Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (
More info?)
Effective protectors sell at about $1 per protected
appliance. This using the same concepts that permit your
telco's switching computer, 911 emergency response centers,
grocery stores, mobile phone towers, etc all operate during
every thunderstorm without damage.
However, when promoting to naive retail customers, some have
discovered that you simply hype a price. The customer then
assumes it is a superior product.
What they forgot to tell you is that a surge protection is
not the same thing as surge protection. Surge protection is
earth ground. Notice the many recommended plug-in solutions
even avoid discussing earthing. The surge protector is
effective when it makes a less than 10 foot connection to
surge protection - earth ground. A surge protector is only as
effective as its earth ground. But those overhyped and
overpriced protectors avoid all discussion about earthing.
Not a receptacle safety ground. It must connect less than 10
feet to a single point 'earth' ground. No earth ground means
no effective protection. So instead the manufacturer and
those who recommend those ineffective protector forget to
mention earthing.
The HDTV already has effective internal protection.
Anything that would be effective on its power cord is already
inside the HDTV. But that internal protection assumes the
destructive transient will be earthed before entering the
building. If not, then internal HDTV (and all other
appliance) protection may be overwhelmed. That's right.
You have hundreds of appliances that require protection. What
protects that smoke detector, bathroom and kitchen GFCI,
dishwasher, intercom, burglar alarm, clock radio, computer,
etc? A silly $15 or $200 protector that conveniently forgets
to mention - it claims no protection from the typically
destructive type of surge.
It only claims protection from one type of surge, then hopes
you will assume that is protection from all types of surges.
Read the numerical specifications - if you can find them.
Where do they discuss the parameters for protection of each
type of surge? They don't. They only claim protection from
the typically nonexistent type of surge.
You require either a direct connection from each incoming
utility to earth ground OR that same 'less than 10 foot'
connection via a 'whole house' protector. As stated up top -
effective protection that is about $1 per protected appliance.
Additional background information is provided in the
newsgroups rec.video.satellite.dbs entitled "Another Reciever
dies" on 18 Jun 2004 at
http
/tinyurl.com/4kfmj
Discussed is pictures (tvtower.com) for inspection of your
primary protector (provided by the utility), your building's
earth ground that may require upgrade to post 1990 National
Electrical Code requirements, the secondary protection system
(also called the 'whole house' protector), and what each
incoming utility (telephone, cable, satellite dish, and AC
electric) must have done to protect your HDTV. Even provided
are sources for effective 'whole house' protectors.
As for quality of that $200 protector. Look at one
parameter on its box - joules. Joules is the only real
difference between the expensive and cheap protectors. Joules
determines the protector's life expectancy. More joules means
a long life. A properly sized protector is never vaporized or
destroyed by surges. That is a defined by 'joules'.
As for how effective that protector will be during one
surge: defined by the quality and connection to the protection
- single point earth ground. There is nothing in that $200
retail shelf price that determines or creates a quality earth
ground. Effective protector costs about $1 per protected
appliance. That $200 protector is probably 200 times
overpriced AND is not even effective - no dedicated connection
to earth ground.
A surge protector is only as effective as its earth ground.
Protectors that cannot provide effective protection but sell
at extravagant prices avoid all discussion about earthing.
Joan and Al wrote:
> Hi: Do I need a $200.00 surge suppressor.
> Thanks, Joan
oldy-82F5D0.10033002092004@netnews.comcast.net...
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