Two levels of protection
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Low-profile surge protector
Mount a low-profile
surge protector directly
behind a wall-mounted
TV to hide the wires.
Install the electrical
outlet and coaxial cable
outlet behind the TV,
once you determine the
best location for the
wall bracket.
Any device with a computer chip, whether it’s a $20 digital clock or a $5,000 home theater system, is vulnerable
to sudden voltage spikes that routinely travel through your electrical wiring. If the spike has enough energy,
it’ll punch through the chip and ruin it, forcing you to either junk your TV or spend hundreds of dollars for
repairs. Lightning during storms causes most damaging surges, but smaller surges, many generated within your
home (by vacuum cleaner motors, refrigerator compressors, etc.), also gradually degrade and destroy computer chips. Homes with long lines from the utility pole (rural and “outer ring” suburban homes) and in regions with lots of thunderstorms are especially
vulnerable. For an expensive TV and any other electronic item you value highly, we recommend two-stage surge protection.
Stage 1: Mount a simple plug-in surge suppressor at the electronic device
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Plug-in surge suppressor
If you have a DVD player and additional
sound equipment, protect them with an
additional plug-in surge suppressor.
This is the bare minimum. This
gives good protection from surges
generated within your home wiring
system and fair protection from
large surges from outside, like lightning.
You’ll find a wide range of
plug-in surge suppressors at electronics
stores and on the Internet.
Here’s what to look for:
1. Choose a surge suppressor that will
handle both the electrical plug and any
coaxial (TV) and data (telephone) lines
that serve the component. We show
one that has both electrical power and coaxial cable protection.
2. Check the technical specifications
for these minimum features: 330
volts (or less) clamping voltage, 5
nanoseconds (or less) clamping
speed and 500 joules (or more) energy
dissipation. The packaging on the surge suppressor usually lists these
figures. If in doubt, ask a store clerk for
help. Generally, the lower the clamping
voltage, the faster it responds to the
power surge; and the higher the joule
rating, the better the suppressor and
the higher the price. Expect to pay $30
to $50.
Note: The biggest hassle of
installing a wall-mounted TV is
hiding the wires. Running wires to
new outlets behind the TV is one
way to handle this, but the wall
bracket that you buy for the TV
must allow enough space for the
surge suppressor.
Stage 2: Mount a whole-house surge suppressor at the electrical panel
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Whole-house surge suppressor
Hire a licensed electrician
to mount a whole-house
surge suppressor on or
beside the main electrical
panel, as close as possible
to the incoming electrical
cables. This one connects
to the incoming power
through a dedicated circuit
breaker.
A whole-house surge suppressor intercepts
surges from outside lines, mainly
from lightning strikes, before they
get into your home’s electrical wiring.
It not only adds much stronger protection
(higher energy-absorbing ability)
for your expensive TV and computer
but also protects your microwave,
dishwasher, range and any other
device in your home that has a computer
chip. Since so many household
appliances now have chips, consider
adding whole-house surge protection
even if you don’t have an expensive
TV. Mount this device as close as possible
to the incoming wires inside your
electrical panel. We recommend that you hire a licensed electrician
for this task since it’s extremely
hazardous to work near the live wires
inside the panel.
At a minimum, look for a whole-house
suppressor with 400 volts (or
less) clamping voltage; 5 nanoseconds
(or less) clamping speed; and 1,000
joules (or more) energy-absorbing
capability. Prices begin at about $80
and rise with higher energy-absorbing
capacities and faster clamping speeds.
Note: All surge suppressors should
have indicator lights that show that
they’re working. As they absorb
surges, they gradually wear out and
will need to be replaced. Some more
expensive whole-house suppressors
have replaceable modules so you can
replace the modules as they burn out,
rather than the whole unit.
