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Surges Happen! How to Protect the Appliances in Your Savvy Consumer: Surges Happen! How to Protect the Appliances in Your Home
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Installation hints

As discussed earlier, there are several locations in your power system where you can connect (install) a surge protector, depending on the type of protection you desire and your inclination toward do-it-yourself or hire someone. These possible locations are shown in the sketch below, with appropriate hints on how to go about the installation.

A very important point to keep in mind is that your surge protector will work by diverting the surges to ground (see "What's in a name") The best surge protector in the world can be useless if grounding is not done properly. Image of a premises wiring system

  1. Meter-base adapter
    This is the most involved installation, requiring cooperation of the power company if they allow it to be done by a licensed electrician. They might also do it as part of their own program *.

  2. Service panel, upstream
    Also a job for a licensed electrician since the power cannot be turned off on this side of the service panel * **.

  3. Service (breaker) panel, snap-in
    First opportunity as a do-it-yourself project, provided that the hardware is compatible and that local authorities allow the owner to do it.

  4. Service panel, downstream
    Another possibility for do-it-yourself. The protector should be connected on the load side of a pair of dedicated (spare) breakers in the panel **.

  5. Receptacle, built-in
    Provides same protection as a simple plug-in protector, but stays in place and cannot easily be moved to another receptacle, should that become desirable.

  6. Plug-in (with cord or directly into receptacle)
    The easiest of all for anyone to do. The only question is "Which to choose ?"; have given you some elements for making that choice.

* It would be a good idea, to ensure compatibility, to ask the electrician to look into the ratings of the device and the power system available fault current.

** The protector should be located close to the service panel (less than about 30 cm or one foot), otherwise the voltage-limiting effect will be degraded.

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