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What's in a name?
When you walk in the computer store
or electronic supply store, you might ask for something to protect your
appliances against surges, but what to call it ? The devices that can protect
against surges are called "surge-protective devices" by engineers, but that
sounds too much like jargon to some people.
One name that seems to stick is "surge suppressor"
with a variety of trademark names. The Underwriter's Laboratories chose to call
them "Transient Voltage Surge Suppressor" and you might find that name or the
TVSS acronym next to the listing on the product. Always make sure that the
product has been tested by a product safety testing organization, such as UL,
ETL, or CSA, as indicated by their labels, as shown here: 
You cannot really suppress a surge altogether, nor "arrest" it (although your utility uses devices they call "surge arresters" to protect their systems). What these protective devices do is neither suppress nor arrest a surge, but simply divert it to ground, where it can do no harm. So a name that makes sense would be "surge diverter" but it was not picked. So, for the rest of this booklet, we will stick with the more popular "surge protector" and that's what you want to ask for when you walk in the store.
Then, when you get to the aisle where the surge protectors are on display, you will most often find many brands, at different prices, so that the next question will be "Which should I buy?" That's a more difficult question to answer because, while the principles and basic technology for these devices remain the same, manufacturers come up with variations and improvements in their packages and trade names. So, instead, there are some points to look for on the packages that will steer you in the right direction.
HOLD IT !
Before you run to the store and buy the most expensive surge protector - under the assumption that more money automatically gets you a better protection -look at your personal situation. Asking yourself some simple questions will help to decide how much surge protection you really need.
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