Whole house surge supressor

[Lee Schierer]

Recently I have seen a number of home improvement shows and they are advocating a whole house surge protector in addition to the individual point of use surge protectors you plug your stereo or computer into.

Most notably is the "Holmes on Homes" show in which they install a whole house surge protector in every electrical panel they work on. Are these commonly used? Do they seem to work? Where is the best place/brand to buy?

[Mike Archambeau]

I put whole house surge protection in my house. You can put one device on the electrical panel and protect everything in the house. It is no more difficult to install than a breaker. I have two 200 amp panels, so I have one device on each panel. Low cost protection for all the expensive stuff you have plugged in! You can also prevent electrical surges that come in over the phone lines, or the cable tv wires. I can look up the manufacturer of the devices I used if you want that information.

[Scott T Smith]

I have one installed on the service that feeds my kiln. Before installing it, I would lose a PLC about every 6 - 9 months, at a replacement cost of $450.00 a whack. Subsequent to installing the surge arrestor, no more problems.

I bought a major brand at an electrical surplus house for about fifty bucks. Haven't put one on my main house yet.

[Phil Thien]

The hole-house SPs are superior to the individual ones you use for a computer or TV. That is because the individual ones (even the expensive ones) use MOVs which wear out w/ every surge, where the hole-house units don't use MOVs.

[Dave Clermont]

I have one installed on my main panel and then one installed on my sub panel a bit of over kill but I have seen what a surge can do from inside the house and hope not to see that again. Thought process on the second surge is that if a surge from inside the shop was to happen it would never make it back to the main panel. At least it sounds good in theory

[Dave Lehnert]

I have one. Was installed by the power company. They charge my electric bill each month. I think around $6-$7 month for 24 months. $1.99/ month after that Insures nothing will be damaged or they will pay to replace the damage product.
I figured you could not have on installed by an electrician any cheaper so I went this route. ( I may be wrong)

This is a PDF that tells a little about it. May want to check your power co. and see if they offer something like it.

http://www.duke-energy.com/pdfs/strkstp_combo_bro.pdf

[Peter Stahl]

I put whole house surge protection in my house. You can put one device on the electrical panel and protect everything in the house. It is no more difficult to install than a breaker. I have two 200 amp panels, so I have one device on each panel. Low cost protection for all the expensive stuff you have plugged in! You can also prevent electrical surges that come in over the phone lines, or the cable tv wires. I can look up the manufacturer of the devices I used if you want that information.

Mike, How/where is it installed in the panel?

[Lee Schierer]

Mike, How/where is it installed in the panel?

According to the instructions you put them across the two incoming lines at the first breaker on each 120 volt leg in the main panel, the neutral and the ground. Four wires to connect.

[Brad Sperr]

I put a whole house surge breaker in our panel. It's a Square D QO surgebreaker that installs just like any other breaker. It seems like some of the whole house surge protectors for other brands are installed in separate enclosures, which would involve a little more work.

[Robert Parrish]

I have one also since I live in the lightning capital of the US. My next door neighbor was hit by lightning a few years ago and had major damage so that's when I decided to have it installed.

[Mike Archambeau]

Mike, How/where is it installed in the panel?

I have one device that protects the electrical wiring, cable TV, and phone lines. The other device is on the other panel and it only needs to protect electrical wires. The pictures show both devices. The wires from the surge protector pass throug one of the knockouts, so you can locate them wherever you have room to mount them. Mine are laying on their side and attached to the bottom of the panel.

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