Surge protectors

[kenglade]

I had a power surge the other day and it fried some of my equipment.Today I bought an Back-UPS 600 by APC. I hope that's a good starting point. In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out which of my other surge devices may have been fried.

I have a desktop BEC device that I've had for years. I can't find it on the web so I guess it has been discontinued. It's a box about 2x12 with six switches on the front and comparable sockets in the back. The switches are labeled Aux2, Aux1, Printer, Monitor, Computer and master. Does this offer any surge protection?

I also have an eight-outlet Belkin Surgemaster. The protection light is green and the grounded light is yellow? Does that mean it got fried as well?

One more: an octopus PowerSentry," which has only one light on top and it is amber.

Which of these do I need to replace?

Why isn't anything simple anymore?

 

[Badagri]

I also have an eight-outlet Belkin Surgemaster. The protection light is green and the grounded light is yellow? Does that mean it got fried as well?

Green means protected, orange is power/earthed. Says above the lights. So no, it's not fried.

 

[oldhifi]

Surge Protector

Get a surge protector put on your home electric meter, I have one I think its $5.95 a month and $20K in insurance..most electric utilities have them..

 

[Acorn]

i would find out if that belkin surgemaster had any kind of equipment protection on it. after all it is called "surgemaster". it's about time someone held accountable those crappy strips that are not worth the spit they are put together with.

 

[kenglade]

Get a surge protector put on your home electric meter, I have one I think its $5.95 a month and $20K in insurance..most electric utilities have them..

That's interesting. I've never heard of that. Sounds like the old mafia protection agencies. If you don't get our surge protection, something bad could happen.

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i would find out if that belkin surgemaster had any kind of equipment protection on it. after all it is called "surgemaster". it's about time someone held accountable those crappy strips that are not worth the spit they are put together with.

Yep, but how do you tell the good from the bad. I'm a tad old to start work on an EE degree. Is there some site that you know of which rates electrical devices? Like Consumer Reports.

 

[orangezorki]

I think what Acorn was trying to say was if anything that was plugged into the belkin surge protector was working before the surge and isn't now, you should use the warranty and get them to pay for replacements.

David

 

[Badagri]

I think what Acorn was trying to say was if anything that was plugged into the belkin surge protector was working before the surge and isn't now, you should use the warranty and get them to pay for replacements.

David

"Lifetime £175,000 Connected Equipment warranty to insure protection for your connected equipment and give you peace of mind"

 

[macalec]

I also have the belkin. It does a nice job protecting my iMac.

 

[nizmoz]

It is. My house was struck by lightning about 1 year ago and it took out a lot of our equipment. The stuff that survived was all connected to APC backups. 3 of the 4 computers made it. The 4th wasn't connected to a APC but only a Powerstrip. It fried. Lots of electronics TV's, DirectTV stuff all fried. So I will say it no doubt works! After that I bought another APC for the new computer we had to replace and will soon buy more for the TV's.

I had a power surge the other day and it fried some of my equipment.Today I bought an Back-UPS 600 by APC. I hope that's a good starting point. In the meantime, I'm trying to figure out which of my other surge devices may have been fried.

I have a desktop BEC device that I've had for years. I can't find it on the web so I guess it has been discontinued. It's a box about 2x12 with six switches on the front and comparable sockets in the back. The switches are labeled Aux2, Aux1, Printer, Monitor, Computer and master. Does this offer any surge protection?

I also have an eight-outlet Belkin Surgemaster. The protection light is green and the grounded light is yellow? Does that mean it got fried as well?

One more: an octopus PowerSentry," which has only one light on top and it is amber.

Which of these do I need to replace?

Why isn't anything simple anymore?

 

[kenglade]

I also have the belkin. It does a nice job protecting my iMac.

Thanks. That increases my confidence. I've plugged my Belkin into my new APC UPS rather than a wall socket so I hope that adds to its efficiency.

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It is. My house was struck by lightning about 1 year ago and it took out a lot of our equipment. The stuff that survived was all connected to APC backups. 3 of the 4 computers made it. The 4th wasn't connected to a APC but only a Powerstrip. It fried. Lots of electronics TV's, DirectTV stuff all fried. So I will say it no doubt works! After that I bought another APC for the new computer we had to replace and will soon buy more for the TV's.

I've been using computers for many years and have always viewed the warnings about power surges the same way I think of sects announcing that the worlds is going to end on a specific date. Until it happened to me. Now I'm a convert. I have too much invested in the information on my iMac to risk it again.

On the other hand, if the world ends I won't have to worry about it.

 

[Macman45]

I tend to buy the surge protection strips that come with insurance....Belkin and a couple of other brands offer this, but their are two types..The cheaper one of these is a one shot affair ( I have one of these left still working) which have a green light indicating all is well, and an orange LED power on light. If this type suffers a surge, it will protect your stuff, but cannot be reset, so basically goes in the trash...I now by the resettable variety...yep. They are more expensive, but still cheaper than buying a UPS...I have so much stuff to protect that the anti surge method seems the most cost effective way for me anyway....so far, I've had two trip on me, but all my equipment has remained undamaged.

 

[flynz4]

I have too much invested in the information on my iMac to risk it again.

Are you using cloud backup?

While I do use (and recommend) UPS units for all computers... I do that to protect the equipment. The proper way to protect data is by backing it up. I believe that any backup strategy that does not include automatic offsite backup, without any human interaction... is flawed.

/Jim

 

[kenglade]

I tend to buy the surge protection strips that come with insurance....Belkin and a couple of other brands offer this, but their are two types..The cheaper one of these is a one shot affair ( I have one of these left still working) which have a green light indicating all is well, and an orange LED power on light. If this type suffers a surge, it will protect your stuff, but cannot be reset, so basically goes in the trash...I now by the resettable variety...yep. They are more expensive, but still cheaper than buying a UPS...I have so much stuff to protect that the anti surge method seems the most cost effective way for me anyway....so far, I've had two trip on me, but all my equipment has remained undamaged.

Which model did you go with?

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Are you using cloud backup?

While I do use (and recommend) UPS units for all computers... I do that to protect the equipment. The proper way to protect data is by backing it up. I believe that any backup strategy that does not include automatic offsite backup, without any human interaction... is flawed.

/Jim

Yep. I use CrashPlan but it was my equipment that suffered in the recent surge.

 

[Macman45]

Which model did you go with?

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Yep. I use CrashPlan but it was my equipment that suffered in the recent surge.

The Belkins in the link below have insurance included, but some of the others do too...That's what I look for when buying....I guess the Belkin Pro range is probably top of the tree at present.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/r...=anti+surge+protectors&ie=UTF8&qid=1366997257

 

[kenglade]

The Belkins in the link below have insurance included, but some of the others do too...That's what I look for when buying....I guess the Belkin Pro range is probably top of the tree at present.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/r...=anti+surge+protectors&ie=UTF8&qid=1366997257

Thanks

 

[Tanax]

Are surge protectors some kind of US-thing? I've never ever heard anyone in Sweden using them. Is your electrical-net lower quality or something - causing surges to happen frequently?

 

[kenglade]

Are surge protectors some kind of US-thing? I've never ever heard anyone in Sweden using them. Is your electrical-net lower quality or something - causing surges to happen frequently?

Any area that has thunderstorms or unpredictable electrical supply systems is vulnerable. In my case, it's the power system which has unpredictable bleeps. It takes someone with more knowledge of electrical systems that I to explain why. I suspect it could be a contractor working on an electrical system in a nearby home or neighborhood or it could just be someone asleep at the board in the system's command room. Sometimes it happens in the middle of the night and I;m aware only when I awake with my digital alarm clock blinking or when I boot my computer.

You have to decide your own level of risk. I ignored it until it happened to me. So I spent a few dollars for a UPS; that's less than most the equipment I have connected.

 

[gzigoris]

If you are just using Surge protecters know that everytime a surge protecter has to do it's work it degrades. If you are still using a surge protecter for more than a couple of years you really don't have any protection. Your best bet is to buy a Battery Backup. It's Best for Brown outs and spikes. Having that battery across your line in sucks up any spikes. If you have a MAC you invested a lot of money in a computer. Don't got cheap with your protection.

George

 

[Nuke61]

Your best bet is to buy a Battery Backup. It's Best for Brown outs and spikes. Having that battery across your line in sucks up any spikes.

I absolutely agree that an UPS is preferable to a surge suppressor, but as an FYI... most consumer UPS units do not have a battery going across the line. Most of them are either offline or line-interactive. They do have surge suppression, but I have no idea whether it's better or worse than a stand-alone unit.

Edit: I found a review of an APC unit and it had this to say about the surge protection, "The only real downside with this device is that it's not very effective as a surge protector, so you might need to get a separate device to keep your hardware safe from surges." http://www.bestcovery.com/apc-american-power-conversion-apc-backups-rs-1500

 

[Shrink]

Are surge protectors some kind of US-thing? I've never ever heard anyone in Sweden using them. Is your electrical-net lower quality or something - causing surges to happen frequently?

Lower quality!!??

Lower quality!!??

You dare suggest that the US electrical net is inferior to...to...anyone!!

This is the US...everything here is better than anyone else!!

OK, I'm better now. I'm not an electrical engineer, but it is my understanding that although our at-the-socket voltage is said to be 120V, it actually varies a bit...sometimes quite a bit. Also, lightening strikes on above ground electrical equipment can cause power surges capable of frying one's electronics good and proper.

Any EE's out there, please correct my undoubtedly poor explanation.

 

[nizmoz]

I absolutely agree that an UPS is preferable to a surge suppressor, but as an FYI... most consumer UPS units do not have a battery going across the line. Most of them are either offline or line-interactive. They do have surge suppression, but I have no idea whether it's better or worse than a stand-alone unit.

Edit: I found a review of an APC unit and it had this to say about the surge protection, "The only real downside with this device is that it's not very effective as a surge protector, so you might need to get a separate device to keep your hardware safe from surges." http://www.bestcovery.com/apc-american-power-conversion-apc-backups-rs-1500

I have that same model and it saved my gaming rig from the lightning strike. It does work. Don't believe everything you read. apc had been around for years and I trust them especially when they make server protection devices.

 

[Nuke61]

I have that same model and it saved my gaming rig from the lightning strike. It does work. Don't believe everything you read. apc had been around for years and I trust them especially when they make server protection devices.

I didn't say that it doesn't work, only that it may not work as well as a quality *dedicated* surge suppressor.

 

[kenglade]

If you are just using Surge protecters know that everytime a surge protecter has to do it's work it degrades. If you are still using a surge protecter for more than a couple of years you really don't have any protection. Your best bet is to buy a Battery Backup. It's Best for Brown outs and spikes. Having that battery across your line in sucks up any spikes. If you have a MAC you invested a lot of money in a computer. Don't got cheap with your protection.

George

May I ask you to go to some basics for a technologically challenged old guy. I got an APC battery back up box. It has three areas boxed in -- master and controlled by master. I assume those are the outlets with the most protection. But what about the other five outlets. Are they the same as the strip protectors? What if I plug in a strip protector, i.e., a Belkin Surgemaster, into one of the boxed areas on the APC. Does that protect whatever I've plugged into the Belkin.What do you recommend about priorities in deciding what goes into the boxed areas? What about extension cords? Do they diminish protection effectiveness?

Apologies for sound so dense but this is something I never gave much thought to until I suffered from a surge.

I appreciate your time and thankful for your knowledge.

 

[westom]

Thanks. That increases my confidence. I've plugged my Belkin into my new APC UPS rather than a wall socket so I hope that adds to its efficiency.

Even protector and UPS manufacturers recommend you DO NOT do that. Only reason some recommended it was not first learning what a UPS and protector do. They also did not post reasons with the recommendation. Another reason why the recommendation should be suspect.

The reasons for not daisy chaining are numerous. Only one provided here. A UPS in battery backup mode (also called a sine wave UPS) typically outputs 'dirty' power. For example, this 120 volt UPS outputs spikes up to 270 volts. Spikes degrade the protector. Degraded protector is nor reported by its "Protector Good" light. That light can only report when a protector failed catastrophically because it was grossly undersized. A protector intended for a few major transients (typically a microseconds transients once every seven years) may quickly degrade by a million tiny spikes (less than a month's worth of electricity).

Read spec numbers for that UPS. Destructive surges (large enough to overwhelm protection inside appliances) can be hundreds of thousands of joules. How many joules does the UPS claim to absorb? Hundreds? Even power strip protectors often claim superior protection. Don't take my word or anyone else's for it. Read the numbers. Effective protection means hundreds of thousands of joules cause no damage to any appliance. How many joules does the UPS claim to absorb? The other and superior solution also typically costs tens or 100 times less money. And is the only solution routinely installed in facilities that cannot have damage.

The UPS only claims enough (near zero) joules so that Its advertising can imply 100% protection. Others who recommend it ignored and never provide numbers. Explains why advertising is so profitable.