posted: Jul. 23, 2008 @ 1:59p 
Cables To Go - Impact Acoustics 10-Outlet Surge Supressor is here:
Item rank is #1
Good surge protector for cheap from buy.com (6900 joules for $30) Archived From: Hot Deals |
Cables To Go - Impact Acoustics 10-Outlet Surge Supressor is here:
Item rank is #1
Quick Summary is created and edited by users like you... Add FAQ's, Links and other Relevant Information by clicking the edit button in the lower right hand corner of this message.
I live in the lightning capitol of the world , central Florida ,,, I know a thing or two about lightning ...
1.) Surge protection always lets spikes through ... much more important than clamping voltage is reaction time...
2.) Cheap surge potection uses powdered metal ,, lightning melts the metal , circuit is broken ,,, most of the lightning gets through as the clamping time is LONG LONG LONG...
3.) I have giganticenormous surge protection on both legs of both of my main distribution boxes ,, it's better than nothing and real cheap when bought at surplus stores ,, these are standard commercial products... if you're not good around electricity get someone who is to install these.
4.) For the same $30 you can buy and install an extra long ground rod and attach it at a location seperate from your buildings existing ground rod ,, give lightning a better chance to go away...
The best lightning protection (and only slightly more expensive than this items $30) would be an UPS ,,, the biggest name brand is APC (American Power Conversion) ... with an UPS your line power is changed to 12vdc , charges a battery and then is upconverted to 120VAC ,, for lightning to zap you it has to be an enormous hit and even then the battery will absorb it...
http://www.CompUSA.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2192767&CatId=233
I checked the "features" on the listed surge protector ,, they don't list the technology used to absorb lightning and they don't list any specs other than the joule rating ... most importantly they don't list clamping voltage or time... the only things that matter..
FROM THE ADVERT:
Comes with a $150,000 Connected Equipment WarrantyFull Line ProtectionADSL ProtectionSignal AmplifierEMI / RFI Noise Filter2.25 GHz F ConnectionsProtects 10 AC LinesLabeled AC Inputs For Ease In IdentificationAC Inputs Conveniently Spaced For Large Power Plugs6900 JoulesProtects 3 Phone/Fax/Modem LinesIntegrated Telephone Splitter6ft. AC CordRight Angle PlugSurge Indicator LightGround Indicator LightIntegrated Reset Button
neidermeyer said:I live in the lightning capitol of the world , central Florida ,,, I know a thing or two about lightning ...
1.) Surge protection always lets spikes through ... much more important than clamping voltage is reaction time...
2.) Cheap surge potection uses powdered metal ,, lightning melts the metal , circuit is broken ,,, most of the lightning gets through as the clamping time is LONG LONG LONG...
3.) I have giganticenormous surge protection on both legs of both of my main distribution boxes ,, it's better than nothing and real cheap when bought at surplus stores ,, these are standard commercial products... if you're not good around electricity get someone who is to install these.
4.) For the same $30 you can buy and install an extra long ground rod and attach it at a location seperate from your buildings existing ground rod ,, give lightning a better chance to go away...
The best lightning protection (and only slightly more expensive than this items $30) would be an UPS ,,, the biggest name brand is APC (American Power Conversion) ... with an UPS your line power is changed to 12vdc , charges a battery and then is upconverted to 120VAC ,, for lightning to zap you it has to be an enormous hit and even then the battery will absorb it...
http://www.CompUSA.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2192767&CatId=233
I checked the "features" on the listed surge protector ,, they don't list the technology used to absorb lightning and they don't list any specs other than the joule rating ... most importantly they don't list clamping voltage or time... the only things that matter..
FROM THE ADVERT:
Comes with a $150,000 Connected Equipment WarrantyFull Line ProtectionADSL ProtectionSignal AmplifierEMI / RFI Noise Filter2.25 GHz F ConnectionsProtects 10 AC LinesLabeled AC Inputs For Ease In IdentificationAC Inputs Conveniently Spaced For Large Power Plugs6900 JoulesProtects 3 Phone/Fax/Modem LinesIntegrated Telephone Splitter6ft. AC CordRight Angle PlugSurge Indicator LightGround Indicator LightIntegrated Reset Button
1. This is a surge protector, not a lightning protector. Even UPSes will not completely block a direct hit from lightning.
2. There are plenty of sources of voltage spikes besides lightnings (such as kickbacks from appliances turning on).
3. Response time isn't as important as you imply. Voltage doesn't spike instantly.
4. The joule rating is the most important thing in surge protectors.
5. Don't assume it's manufactured cheaply or that is has poor response times, etc. At least it's not a Belkin and its joule rating is higher than Monster Power Centers that cost over $120.
That said UPS indeed provides better protection than most surge protectors.
Are there any decent surge protectors for under $30? It's just for use for a laptop in a dorm room. Thanks.
Honestly, you're better off going with a line conditioner when you hit the $30 range. I have 4 of the below and you can hear them work, there is a click when there is a power irregularity.
babyorangutan said:At least it's not a Belkin.
100% with you on that!!!
babyorangutan said:and its joule rating is higher than Monster Power Centers that cost over $120.
Monster = Overpriced junk aimed at uber WANNA be "gurus". No real techie would ever have Monster anything unless he/she got it on clearance.
babyorangutan said:That said UPS indeed provides better protection than most surge protectors
I'll stick with APC backups or surge protectors for all my expesive electronics.
Always protect the family's joules!
japaninator said:Always protect the family's joules!
instantrimshot.com
Looks like Monster - have one and very happy w/it 
neidermeyer said:The best lightning protection (and only slightly more expensive than this items $30) would be an UPS ,,, the biggest name brand is APC (American Power Conversion) ... with an UPS your line power is changed to 12vdc , charges a battery and then is upconverted to 120VAC ,, for lightning to zap you it has to be an enormous hit and even then the battery will absorb it...A device costing only slightly more than $30 isn't really an UPS but is instead just a standby power supply that normally lets 120VAC from the wall outlet pass directly through it, perhaps going through a surge protector first. A real UPS always keeps the 120VAC from the wall outlet separate from the 120VAC coming out of it because a battery is constantly used for providing the output 120VAC.
Simple backup power supplies can vary greatly in surge protection, one of the worst being this 375VA Belkin, which has only 3 MOVs for protection and no line filter to prevent other electrical devices, like laser printers, from crashing the computer when a glitch is generated.
This is a glorified power strip, plain and simple. There is not enough information in the specs to determine if it's even worth the price. Therefore, I would probably pass. If you can't determine how many MOV's are included....or if there is no published surge current capacity per mode or per phase, it probably doesn't provide much "protection."
The "surge" talk in this thread is incorrect and irrelevant. The information about UPS' is wrong, too.
By the way, completely disregard the "equipment warranty" talk on any power strip. You'll never collect.
wingate20 said:This is a glorified power strip, plain and simple. There is not enough information in the specs to determine if it's even worth the price. Therefore, I would probably pass. If you can't determine how many MOV's are included....or if there is no published surge current capacity per mode or per phase, it probably doesn't provide much "protection."
The "surge" talk in this thread is incorrect and irrelevant. The information about UPS' is wrong, too.
By the way, completely disregard the "equipment warranty" talk on any power strip. You'll never collect.
How about explaining all your words of wisdom (?)
jeffc said:wingate20 said:This is a glorified power strip, plain and simple. There is not enough information in the specs to determine if it's even worth the price. Therefore, I would probably pass. If you can't determine how many MOV's are included....or if there is no published surge current capacity per mode or per phase, it probably doesn't provide much "protection."
The "surge" talk in this thread is incorrect and irrelevant. The information about UPS' is wrong, too.
By the way, completely disregard the "equipment warranty" talk on any power strip. You'll never collect.
How about explaining all your words of wisdom (?)
No problem, all you had to do was ask.
Again, keeping it relevant to the original post, I can only guess that your question refers to the equipment warranty? Those "warranties" have so many rules in the fine print, making it virtually impossible to collect. Most of them have common language in them, which requires you to prove that lightning struck your house, the house is properly grounded, the equipment being claimed was correctly plugged into the device, etc....
Commercial tvss, designed to protect entire facilities, units that actually suppress surges, don't come with any such equipment replacement $$ warranty. Again, the consumer units, such as the one in this post, are just a fuse. The company making them is banking on the surge taking out their product, thus saving your equipment. The problem is, lightning can be much quicker than a fuse.
Bottom line is, don't ever ever ever consider these warranties any sort of piece of mind. Just ignore that gigantic $$$ on the box. Flip it over and check out the specs. If all you see is a joule rating, decide at that point how much you want to spend on a power strip; that's all you're going to get out of that particular device.
Over-glorified power strip but it *IS* colorful
Couple things to add:
1) The majority of (if not all) consumer grade UPS's do NOT convert AC to 12v DC and then back to AC for the output. They convert enough juice down to 12v to charge the battery and pass the rest, possibly through a spike/surge protector, as 110v AC straight out. When power drops too low they switch the output over to the inverter output. COMMERCIAL/building grade UPS's OTOH (liebert is a good example) do exactly what you say: Convert house power to DC (and way higher than 12v - try ~540v) to float charge batteries and drive the inverter which provides 100% of the power output 100% of the time (unless you're on bypass).
2) There's no way a $42 surge protector is going to actually save your equipment from a direct lightning hit. Good luck collecting on the "guarantee". If it seems to good to be true...well you know how that one goes.
3) Much better idea - make sure your homeowners or renters insurance policy covers surge/lightning damage with low/no deducitble.
4) Item is $42.xx now. Wasn't worth it at 30, certainly not at 42.
|
 |
|
|
While FatWallet makes every effort to post correct information, offers are subject to change without notice. Some exclusions may apply based upon merchant policies.
| Sign up for free today, because you don't want to miss out on any more cash back than you already have! There are currently 1,025,310 people just like you registered to earn Cash Back From FatWallet. Be the next! |
Sign up to join the discussion & earn Cash Back from FatWallet:
|
