Originally posted by: Obsoleet
I'm looking for another one for my PC, right now I'm using an old Monster PowerCenter HT800 ... do you think this is ok for the system in my sig? Or should I get something else.
What does a protector do? Does the silly little 2 cm part inside that protector stop what three miles of sky could not? That is the popular belief. Will its hundred of joules absorb surges that are hundreds of thousands of joules? What does it do?
Where is that manufacturer's numeric spec that lists each type of surge and protection from that surge? Monster Cable is very good at identifying and then marketing into scam markets (a previous Monster product is speaker wire marked with polarity and selling for $70). What does that surge protector do? If you don't know and did not first read its numeric specs, then you have set yourself up to be scammed.
What is inside that protector? Monster Cable circuit is the same protection circuit inside a Belkin. Same protection circuit also sells in grocery stores for $7. A $3 power strip with some ten cent protector parts selling for how much? Why do Monster and Belkin charge so much more?
Surges seek earth ground. If that connective material to earth is a wooden church steeple, then a surge is conducted to earth - destructively. Franklin simply 'diverted' the surge harmlessly to earth via a lightning rod. A more conductive material (wire) means a massive surge current creates near zero voltage. No voltage means no energy dissipated - no damage.
You must do same for your electronics. Lightning striking wires down the street are a direct strike to your appliances. You must divert (connect, shunt) that surge to earth before it enters the building. A surge absorbed in earth need not find destructive paths to earth via your appliances. A massive surge current diverted short to earth creates almost no voltage ? no surge energy inside the building.
All appliances contain protection - already do what that Monster Cable, et al protector would do. Your concern is the rare surge that may overwhelm internal protection. Surge energy that is not inside the building will not hunt for earth, destructively, via your appliances. This is how protection is installed where damage never happens - ie your telco CO, munitions dumps, critical communication facilities, commercial broadcast stations, etc. They don?t waste money on your protectors. They need protection.
First and foremost - building earth ground must meet and exceed post 1990 National Electrical code. A single point earth ground so that every incoming utility wire can connect short (ie 'less than 10 feet') to earth before entering the building. Every phone line has a 'whole house' protector where their wires meet yours. Telephone will not work if each wire connects directly to that earth ground. So the telco installs a 'whole house' protector ... to connect surges to earth. That protector must connect short to your single point earth ground. They provide a protector. You must have provided the earthing.
Cable TV and satellite need no protector. Those wires are connected from a ground block directly to earth without a protector (just another reason why cable companies recommend no protectors on their cable).
AC electric is the most common incoming source of surges. Wires highest on utility poles are most often struck. Your breaker box earthing connection must be upgraded to meet and exceed post 1990 code. Each AC hot wire is connected short to earth via a 'whole house' protector. Provided by more responsible companies with honest reputations - General Electric, Square D, Leviton, Intermatic, Keison, Siemens. The Cutler-Hammer 'whole house' protector sells in Lowes for less than $50.
Telcos do not waste money on scams such as Monster Cable and the same circuit in that other protector. When has phone service been lost for four days everywhere in town while they replace that surge damaged computer? Connected to overhead wires all over town, it can suffer about 100 surges with each thunderstorm - and no damage. Why? They only use 'whole house' protectors with a short connection to earth. Your solution (that costs tens or 100 times less money per appliance) is to earth only one 'whole house' protector. Effective protection is proven for over 100 years. What you have done with plug-in protectors may even earth surges destructively through adjacent and powered off appliances.
But again, where is that numeric spec from Monster Cable or Belkin that claims protection in numbers? Does not exist. They are not selling effective surge protection. They are selling a myth routinely believed by a majority ... who never ask what it is supposed to do. What does the Monster Cable protector do?
A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. A protector only connects surges short to earth. What does it do with all that surge energy? The NIST (US government research agency) defines the effective protector:
> You cannot really suppress a surge altogether, nor "arrest" it. What
> these protective devices do is neither suppress nor arrest a surge,
> but simply divert it to ground, where it can do no harm.
How does Belkin or Monster Cable 'divert' to earth when it has all but no earth ground. No wonder both never discuss earthing. What is necessary to make a connection to earth sufficiently electrically conductive? Sufficient earthing means a short connection (ie 'less than 10 feet'), no sharp wire bends, no splices, not inside metallic conduit, separated from other non-grounding wires ... how to best earth only one 'whole house' protector. Just more reasons why plug-in protectors have no earth ground; may even earth a surge destructively through adjacent appliances.
Above discusses secondary protection. Every protection layer is only defined by its one critical and always required component - earth ground. Also inspect your primary surge protection system:
http://www.tvtower.com/fpl.html
Where are those Belkin numeric specs that claim protection? Where do they not discuss earthing? How does it stop what three miles of sky could not?
Yes, this is long, in part, because few ever ask, ?What does a protector do?? Principles are simple - as even demonstrated by Franklin in 1752. Energy is dissipated harmlessly in earth. Protection is earth ground. Protectors are only connecting devices to surge protection. Telcos have been doing earthing for 100 years. Do not waste massive sums on anything from Monster Cable (or the same circuit inside that Belkin). Most effective solution also costs less - about $1 per protected appliance.
Everything above is about this one fact; no earth ground (ie Belkin) means no effective protection. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. Your best protector solution comes from that list of responsible manufacturers, et al for one 'whole house' protector.