w_tom wrote:

The plug-in protector does nothing effective. A properly
sized protector should not vaporize or opens when shunting
typically destructive transients. If protector is vaporized,
then it provided ineffective protection.

As it vaporizes it should blow the fuse device.

Remember, a transient confronts TV and protector at same time
with equal force. Protector does not sit between a transient
and TV - as myths claim. Protector connects to AC mains just
like another light bulb.

It's the whole-house protector that is parallel to the load, like a
light bulb. a plug-in protector should put at least two inductors and
two fuse devices in series with the load.

But if the protector is undersized,
then some humans will speculate, "the protector failed to save
my TV". A transient too small to harm the TV instead
destroyed a grossly undersized (and overpriced) protector.
What kind of protection was that? Ineffective plug-in
protector was damaged by a transient too small to even harm
the TV.

Too little got through the protector to damage the TV.

What does that human do? Buy more grossly undersized and
overpriced protectors - and recommend them to friends. A
properly sized protector means no one knows a transient
occurred.

AFAIK, I've never had a plug-in protector damaged. My neighbors wiped
one out because their phone ground isn't bonded to their power ground.

I installed my whole-house protector 20 years ago and don't remember the
specs. I suppose it clamps at something like 300 volts. It would do
nothing to a transient up to 300 volts from ground. The transformer
that powers digital equipment responds to the derivative of input
current. The fast rise time of a transient could send a big spike
through the transformer even if the transient is less than 300 volts. A
plug-in surge protector blocks transients with inductors.


How do you know the 'whole house' protector did not save
appliances? Do you do as I do - identify the electrical path
AND replace all electrical components? How do you know that
plug-in protector did anything? What is the criteria? Again,
the old Missouri adage. Show me. What are the facts? Which
components did and did not fail? What was the complete
circuit of that transient?

I know it did not save my tv and my stereo. As they were plugged into
an ungrounded outlet and the antenna was rabbit ears and there was no
ground nearby, I know the electrical path was between the hot and the
neutral. Why would I want to replace all electrical components?

The cause was the breaking of a distant power line in an ice storm.
Therefore, the surge must have affected the input of the street
transformer and both sides of the output. Clearly, the plug-in
protector saved my computer equipment from the same fate as my TV and stereo.


A protector that catastrophically fails (vaporizes) is
classic of undersized protectors. But then where would you
want such a protector? On a desk full of papers, or in dust
balls on the rug behind a desk? Plug-in protectors are not
just undersized. They are in the wrong location for human
safety. Just more reasons why the plug-in protector is not
effective. The most damning reason - no earth ground which
means no effective protection.

How often do plug-in protectors cause fires? UL seems to find them safe.


Intermatic once provided a brochure describing an event in
their sales manager's house when Andrew went through Florida.
High voltage primary wire dropped on a wire into his house.
Intermatic 'whole house' protector was badly burned. But it
shunted the high voltage primary voltage until a utility fuse
finally cut off those thousands of volts. Nothing inside his
house was damaged. The house did not catch fire from
thousands of volts on 120 volt appliances.

How many joules do you think the protector absorbed? Did any of his
breakers kick? What equipment in his house was running? Did he have
any plug-in protectors? Was his whole-house protector still okay?