Surge Protective Devices

[globe trekker]

.

Recently, on the "Holmes On Homes" tv show, Mike's electrician installed one of these devices on

the interior electrical panel.

Have any of you seen these installed in your areas? Why aren't more of them installed, or at

least recommended, ...if they actually work?

The link is only one web site that I am looking at.

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infelectrical/infsurgeprotect.html

Thanks for your input!

.

 

[Mule]

We actually had one installed at the city that I worked at previous to the one I'm at now. We had a lot less computer failures, software problems and so on!

 

[Alias]

globe trekker -

No, but it looks like a very good idea.

I have a service entrance surge protector on my house. It was purchased and installed by my local electric co-op. Granted, it only covers electrical and not the telephone but it is invaluable. We get some very short power outages here and the power can go on and off several times in succession.

Sue

 

[Bryan Holland]

Here's a couple good resources for you to consider:

http://www.eeel.nist.gov/817/pubs/spd-anthology/index.html

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/surge/surge.htm

http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_lhm.html (Section 5.2 as you scroll down)

If a transient hits a pocket on a socket on a port

And the bus is interrupted at a very last resort

And the access of the memory makes your floppy disc abort

Then the shocked packet pocket has an error to report.

If your cursor finds a menu item followed by a dash

And the double-clicking icon puts your window in the trash

And your data is corrupted 'cause the index doesn't hash

Then your situations' hopeless and your system's gonna crash.

If the label on the cable on the table at your house

Says the network is connected to the button on your mouse

But your packets want to tunnel to another protocol

That's repeatedly rejected by the printer down the hall

And your screen is all distorted by the side effects of gauss

So your icons in the window are as fickle as a grouse

Then you may as well reboot and go out with a bang

'cuz sure as I'm a poet, the sucker's gonna hang.

 

[globe trekker]

.

Thanks for the input so far.

What I am looking to find out is, ...is anyone on this board seeing these "in line SPD's"

[ vs. the ' point-of-use ' types ] actually connected to the electrical panelboards when

performing electrical inspections?

Until Mike Holmes had some connected to some elec. panelboards, on his t.v. show, I

had never heard of them. Are they not that common in the U.S.? Because a majority

his t.v. shows originated and still are in Canada, does Canada's electrical grids have a

higher occurrence of surges, thus the need for them?

These type of devices seem like a "no brainer" idea to me. Should they be required

to be installed on the Residential electrical systems. We inspectors / plans examiners

/ BO's and others like to jump up & down over whether stairs are compliant, or even

needed in some Residential applications, ...or the actual opening dimensions of the

egress windows, ...or whether purple primer is actually used in connecting pvc piping,

and on and on and on and on. Why aren't we [ trying to ] protect the electrical

integrity of these same residences? Not ranting here, ...just asking a rather

obvious question.

Again, much thanks for everyone's input!

.

 

[Paul Sweet]

I typically specify a surge protector at the service entrance. They will absorb a larger surge than the plug-in ones without getting fried. It's still good to have the plug-ins to catch what's left of the surge after the main protector absorbs most of it.

They are a very good idea, but not every good idea needs to be a code requirement, unless it's a life safety issue.