Surge Supressors - Protection (1 Viewer)

[Michael Gretton]

I know this might be in the wrong forum. Moderator pls move in inappropriate. What do you all use for Surge Supression? I just bought an Acoustic Research surge protection thing.... Just looks like an expensive power strip to me. I will have to keep it since I can't see spending that much more for one. What do you all use and is this one okay? I own a brand new Sony 32HS500 and don't want it fried.

Mike

 

[John Garcia]

Yes, this would probably be better suited to the Tweaks & interconnects forum.
I use a Panamax 4300 for everything in my main system.
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[Bill Kane]

Mike, go ahead and plug ALL your HT gear into the box, incl bass module and SAT coax if your box has the appropriate terminals.

 

[Massimo N]

For basic surge suppression the AR unit apppears to be good unit for the dollars paid.

Personnaly, I'm using a Panamax 5100 unit. The attraction for me on this unit is that it's rack mountable, has switched and delayed outlets and it monitors the voltage. This unit also provides brownout protection as well. Panamax classifies this unit as a power conditioner, but the main reason is for protection, delayed outlets and clean up the cables.

Cheers!
Mass

(EDIT)I almost forgot ... don't forget to plug in your cable/sat and sat phone cord (if you have one) into the unit as well. A surge can come through either the cable or phone line, and toast your equipment.

 

[Elbert Lee]

I'm a huge believer in PLCs (Power Line Conditioning). In addition to ac line surge protection, PLCs also offer "filters" that help keep your components segregated from each other. Think of it as a small step toward separates.

Not going to get into a huge techinical explanation, but, if you do some background on this issue, a PLC may be something to consider.
Elbert

 

[Jeff PB]

The Brick Wall units are considered by many (including myself) to be about the best surge protection available.
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For an all-in-one unit with power conditioning and surge protection, The Power Director from PS Audio looks like a very capabile unit ($1495)

 

[David Sim]

I have my entire HT system running through a UPS meant for a computer system. The total wattage used by my components does not exceed the max the UPS is capable of outputting. I did this because the electrical service in my town is crazy. The power fluctuates quite a bit. (which is evident when the UPS beeps to let me know there is a surge or drop)
Before the UPS a power fluctuation would sometimes have no apparent effect and at other times it would reset my receiver and TV's time. The receiver on occasion would be set back to factory defaults. (pain in the neck to say the least)

Is it a bad idea to use a UPS?
Am I asking for trouble?

 

[Bill Kane]

Well, these threads take on a life of their own, don’t they? Mike started out asking if he can get away with using an AR surge suppressor under $100 (and he can)and what others use. That’s fine, but everyone’s locale/power situation is different.
David has a very good question regarding his particular power situation, and applying a piece of UPS gear for intended purposes. Historically, UPS and surge suppressors came about from mission-critical computer aps and today we see HT crossovers.
The technos will say a UPS isn’t worth considering unless it outputs “pure sine waves.” That is true, and the best may cost $1000 or higher depending on capacity. I now think that a UPS isn’t particularly useful to keep HT components actually running off batteries during blackouts. Rather, they jump in during power fluctuations from whatever causes to provide a steady current to prevent harmful On/Off On/Off On/Off electrical surging into our components’ power supplies until the external electrical grid settles down.
I do not suffer erratic power-outs (tho a vehicle cud crash into a power pole anywhere, anytime, and a violent windstorm cud cause transmission lines to touch and arc in winter).
But if I were to go there, I like the TrippLite 2400 model HERE which is an automatic voltage regulator with surge suppression, rated to 2400 watts which means it’s best used on a 20A circuit for maximum capacity.
Of course, a voltage regulator wont work in times of total power outage, but rather during brief undervoltages (brownouts) and overvoltage spikes.
For powerful computer/server type UPS units for HT, I’ve seen Powerware talked up, if one can stand an industrial-type box on the floor HEREor a 1400VA BELKIN
David, I am not trying to upsell you, just discussing some options. So what UPS are you using?
bill

 

[David Sim]

I have a cheap APC UPS ($180.00) that does not output pure sine waves.
It says stepped approximation to a sine wave whatever that means.
It has 540 joules of protection against a surge. I guess, from what I've been reading, that's not much.
I am not trying to use it to keep things up and running during a total outage but it does give me a chance to shut things off gracefully. About 15 minutes with just the TV and DirecTV running.
Also, because I lose power at least once every 2 months for short periods of time, it is nice to come home and have only my microwave blinking >12:00< >12:00

 

[Bill Kane]

David,
I wud say your unit seems to be doing what you want it to do (and I did not mean to imply that you want to watch/play off batteries). As long as you realize it's not optimum. I think you'd want higher surge protection capacity than 540 Joules (Spike Current Capacity rated in amps is a better spec; look for at least 52,000A and a U.L. 1449 (2nd Edition) Listing.
Going fuller UPS is a real good idea as extolled here in a recent 3-page thead at AVS FORUM

 

[Lee Petty]

i think the idea of using a ups is good, especially for things like video game systems (dont you hate playing all that way and a quick power flicker screws you over?), receivers (popping speakers sux), and such. i would get a high end power strip, and maybe plug the ups into it, or just run the ups out of the wall.

 

[David Sim]

Bill, I see what you mean.
Since I asked the question originally I have found more
than a few postings that say the quasi-sine or square sine produced
by cheap UPSes can be damaging to HT equipment over time as opposed to
PC power supplies which convert the AC power to DC which in effect "cleans" it for computer components.
I will definitely upgrade to, at least, the APC Smart UPS that produces pure sine.
I have also discovered that a lot of the line cleaners
and surge protectors geared towards HT do less than a UPS for a lot more money.
Whenever you think you know what you want/need for your home theater system some new thing pops up.
I think I spend more time researching, auditioning and calibrating HT equipment than I spend using it.
Someday that all will change and my system will be complete. Right!

 

[Bill Kane]

tks for yr update

 

[David Sim]

No, thank you for the help!

 

[Christopher Lyn]

I just sold my Pananamax 1000+ and am now using a Brickwall PW2RAUD for maximum surge protection (gives me a piece of mind since it does not use MOVs) and have a Vans Evers Model 83 Reference for PLC.