Do you run your cabs through surge protectors?

[Womble]

Almost all cheap surge protectors on the market are a triumph of marketing over physics (carefull - don't step in the marketing!), they are universally bullshit.

They are also only good for a few small spikes, after that they are just plain powerboards, and there is usually no way to tell.

Those with the guaratee are potentially worse, anyone ever tried to claim that guarantee? It is next to impossible, they are riddled with clauses that range from "must have the original receipt for the protector and all connected equipment" right up to "must have all the documentation regarding the electrical installation that the equipment was plugged into".

This guy pretty much sums it up folks...

http://www.dansdata.com/gz039.htm

... save your money, spend it on something useful, like actual toys.

 

[Broodwich]

I've been told that the whole house surge protectors are meant as a first line of defense anyway to knock the surge down and that you're supposed to use individual surge protectors regardless. Even for surges originating from the outside.

correct just because you have whole house surge protection on your electrical doesn't mean your 100% safe and free of surges. It's just as you said a first line, they seem like a good idea tho. and as i said i'd still use surge protectors anyways.

As for the quality i'll have to agree with retrohacker and many of the rest that the high end ones are just a gimmick and they really aren't that complex or effective cheap or expensive versions.

I've had 30 year old protectors that show less issues and 0 initial plug in spark where i've seen new ones less than 1 week old spark when inserting a plug or power up and down by moving the cord one way or another. Just like our games some things were built so much better years ago.

gimmick or not i'll keep buying them, hell atleast i can make 1 outlet into 4+ with it

 

[roothorick]

Buy the surge protector with the "million dollar guarantee" if anything goes wrong.

Actually, don't. Companies doing this don't actually make superior units and instead are playing the numbers game -- how often does a power surge provably kill something? I've been in the PC hobby since childhood and only seen two power supplies succumb to surges, both caused by an electrical storm that, naturally, wouldn't be covered. They know that a situation that a valid claim could arise from, even if you assume the suppressor will fail EVERY TIME, is still very, very, very rare, and the chances of that person making that claim are less than half on top of that.