If you’re an avid traveler, you’ve probably encountered the frustration of having a portable device plugged into an outlet and not receiving power because your home surge protection device was tripped. You may not have known it but your portable device is relying on your home surge protection device tripping to produce the power necessary to operate. The good news is that even if your portable device is relying on your home surge protection device for power, you can configure it to operate on alternate sources such as battery power. This allows you to have your portable device go when you need it most without the risk of running out of power while you’re away from home.
There are two different types of whole-house surge protection. One is designed to protect one wire within your home while the other is designed to protect all of your wires at one time. Usually, when your whole house surge protection allows even smaller power surges, that energy courses through your house wiring attempting to hit sensitive electronics. But if you’ve installed a point-of-use electronic surge protector, this power surges will be absorbed by the device instead before they reach your electronics.
There are many benefits offered by both kinds of whole-home surge protection. The major benefit offered by a point-of-uses protector installed in your home is the prevention of shock and accidental injuries caused by power surges. Because these devices are designed to handle larger electrical currents than their whole-home counterparts, they provide a level of protection that surpasses the safety provided by many over-the-counter and home security products. Some of the devices have automatic overload protection, which shuts down the generator if it receives too many hits. You can also find some units that shut down if the unit becomes over-heated during operation.
Point-of-use electrical system protection devices also provide another major benefit. Instead of only protecting one wire, they will usually cover all of the electronics in your home, protecting not only the appliances but also any electronic cords or other peripheral devices plugged into those appliances. They’re perfect for homes with several appliances as well as electronic equipment. These devices may offer better protection against surges caused by computers, laptops, cordless phones, and corded headphones as well as televisions and video game consoles.
Still, even these devices won’t be able to protect every appliance from power surges. In fact, it’s sometimes recommended that you take additional steps to protect your electronics from power surges. For instance, you should place surge protectors on any corded peripheral devices like telephones, modems, and printers. You should also avoid plugging appliances into outlets that aren’t designed to accept high voltage. And speaking of plugs, unplugged appliances should always be left plugged into a surge protector.
Home surge protection is important because of three main reasons. First, it can help prevent injury from shock or electrocution caused by power surges. Second, it can prevent damage to expensive electronic equipment, especially if they’re plugged directly into a surge protector. Finally, it can minimize damage from short circuits caused by electricity moving through exposed circuits.
How do you get the full benefits of this kind of protection? There are a few ways to do it. Some circuits will require physical connections to the power lines. Others may use a separate electrical box that needs to be connected to power lines. Still others may have the ability to automatically turn off power lines when circuits are tripped. Still others still may have both of these capabilities.
The best protection for your home’s voltage is found in whole-home surge protectors. You should always try to locate one that can handle the appliances that you use most. You’ll also want to make sure that the unit can handle the voltage requirements for all of your appliances, even if they’re not being used all the time. The number of circuits that a single protector can handle can vary depending on the amount of voltage that it can handle. Get in touch with a licensed electrician for a free quote.