Is There a Good Surge Protector Out There?

[R-WEST]

Our place in Myrtle Beach is constantly having problems with lightning strikes damaging expensive electronic equipment.  One of the electricians down there said that area is second only to Florida in lighting strikes, and I believe him!! 

The wife just flew down for a few days, and, so far, she's found: one A/C control board ($400); 2 flat screen TV's ($700/ea); 1 PC ($900) and a specialized Allworx multi-line business phone ($200), plus assorted tripped GFCI's.  I'll never be able to afford all my automotive projects at this rate.. 

I'm looking at a whole-house system, but, in the meantime, any advice on which of the small individual models actually work?  The wife's PC was on an APC surge protector, but the surge may have come through the 'net feed.  My PC, 3 feet away from hers in our office, on a similar APC, had no problems.

At one website, they say "buy Brand X surge protectors, they're the best", and, at the same site, another guy says "Brand X is the worst..".   

Thanks.

[mlcraven]

Only guaranteed solution I know of is to unplug things, admittedly a PITA and not possible in all situations.

[cjshaker]

Unfortunately, Michael is right. There is only one thing that can react faster than electricity....nothing. The voltage spikes can be so high that even a good surge protector, or even turning off the breakers, can be insufficient. The voltage can easily jump the gaps and there go your electronics. MOST surge protectors are nothing more than fuses disguised in ad hype. A true laboratory grade surge protector is VERY expensive and still not a guarantee that nothing will get damaged. Unplugging is not a big deal if you're going to be gone for a while, or if you know a storm is coming. It's the best insurance.

[shady]

repaired electronics for 30 years & have seen it all. you must unplug. lightning is a freaky phenomenon. there is no rhyme or reason why it takes one thing out & not another plugged into the same outlet. there are whole house surge pro. that get wired into your main panel box. I would prob. go with that, but it all depends how close the hit is as to how effective they are. Most outlet strips are snake oil.

[bsprowl]

APC is as good as you can buy.  APC units seldom fail but even they do if the weather lightning strike is too close or too big.

I have a whole house surge protector at the meter, APC battery UPS units (with the network, telephone and DirectTV cables connected at each unit). I've also verified that the ground at the power meter is connected properly. 

As stated by others, the best solution is to unplug modern electronic devices, not practical in many cases but nothing else works.  I've seen lightning kill everything in a house even with power strips turned off and the equipment turned off. 

I've got UPS units at all of my computers and TVs - using them as surge protectors.

Bob

[R-WEST]

Thanks guys.

I usually unplug everything I can think of when we come back north for the summer, but, one of the problems with having a house at the beach is, you have VERY many 'friends' and relatives who want to go there for their vacation while we're away, and THEY forget to unplug stuff (among other nice things they do - we found a dirty baby's diaper in the garbage can one time about 6 weeks after the last 'friend' left; THAT was odoriferous..  ) when they leave.

I'm looking into the 120/240-1-60 version of this http://www.lightningmaster.com/Product-Catalog/Product-Details/ProductID/27/low-voltage-spd for the main line, and I'll put the critical stuff on UPS's for when I'm there, and unplug everything when I leave.  And, I think I'll trim my list of 'friends' - it's hard to do anything about the relatives...