Surge Protection

PURCHASING ADDITIONAL SURGE EQUIPMENT

PURCHASING ADDITIONAL SURGE EQUIPMENT
Surge protectors can be purchased at home centers, office suppliers and computer and entertainment retailers.

HOW DO I USE THE SURGE PROTECTOR?

A: To protect your equipment with a surge protector it must be plugged into a properly grounded three-prong receptable. A surge protector will provide no protection if it is plugged into a non-grounded outlet. Contact an electrician if your home does not have grounded outlets.

DO ALL SURGE PROTECTORS WORK THE SAME?

A: No. Surge protectors vary in the level of protection they provide. There are four main ratings used to measure the performance of surge protectors.

UL 1449 LISTED - Look for an (Underwriters Laboratory) UL 1449 compliance rating for safety. The 1449 rating should be listed on products that conform to rating standards. A UL listing for "power tap" is not sufficient.
PEAK SURGE CURRENT - The peak surge current also may be referred to as maximum transient current or maximum current. The bigger the number, the better the protection. With surge protection at the meter or circuit panel, 36,000 amperes or higher are needed. Without surge protection at the meter or circuit panel, 54,000 amperes or higher are needed.
UL 1449 SUPPRESSED VOLTAGE RATING - The UL 1449 suppressed voltage rating is sometimes referred to as clamping voltage. The lower the number, the better the protection. As a general rule, 330 volts provide an adequate level of protection.
Energy Rating (Joules) - The joules testing method is not standardized; therefore, purchasing decisions should not be based on this rating alone. However, the higher the joule rating the better the protection. A rating of 600 joules or higher is considered adequate.

FEATURES TO COMPARE
Does the surge protector device protect other items from surge damage, such as TV cable or the telephone lines.

Does the surge protector come with a warranty for connected equipment? Many devices carry insurance on connected equipment of $25,000 or more.

Does the device allow for all equipment to be plugged into it, such as AC adapters or wall transformers, printers, monitors, and sound systems?

Does the surge protector protect against electrical noise such, as ElectroMagnetic Interference (EMI) or Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)?

Does the surge protector have an indicator light to show fault conditions, as well as a power-on indicator?

Take Steps To Safeguard Your Home
Anything that uses electricity is subject to surge damage. Kenergy offers a meter-base surge device to its members through a no-term lease agreement for $5 a month. This device gives members an extra level of protection from high-voltage surges.

Protection: Kenergy offers this service for the extra level of surge suppression/protection for the customer’s “whole home.” The surge device is designed to step down or arrest high-voltage surges – right at the meter – that may come into your home through your electric lines. If the surge is intense enough that it passes through this device and still enters your home, it will be at a considerably reduced level, thus providing an extra level of protection to everything in your home.

Warranty: The device comes with a limited warranty from the manufacturer EFI Electronics Corp. The warranty is passed on to the customer at no additional cost. As noted on the warranty, items such as computers, VCRs, TVs, satellite equipment, telephones and other electrical appliances have sensitive microchips in their circuitry. They are very susceptible to surge and need additional protection. They are not covered under the warranty. Additional surge protection for such items can be purchased at home centers, office supply stores, and computer and entertainment retailers. Since your warranty is with EFI, please direct all your questions concerning the warranty to that company at 1-800-877-1174, extension 473. This includes any potential claims.