The worst feeling in the world is getting a power surge in the middle of an important paper or something that may be important to your needs. So, the first response for many individuals is to get a surge protector so that you are not worrying about what is may cause the switch to flip. A commercial Electrician will tell you that nearly every business has surge protectors when they need to expand their wall outlets. When it comes to your homes you should take the same care. However, many individuals tend to just grab something that seems it will do the work that they need done without thinking about what they are choosing.
CNET not only talks about what makes a good surge protector but we are more interested in what you may need to know about a surge protector when you go to buy one from the store. Considering the work of a surge protector is to ensure that a power spike will not reach your devices in theory. So it is important that you know what you are looking for before you buy.
Not all are equal
As with any product different price ranges will get you different capabilities. The main thing you need to remember is that a surge protector is not a power strip and vice versa. A power strip is like an extension cord. It makes it so that you can plug more things into your basic wall outlet. This means that there is no added protection should a surge happen through the home. Some may be able to help to a point, but you want to look for something that says surge suppressor or surge protector on it, and they are typically a bit more expensive that power strips. The purpose of a surge protector is to help protect against power spikes and you can tell how much by looking at the back.
How does it protect
The protection that is offered by your surge protector will often come in Joules. These as are like Watts and it is how much power the surge protector can protect against. So if it can protect against say 3000 Joules, once that number is reached either in intervals or all at once, the surge protector cannot protect anything past that. This is why if you need to protect a lot of items, the higher the Joules it can handle the better it will be for your equipment and your pocket.
They will not last but some have a warranty
Should something happen through your surge protector, like it doesn’t do it’s job you may be eligible for their warranty should it have anything to protect your items. However, the strips do wear out over time so you need to be careful about how many Joules it gets hit with. The number doesn’t reset like video game lives, rather it will take them over time. Some will actually have a warning about when it will wear out. Otherwise just keep in mind any major happenings that may have caused a large surge so that you can replace them.
The electricity that comes into your home is helpful but at times it could become a little much for many appliances. Power surges can be caused by a number of things, as we have seen lights dim after turning on different appliances. So it is a good idea to consider having a surge protector for many of your items that need a little more protection.
