Today's Technology And You

Today's
TECHNOLOGY AND YOU

Whole-house surge protectors can save money

Q: My computer, microwave oven, VCR, etc., do not always work properly and do not last as long as they should. Would installing a whole-house voltage surge protector help? Does one use much electricity.? - S. D.

Voltage surge protectors for entire house

A: Today's modern homes should have a whole-house voltage surge protector installed in addition to individual plug-in outlet surge protectors for expensive electronic devices and appliances. This two-stage surge protector method will protect your home's electronic equipment from all but a direct lightning strike.

Most whole-house surge protectors consume less than one-half watt of electricity (about three cents per month). Installing one in your house can save hundreds of dollars in appliance replacement and repair costs.

By controlling voltage surges, contacts in motors (refrigerator, washer, etc.) last longer. There also is less energy loss and heat buildup for more efficient operation. Incandescent light bulbs and fluorescent tubes last longer and stay brighter while using less electricity.

Although electric cooperatives install special equipment and do everything possible to provide "clean" steady electrical power to your home, each day hundreds of short-duration voltage surges, many over 5,000 volts, enter your home. These voltage surges are typically caused by the switching on and off of common electric motors.

For example, the switching on and off of nearby or distant neighbors' clothes washers, furnace blowers or air conditioners can send surges through the electric lines into your home. A large compressor motor at a nearby grocery store and electric farm equipment are other common sources of strong voltage surges.

These surges can cause many problems, from just a simple computer glitch to an instant burnout. Most often, these surges slowly break down the solid state components and insulation, so the electronic device fails prematurely. A device like a microwave or VCR that sometimes loses its programmed memory is indicating problems from voltage surges.

It is not only sophisticated electronic equipment like computers, VCRs and microwaves that are damaged by high-voltage surges. Most new dish-

James Dulley is a mechanical engineer who writes on a wide variety of energy and utility topics. His column appears in a large number of daily newspapers.

18 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 1997

washers, clothes washers and dryers, even coffee makers, have delicate electronic controls that can be damaged by high- voltage surges.

At the heart of most whole-house surge protectors is a metal oxide varistor (MOV) component to control the voltage surges as they enter your home. This special material absorbs the excess electrical energy and slowly and safely dissipates it to ground. A surge protector with a larger MOV component can absorb and withstand stronger voltage surges. The best ones use MOV components that are about the size of a silver dollar.

There are several designs of effective whole-house surge protectors. A standard double circuit breaker design with a built-in surge protector is the easiest to install yourself. If you are not handy with electrical work, an electrician can install it in about five minutes.

Another design hangs from a standard knockout in the bottom of a circuit breaker box. I have used this type in my own home for the past nine years.

It attaches with just three or four wires. It has a fuse and warning light to show if it is working properly. Always switch off the incoming main breaker before touching any wires.

A third design is mounted under the electric meter. It looks like a large mounting disc that fits between the electric meter and your wall and usually requires professional installation.

Not all whole-house models provide equal protection. Compare several key performance specifications before buying one. Total energy dissipation specification (in joules) is important. A model with a higher value blocks stronger voltage surges without being damaged. The warning light will let you know if a huge voltage surge has burned out the MOV while protecting your electrical equipment.

An equally important specification is the clamping voltage.

This indicates the voltage surge level at which the protector begins to block the excess voltage. A lower number, often around 240 volts, is good.

Write for Utility Bills Update No. 846 showing a buyer's guide of 15 whole-house surge protectors listing design type, clamping voltage, energy dissipation, prices and information on a plug-in timer outlet model. Please include $2 (with checks payable to Jim Dulley) and a business-size SASE, and send to Jim Dulley, Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708.

(Editor's note: Many Illinois electric cooperatives sell surge protection devices. If your cooperative doesn't provide them for sale, they have someone who can provide you with technical advice and suggestions.)

MAY 1997 • ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 19