Have You Checked Your Wall Surge Protector Lately?
Ranked #27,271 in Computers & Electronics, #514,900 overall
It's not anything you consider often, whether or not your surge protector is working. Most of the time, you don't even think about it, because it lies behind your desk, hidden, covered in dust and obscured by several cords. But the fact is it is important to check up on your surge protection devices at least once per year and make sure they are functioning as they should. I'm going to uncover a couple of myths surrounding surge protectors and I hope it is enough to shed light on why you need to take care of yours.
If you could see the damage done to your computer or other electronics whenever they are hit by a surge in power then you may be more likely to inspect your surge protection units more often. But since the damage is invisible and happens over time most people are unaware that they are in danger, until it is too late.
How To Inspect Your Wall Surge Protector
Knowing what damage can be inflicted on your computer's sensitive electronics or the electronic components of any other electronic device would definitely make you more prone to make regular checkups on your surge protection. But exactly what is it that you look for when checking that the outlet surge protector is working? Let's take a look.
The Common Myth Behind A Wall Surge Protector
Today more and more surge protectors are being equipped with LED light technology for use as indicator lights. A typical protection device will have a red LED light and a green LED light to indicate that the surge protector is working and that the outlet is grounded like it should be, respectively. While both of these lights are important, if the red LED is not lit, then you will need to unplug your equipment immediately and replace your device.It can take only so many surges before its own components burn out to ineffectiveness. It's always good practice to glance at your surge protection device whenever you can just to make sure it is working properly.
But even if the red LED is on, don't take that to mean you are 100% protected. For the most part every power cord has a red light to indicate that it is plugged in and working. The only problem with that is a power cord doesn't provide any surge protection. It merely allows you to fill your outlet with several appliances at once. This in itself is dangerous.
Another Myth Exposed
Whole house surge protectors DO NOT protect your appliances from surges in power. That is the second myth that most people take as truth. Surge protection is not 100% full proof or guaranteed. Whole house surge protectors only stop external surges caused by bad weather or transformer issues from entering your home. It takes a single surge protector installed for every large appliance to ensure complete protection. Even then you will never be 100% protected as a strike from a blast of lightning will destroy any surge protector in its path, along with whatever equipment it gets into.
The Answer To Wall Surge Protection
The best thing you can do to protect your computer or other electronic equipment is it find a surge protector that has a Joules rating of at least 4,000. What this means is that the device will protect you from up to that amount of juice in voltage before it will not work anymore. 4,000 Joules is the minimal protection you need. Anything less and you will have to replace your wall surge protectors more often.
Watch This Wall Surge Protector Video
Wall Surge Protectors In The News
- After a Surge Protector Fails
- So, what's a surge protector to do when it can no longer provide surge protection? One possibility is to visually indicate the failure, either by turning a light on or off or by changing the color from green to red. The problem with this is that the ...
- A surge protector that doesn't protect
- What happens to your electronic stuff after your surge protector has dutifully sacrificed itself? As we'll see, there are two possibilities Of course, this never comes up when purchasing a surge protector. Just as they divert electricity, ...
- High-speed protector technology provides next-Gen circuit protection
- High-speed protector technology is designed to block a transient rather than diverting or shunting the surge to ground. This blocking technology virtually eliminates latency in the circuit protection for robust surge protection for electronic equipment ...
- Phone Equipment Supplier TelcoDepot.com Adds Leading Surge Protection Tools ...
- Business phone system supplier TelcoDepot.com has added market-leading SurgeGate surge protection tools to its online phone store. Surge Protection tools protect vital phone equipment and business network installations against damage due to sudden ...
Try One Of These Wall Surge Protectors
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