Advice on Surge Protector

Big Boss94 · 28 Apr 2014 at 21:12

Sorry if this is in the wrong area, could not find a thread relating to this at all.

I'm planning on building my first pc for gaming/rendering fairly soon, with the release of haswell-e, ddr4, x99 around the corner. I was planning to plug in via power supply straight into a wall outlet, but after some research, it seems a surge protectors the best way to go, don't particularly see the benefit to me personally of spending out for a UPS. Besides the pc and monitor, I could benefit with a surge protector for some of my other gear. I'm going to need somewhere within the region of 5-8 sockets. I currently have:

- 47 LED tv power supply
- TV antenna 3-pin power plug
- Playstation 4 power supply
- USB charging device (controller/ipod etc)
- (Soon to be) Gaming Rig
- (Soon to be) Monitor (potentially 2 or more in future)

Firstly, I was wondering if this would overload a single surge protector extension, I've been looking for something around the region of 4000 Joules due to sites repeatedly saying to do so, I'm not sure what sort of amp I'd need etc. I could run say 2 4 socket extension cords side by side if that'd be the better option. I was just wondering if anyone had any recommendations or advice they could give me regarding this, I'd be highly appreciative.

Idleman · 28 Apr 2014 at 21:20

I use one of these, Masterplug Surge Protection Perform Extension Tower 2m 10G.

10-socket extension tower with surge, telephone and broadband protection and built-in cable tidies. 2 large size transformer sockets and 8 mains sockets.

Great value for the money. Just google it.

Luke_Bowman · 28 Apr 2014 at 21:21

You'll want to remove the competitor links as OcUK sells surge protectors

Big Boss94 · 28 Apr 2014 at 21:34

Im looking for something flat that I can mount to the wall behind my desk really Idleman, thanks for the suggestion though, and cheers for the heads up Luke, didn't consider that.

deFiniLoGy · 28 Apr 2014 at 21:55

Big Boss94 said:
Im looking for something flat that I can mount to the wall behind my desk really Idleman, thanks for the suggestion though, and cheers for the heads up Luke, didn't consider that.

The cheapest way will be to DIY them tbh

The surge protectors sold on the market are either cheap stuff with horrible quality or mental priced stuff with decent component.

infernox · 29 Apr 2014 at 08:07

Im not 100% on surge protection. If I have had any my power supply has just eaten them up. Anything particularly big would just trip the rcd?

Maybe Im wrong and I do need one. Why do you need one?

westom · 29 Apr 2014 at 14:21

Big Boss94 said:
I was planning to plug in via power supply straight into a wall outlet, but after some research, it seems a surge protectors the best way to go, don't particularly see the benefit to me personally of spending out for a UPS. Besides the pc and monitor, I could benefit with a surge protector for some of my other gear.

4000 joules will make a surge (hundreds of thousands of joules) just disappear? A 2 cm part inside that power strip will block what 3 kilometers of sky could not? A majority believe that because advertising said so.

A protector adjacent to an appliance somehow 'stops' or 'blocks' a surge using near zero protection. Another completely different device, also called a surge protector, has numbers that actually claims surge protection. Is located where any surge would enter the building. Comes from other and more responsible companies such as ABB or Keison. Only solution routinely found in any facility that cannot have surge damage is a properly earthed 'whole house' protector.

A UPS typically claims hundreds of joules. A number just above zero. So the many, educated by advertising, know it is a surge protector? Yes, it also claims protection ... just enough above zero so that most know it does 100% protection. Myths exist where numbers are ignored.

A UPS is temporary and 'dirty' power so that unsaved data can be saved. A best power strip has multiple outlets and an always required circuit breaker or fuse. So that the power strip does not cause a fire. An effective 'whole house' protector means surge protection for everything in a house. But only if a protector connects low impedance (ie 'less than 3 meters') to what actually does the protection. Single point earth ground is where hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate.

Big Boss94 · 3 May 2014 at 20:01

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=UP-024-AP&groupid=702&catid=55&subcat=1209 -
Would this do the job, its a circuit breaker I believe, and not a surge protector, which I'm not sure is suitable for a gaming rig, but I know APC is pretty much top of the line when it comes to this gear.