, gaming system, and phone, install a surge protector.
Surge protectors aren’t necessary for appliances like coffee makers and alarm clocks, despite the fact that they may seem indispensable at the time. Surge protectors are recommended for all electronic devices, but are required only for those with very sensitive microprocessors.
Devices like computers, appliances, and media centers are too complicated and expensive to risk damage by accidental power surges. Keep in mind that just having a surge protector isn’t enough; you need one that’s tailored to your specific demands.
Conclusion
Surge protectors are highly recommended by both the NFPA and the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. Surge protectors may be plugged into any standard wall socket and provide additional protection for your electrical devices. When the voltage supplied by the power grid is insufficient, your system experiences a brownout. When the power goes out and the bulbs fade to a brownish tint, this is known as a brownout. Brownouts aren’t uncommon, but it’s not uncommon for there to be a power spike as soon as the energy is restored.
In this light, it is crucial that you install surge protection on your premises. If a surge protector isn’t working properly, it may be time to go out and get a new surge protector. The clamping voltage determines how quickly it will activate to safeguard your electronics from damage. A surge protector with a joule rating of at least 600 is recommended for home use. Surge protectors are recommended for all electronic devices, but are required only for very sensitive microprocessors. Connect only high-value, microprocessor-based electrical devices to a surge protector.
Content Summary:
- Surge protectors are highly recommended by both the NFPA and the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, as they protect your home’s electrical appliances against damaging power surges.
- The question is how exactly a surge protector works to safeguard your electronics against an onslaught of sudden, high-voltage current.
- The technology’s scientific foundation is easier to grasp than you may believe.
- Surge protectors and power strips may seem similar, but they really serve very different purposes.
- Because just one of these will shield your electronics from a surge of electricity, familiarizing yourself with the distinction is crucial.
- If you’re like most people, you have a surge protector (or several) strategically placed around your house or workplace.
- These surge protectors may be plugged into any standard wall socket and provide additional protection for your electrical devices.
- Despite their intended safety benefits, power surge protectors can be dangerous if used incorrectly.
- Keeping an eye on these gadgets and following a few recommendations may keep your electronics, appliances, house, and workplace safe, whether from the risk of fire or a protection that is ready to retire from usage.
- The surge protector can prevent harmful voltages from entering your electrical system by either isolating them or shorting them to ground.
- Voltage spikes may instantly destroy your devices if you don’t have a surge protector.
- Even if you have insurance that specifically protects against power surges, good luck submitting a claim and winning if your air conditioner or refrigerator suddenly stops operating a few days later for no obvious reason.
- It’s obvious that you should protect your house or company from electrical surges.
- But how about when the lights go off for a second or two?
- When the voltage supplied by the power grid is insufficient, your system experiences a brownout.
- In contrast to a power spike, a brownout is the result of a decrease in energy production.
- It is called a brownout when the power is too low.
- It is unacceptable to have brownouts, whether they are caused intentionally, as when a load is reduced during an emergency (to prevent a total grid blackout in your area), or unintentionally, as when a major facility turns on a massive motor and draws down the power system.
- When the power goes out and the bulbs fade to a brownish tint, this is known as a brownout.
- Depending on the root cause, a brownout can last from a few seconds to a few hours.
- Dimming lights are often the first indicator of an impending brownout.
- In the event of a brownout while using a computer, save your work and turn it off immediately.
- Turn off the main power to your air conditioner, as well as the television, electrical gadgets, appliances, and vacuum sweeper.
- This is to stop the power outage from getting worse and knocking down the entire grid.
- It’s a good idea to turn off the electricity to anything that won’t be replaced for the time being.
- Sensitive electrical gadgets, such as computers, may cost a lot to repair.
- Turn off and disconnect any electrical appliances and devices in case of a brownout.
- In the event of a brownout, a surge protector will not be able to safeguard your electrical devices (or low voltage situation).
- Brownouts aren’t uncommon, but it’s not uncommon for there to be a power spike as soon as the energy is restored.
- In this light, it is crucial that you install surge protection on your premises.
- In cases like this, power strips come in handy.
- If you happen to be home during a brownout, you may rapidly shut off the power to the gadgets connected to the power strip by flipping a switch.
- Your power strip is ready to handle the surge when the power is restored.
- Finding an affordable surge protector that meets your needs might be challenging.
- Let’s go through the fundamentals of what to look for in a surge protector.
- Depending on how often and how strongly they are used, surge protectors have a finite lifespan.
- However, the surge protector may be damaged if it successfully deflects a surge.
- The presence of an indication light is so crucial.
- If the surge protector is functioning properly, a light will turn on.
- Have you noticed that the warning light is not functioning?
- It’s time to go out and get a new surge protector.
- When it comes to protecting your electronics from damage, look for the UL certification and the rating issued by the independent Underwriters Laboratories.
- Don’t use anything that isn’t UL-approved as a surge protector.
- In addition, many UL-rated power strips may still not provide surge protection, so check sure the device is a “transient voltage surge suppressor.”
- Clamping voltage is the threshold at which a surge protector will begin diverting power away from the connected devices.
- The clamping voltage of a surge protector determines how quickly it will activate to safeguard your electronics from damage.
- The clamping voltage of a surge protector should be less than 400 volts in order to be used safely in a residential setting.
- The surge protector can only handle up to this much power.
- When the surge exceeds the threshold, the surge protector stops working.
- Higher joule ratings often imply longer product life since they allow the surge protector to absorb more energy.
- A surge protector with a joule rating of at least 600 is recommended for home use.
- Devices like laptops, refrigerators, and media centers are too complicated and expensive to risk damage by accidental power surges.
- Keep in mind that just having a surge protector isn’t enough; you need one that’s tailored to your specific demands.
- A surge protector with a reaction time of one millisecond or less is recommended.
- Connect only high-value, microprocessor-based electrical devices to a surge protector.
- To prevent damage to your charging desktop computer, laptop computer, TV, gaming system, and phone, install a surge protector.
- Surge protectors aren’t necessary for appliances like coffee makers and alarm clocks, despite the fact that they may seem indispensable at the time.
- Surge protectors are recommended for all electronic devices, but are required only for those with very sensitive microprocessors.
- Devices like computers, appliances, and media centers are too complicated and expensive to risk damage by accidental power surges.
- Keep in mind that just having a surge protector isn’t enough; you need one that’s tailored to your specific demands.
