Surge Suppressor
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 LEVITON 120 208VAC TRANSIENT SURGE SUPPRESSOR 42120 DY3  US $199.95
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 Leviton 5300 P 10 Amp Duplex Plug In Surge Suppressor US $150.00
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 Joslyn 1261 49 R TT Transient Voltage Surge Suppressor US $50.00
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 Allen Bradley 1691 N1 B Surge Suppressor 25MFD NEW US $22.95
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 Unused Allen Bradley Surge Suppressor 700 N5 US $20.00
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 ALLEN BRADLEY 1401 N10 NIB 1401N10 SURGE SUPPRESSOR US $15.95
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 SIEMENS 3TX6406 0C SURGE SUPPRESSOR LOT OF 3 NIB US $15.00
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 Allen Bradley 700 HSMD Surge Suppressor NEW NO BOX US $6.00
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 31937 New No Box Siemens 3RT1916 1CB00 Surge Suppressor 24 48VAC US $4.99
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 Used Compu Kit 6 Outlet Surge Suppressor US $1.95
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All Surge Protectors are Not Created Equal
While in the dead heat of summer, thunderstorms are not in short supply. So what is the best protection for your home against unexpected lightning strikes? Most homeowners rely on surge suppressors to shield home electronics against unexpected damage. When I was in sales many years ago, I always made a recommendation to prospecting customers to find a good lightning arrestor to provide them the piece of mind that their investment was safe. Most home owners have no idea the requirements of a surge suppressor in order to guarantee protection against a lightning strike. Just like me almost 17 years ago, in my new sales career. So today I'm going to provide the simple Joe with tips to aid you in locating the right protection for your delicate home electronics.
I'll try not to bore you with the mundane details and drown you with useless information. Not all surge suppressors are created equal and they do require routine checks to ensure they have not failed. Depending on the strength and repeated number of surges, your surge protector could no longer work in the lines of protection and become nothing more than a power strip. If you already own a surge suppressor or are thinking of purchasing one make sure it has a protection indicator light. If its not illuminated or is blinking, its not working properly.
A surge is considered any voltage(pressure) that is over the standard 120 volts to the household outlet and lasts over three nanoseconds(fractions of a second). Higher voltage could damage newer electronics containing sensitive microprocessors or fry them all together. A surge suppressor is put in between your wall outlet and the electronic device to prevent the current from 'bursting' your electrical wires within that component much like a hose with too much pressure. The added voltage strain will eventually wear down your components over time if they are unprotected.
The most familiar source of power surges is lightning but, unbelievably, it is the most uncommon cause of household component damage. The most distorted fact is that you can buy protection against lightning as I detailed in my sales career earlier. When lightning strikes whether it's underground, in a building, or atop an electric pole; the electric energy produced is millions of volts that creates a surge that will overpower almost every end user surge suppressor available to retail consumers. NEVER RELY ON A SURGE SUPPRESSOR TO SAVE YOUR ELECTRONICS FROM LIGHTNING, UNPLUG...UNPLUG...UNPLUG! The most common cause of surges is high power electrical devices such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and hair dryers. The occasional traffic accident involving electric poles and blown transformers are other reasons for a disruption in the steady flow of power to your home.
Remember the almost always forgotten lines into your home and devices; coax cables, phone lines, and ethernet cables which also can prove deadly to electronic devices.
Three things to look at when purchasing a surge suppressor
- Clamping voltage - the lower the number the better - UL ratings are 330 V, 400V, and 500V. They are kind of like insurance deductibles, the lower the rating the less you'll have to pay out of pocket. At 330V, the bypass circuit will divert excess current to ground protecting your electronic.
- Energy absorption/dissipation - This is rated in joules and the higher the number the better. This number is the amount of joules your suppressor can absorb before it fails. 600 joules is a good place to start.
- Response time- This is another point where most surge suppressors fail in the realm of lightning protection. Lightning is much too fast and powerful to ever hope to protect your stuff with the retail surge suppressor. You want a rating of less than one nanosecond, the higher the number the longer your component is exposed to higher voltage resulting in damage.
Lastly, Don't spend $5-$10 and expect protection from spikes and surges. Look for a surge suppressor that has a guarantee for lost equipment due to damage. Even if it is limited insurance, in comparison to others it will lead you to the level of protection you desire keeping in mind the above factors; clamping voltage, energy absorption, and response time. With the mystery removed, you can now make an educated and simple choice for your next surge suppressor.
About the Author
Finding simplicity in a complex world can be difficult, but through focus, determination, willingness to learn things can become simple. Michael Kirby has lengthy experience with PC based computers, software, and networking. He has also had a career in retail sales, business management, and law. To learn how to simplify your life in more ways then one visit http://www.simplejoes.com
What's a good strategy to protect my computer from power anomalies?
The substation near my house "blows up" frequently, frying my RAM etc. EVEN THOUGH it is plugged into an audio power conditioner/surge suppressor. Would a UPS provide better protection? If so, what do I look for so that I get enough and not too much (for just a home PC).
You definately want a UPS. It will help sustain all the power requirements long enough for you to do a proper shutdown, and of course has full spike and surge protection. I'd go for 350W or more for today's desktop. Will set you back a couple bills, but think of that RAM. 
Powerwise Ink Pumps Surge Suppressor
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