On Apr 21, 12:29 pm, bud-- wrote:
The last plug-in suppressor I bought (about $25) had 1 MOV that was
1475J, 75,000A and 2 that were 590J 30,000A. w_ will likely ignore this
and continue to ask for specs, as usual.

A plug-in protector uses maybe 1/3rd and never more than 2/3rds of
it joules in protection. When a plug-in protector has other
connections (ie telephone, cable, ethernet), those numbers decrease.
Meanwhile, 'whole house' protectors from responsible companies (GE,
Siemens, Cutler-Hammer, Intermatic, Keison, etc) use ALL joules for
protection. Using all joules means the same sized 'whole house'
protector may last eight times longer and can divert even more surge
into earth. Did Bud forget to mention that? Profit would be at
risk.

Bud still provides not one plug-in manufacturer spec that actually
claims protection. Protection numbers cannot be quoted when no - not
one - plug-in protector manufacturers claims that protection. Oh.
$25 for one plug-in protector ... that does not even claim to provide
protection? One whole house' protector costs about $1 per protected
appliance. That 'whole house' protector also does not earth surges
destructively 8000 volts destructively through an adjacent appliance -
Page 42 Figure 8 from Bud's citation.

A surge protector is only as effective as its earth ground which is
the point quoted in every Bud citation:
You cannot really suppress a surge altogether, nor
"arrest" it. What these protective devices do is
neither suppress nor arrest a surge, but simply
divert it to ground, where it can do no harm.

How does that protector without a 'less than 10 foot' connection to
earth "divert it to ground, where it can do no harm"? It cannot
*divert* to what it does not connect to. Same point demonstrated in
two front page articles in Electrical Engineering Times entitled
"Protecting Electrical Devices from Lightning Transients". Where do
they discuss plug-in protectors? They don't. The article is about
effective surge protection. It discusses earth ground and connections
to earth ground; what provides protection.

A homeowner upgrades building earthing to meet and exceed post 1990
NEC code, and installs a 'whole house' protector from responsible
companies. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground which
is why effective protectors have that short and dedicated wire to
earth ground.

How to identify the ineffective protector: 1) No dedicated earthing
wire. 2) Manufacturer avoids all discussion about earthing. No earth
ground means no effective protection which is why some will even
'forget' how few joules actually get used in protection.