Surge Protector Buying Guide

Electric surge protectors help protect electronic equipment, including computers, televisions, home theaters, game systems and appliances, from electrical surges and spikes as well as increases in normal electrical-line voltage. Surges carry less voltage than spikes but can last longer, up to a few seconds. They’re often the result of a sudden change in demand for electricity, such as appliances or equipment that draw a lot of power — air conditioners, furnaces, refrigerators or laser printers, for example — turning on or off. Spikes are much shorter in duration. They last only fractions of seconds but can carry thousands of volts. Spikes can result from storms or problems on power lines, such as shorts caused by downed trees or limbs.

Both surges and spikes can damage electronic equipment beyond practical repair, either instantaneously or over time. Even small surges or spikes can eventually destroy or affect the performance of electronic equipment. Surge protectors, also known as surge suppressors, absorb and channel damaging excess voltage away from devices connected to them. However, they have a limited capacity to absorb. Once the capacity is reached, the unit can no longer protect your equipment and should be replaced.

Surge protector power strips have a cord that gives you the flexibility to position them close to your equipment. Some have mounting holes that allow you to hang them on a wall. They typically have six to 12 power outlets.

Wall-mount surge protectors have no cord. They typically have between two and six outlets and a built-in plug that connects to a wall outlet. Mobile models are compact and have a folding wall plug.

Instead of plugging into an electrical outlet, a whole home surge protector connects to the electrical panel and protects all devices on your home’s electrical system from power surges by preventing extremely high electrical current or voltage from entering the system. This type of electrical surge can result from lighting, blackouts, damaged wiring or power lines, or large appliances cycling power.

Smart surge protectors not only protect equipment from power surges, they can also help save electricity by automatically turning off devices not in use. Many homeowners don’t realize that a lot of appliances use energy even when they aren’t operating. Cutting the power to devices during downtime can lower your electric bill over the course of a year.

Control outlets without getting up with a handy remote-controlled surge protector.

Surges and spikes aren’t limited to electrical lines. They can travel along any wiring. Some surge protectors, such as those designed for home entertainment systems or home offices, have connections that provide protection on other lines. Coaxial (coax), phone cord and Ethernet cable connections allow you to protect devices, such as telephones, modems and computer networking devices, as well as cable and satellite equipment. Note that digital satellite lines can’t connect to standard coaxial cable jacks.

Understanding common specifications and knowing what features to look for can help you choose the best surge protector for your devices:

• The joule rating indicates the cumulative amount of energy the device can absorb before the end of its life. This is how you’ll know how often to replace a surge protector. In general, the higher the rating, the better and longer the device can protect.
• The Underwriters Laboratories Voltage Protection Rating (UL VPR) indicates the surge protector’s clamping voltage — the highest voltage the surge protector allows through before restricting additional voltage. The lower the rating, the better the protection. The lowest UL rating for clamping voltage is 330 volts.
• The Suppressed Voltage Rating (SVR) is a legacy system of measuring let-through voltage. Although you may see this rating on earlier models, most new surge protectors use the VPR rating.
• Response time indicates how fast a surge protector can react. Lower response times are better.
• Power filtration is designed to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio-frequency interference (RFI) — known as noise — on power lines for better sound and picture quality on entertainment equipment. Units with greater noise reduction in decibels (dB) provide better filtering.
• Models with three-line protection protect along hot, neutral and ground wires.
• Auto shut-off protects devices connected to a surge protector by turning off the power to them when a catastrophic surge occurs.
• A protection indicator light shows the unit is protecting your equipment. If this light is off, it’s time to replace the surge protector.
• A ground indicator light shows that the surge protector is connected to a properly grounded outlet.
• Widely spaced outlets allow you to connect plugs with bulky, built-in transformers.
• Rotating outlets pivot to accommodate large plugs without blocking other outlets.
• USB (universal serial bus) ports allow you to charge compatible mobile devices.
• A built-in circuit breaker stops the flow of electricity when an electrical circuit is overloaded — when the devices attached to the circuit are drawing more electricity than the circuit can handle. This feature isn’t related to protecting devices against electrical surges and spikes.

• Use surge protectors indoors and in dry locations.
• Don’t use products with outdoor appliances, recreational vehicles (RVs) or generators without knowing the requirements. Consult the manufacturer’s specifications to see if you should use an RV extension cord, a foot-switch extension cord or another type.
• Don’t exceed the electrical rating of the surge protector.
• Don’t use a surge protector with an aquarium or other water-associated products.
• If the surge protector features a power cord, unwind it before use and don’t cover it. Make sure children and pets stay away from the cord.
• Don’t plug a surge protector into an extension cord, power strip or another surge protector.
• When using a surge protector for home appliances, power tools or other types of devices, make sure it meets the device’s amperage requirements and can handle the current the device uses. Read Power Cord Safety Tips.