Surge Protector - Frequently Asked Questions

By Brad Germany

Few people understand the importance of using a surge protector with electronic equipment. Unless you have been victim to the damage a power surge can cause you may not understand the importance either. In this article we are going to take a look at the most common questions people ask about a surge protector.

What is a power surge?

A power surge is an overflow of electricity sent through your home's wiring to a nearby outlet. It can happen under two distinct conditions. One is through an external source like an electrical storm which can send a surge through your power lines to your equipment where it will damage or destroy electronic components. The other is caused internally where a high-energy appliance requires a lot of energy to get it started and thus causes a surge to the outlet.

So what does a surge protector do?

Well, as I mentioned above it protects your electronic equipment from power surges. It acts as a semi-conductor to divert excess electrical power to a grounding wire. This can and will save you from costly replacement fees to your damaged computer, for example.

So what if the power goes out?

In the event of a blackout, there is a specific kind of surge protector that can prevent loss of important information by acting as a storage cell for power, giving you enough time to save your work and power down your machine.

What is a black out?

A blackout is a sudden loss of power to your home, as with the case of a downed transformer during a storm or a blown circuit breaker from a power surge. Some surge protectors allow you time enough to shut down your computer without losing data or causing damage.

What about when the lights flicker in my house?

Well, two things here. If there's a storm you might be on your way to a black out. Otherwise you are experiencing a brown out. This is a power dip within your home caused by execution of too many electronics or appliances. It can last several seconds to a few hours and will cause circuit damage to sensitive electronic gear. A surge protector will keep the flow of energy passing through it at a constant level.

Will a surge protector prevent an electrical fire?

Some surge protectors have sensors that will trip an internal circuit and shut off the power to the equipment if there is too much heat coming into the device. An overheated wire is typically due to faulty wiring in your home.

The point is, if you have electronic equipment or major appliances in your home, which most people do, you will want to implement the use of a surge protector for each device. For a computer system, for instance, a surge protector has enough outlets to maintain all your cords.

Knowing that you need a surge protector to protect your home and your electronic equipment is one thing, knowing how a surge protector works is another. You can find all the information you need at ReviewSurgeProtector.com

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