Tracker Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Not strictly Motorhome related other than most of us are using mains powered or charged devices for accessing this forum! I've read the theoretical arguments for and against the use of surge protectors and I have always used one. After many years of service mine finally burnt out over the weekend and it was a simple enough job to remove the offending gubbins and convert it into an 'ordinary' trailing socket bank. Does the team think I should replace it with a new surge protector or is it all just sales hype? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 It’s stating the obvious, but if you don’t replace your surge-protector your equipment will have absolutely no protection against surges. There is plenty of on-line advice (much from USA sources) about surge protection and what to look for in a device (like making sure that a surge will ‘kill’ the device rather than just taking out its surge-protection element), warning that such devices are not all created equal and that high price does not necessarily produce the best protection (though it’s quite likely that a very low price would indicate a low level of protection). Some years ago the transformer in the field near to my house was struck by lightning. The resultant surge impacted on various equipments in the houses that the transformer served. My neighbour’s electricity meter was damaged positively and he had zero electricity bills for a long time before this was noticed. My meter was damaged negatively and my bills were inflated for a while and I needed to argue with npower about what the refund should be. I also lost my PC’s in-built router. Having been bitten once I now have a surge protector into which my computer and printer is plugged, but the broadband router remains unprotected because of where it’s located in the house (and I’m guessing BT would give me another if the router got fried). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 As a rough rule of thumb if you are connecting to any supply fed by overhead cables yes use a surge protector or preferably one with under and over voltage protection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Tracker - 2015-10-05 9:54 AM ... After many years of service mine finally burnt out over the weekend and it was a simple enough job to remove the offending gubbins and convert it into an 'ordinary' trailing socket bank. ......... Now the question has to be why did it burn out and what made the surge protector burn out...maybe it was doing it's job and could have been your equipment which burned out instead. Food for thought innit? Bit like people thinking when a fuse blows it must have been a faulty fuse!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Check the Varistors on the surge protector they often burn out and are easily replaced with a soldering iron. Varistor info: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varistor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 Brambles - 2015-10-05 3:36 PM Now the question has to be why did it burn out and what made the surge protector burn out...maybe it was doing it's job and could have been your equipment which burned out instead. Food for thought innit? /QUOTE The thought did cross my mind! I only knew it had 'gone' when the trip switch kept tripping and by a process of elimination isolated it to the surge protector and as soon as that was removed from the circuit it didn't trip again. I am told that these things do not last forever and having been connected 24/7 for at least 8 years I figure it does not owe me anything and as a bonus is jstill handy to use as a normal extension lead for things wot don't need protecting! I'll go and get a new one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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