How much surge protection for tv

There's a wide range of prices and a handful of features to consider. Many come with questionable marketing promises, too, so it's hard to figure out what's worth the money and what's nonsense. I'll help you sort through it. While you're here, we've got tips on hiding TV wires and products that help cut cord clutter.

Plus, quick tweaks that will enhance your home theater setup. If you're interested in a bit of background, check out what makes a good surge protector. This article is the updated successor to that one and covers the basics you need, so let's dive in. Typically, power strips are cheap, multi-outlet products that are merely an expansion of a wall outlet.

They're usually small and thin, sometimes fitting directly into the outlet itself. Some might have the barest level of protection, but they're all pretty much just like plugging into the wall directly. Surge protectors are relatively cheap too, but unlike power strips they offer some level of protection against power spikes.

How much and how well varies considerably. They're usually a bit more elaborate, and often bigger, than a simple power strip, though not always. Surge protectors offer protection in units called joules.

Generally, the more joules the better, as this means the device can handle one large surge, or multiple smaller surges, before your gear is in danger.

Over time, the parts inside the protector wear down, reducing its effectiveness. Unfortunately, there's no way to know how much protection a device has left, or if the initial rating is even accurate. Buying from a reputable company, and one that includes a warranty, is a good idea.

Some surge protectors offer a warranty up to a certain amount on the gear connected to the protector. You'll probably never need it, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have it.

Keep in mind, however, that just because the warranty exists doesn't mean you'll ever see a dime from it. Note in that Belkin quote the term "at its option.

So don't use this as a replacement for home or renter's insurance. There are a number of products on the market that claim to "condition" the power from the wall, promising improved performance in your gear. Here's the dirty little secret: Your gear already does this. All electronics have a power supply that takes the incoming wall current v in the US , filters it for noise, and converts it into whatever the device needs.

When power tools start up, when the air conditioner cycles on and even when the refrigerator or oven kicks on and off, small surges you may not notice can strike your electronics. A whole-house surge protection system will not prevent these types of voltage spikes. When the voltage rises above the acceptable level, the surge protector suppresses the excess voltage to prevent it from causing harm. Specifically, internal components called metal oxide varistors MOVs absorb the excess voltage and divert it safely to the ground wire, preventing it from reaching the connected equipment.

However, these lights might be ignored or are out of sight when the surge protector is located behind furniture or under a desk.

No surge protector lasts forever. Tags: Surge Protectors. From desktop to critical infrastructure, Tripp Lite products and solutions power and connect the computers, networking equipment and electronic devices that form the foundation of our digital world.

Headquartered in Chicago since , Tripp Lite has offices and partners worldwide. Contact Us. What Are Joules? Next Steps Need more information about Surge Protectors before you purchase? The clamping voltage is the voltage that will trigger the surge protector—or essentially when the surge protector wakes up and starts absorbing energy. Look for something around V or less. The absolute minimum joule rating that I would suggest would be 2, joules.

However, for anything really valuable, I would highly suggest 3, joules or more. Remember this number is the sum of protection for all three legs, hot to neutral, hot to ground, neutral to ground. The most important products to plug into a surge protector are expensive electronic devices with microprocessors. In short, anything electronic and expensive benefits from a surge protector. Rule two: never plug high power capacity appliances, like space heaters, refrigerators, or microwave and toaster ovens into power strips or extension cords.

These appliances have higher power capacity and need to be plugged into a wall outlet directly. Laptops and desktop computers are both packed with voltage-sensitive components that a power surge could easily damage. Without a surge protector, a power spike or power surge could shorten the life of your computer, wipe out all of your data, or even completely destroy your system. A unit with up to joules of surge protection is adequate for these small electronics. A surge protector with to joules will provide sufficient protection for power tools and office equipment such as printers, copiers and routers.

To get the power we multiply the amperage by the voltage, so 0. You can plug two surge protectors into the same outlet. This practice is safest when you have an outlet that was designed with multiple appliances in mind such as a duplex socket. You can also use a block extension.