w_tom wrote:
Furthermore, the little
surge protector does not absorb even modest transients.
Absorbing is not what they do.

I say absorb; you say shunt. We mean the same thing. Energy that would
have entered the 'protected' load instead goes somewhere else. So unless
you are arguing purely on the basis of semantics, your claim that even
"modest transients" are not absorbed by plug-in surge suppressors is
clearly false. What I want to know is whether such transients are
actually found, and whether they pose a threat to 'unprotected'
equipment.

Your "unless it protects against everything, it protects against
nothing" argument is not entirely convincing.