• Myth #1: Any kind of protection is better than no surge protection. Without any surge protection, the incoming blast hits only the main power supply and will not impact the system ground level at all.  On the other hand, an inadequate surge protector will distribute the surge throughout the system, potentially damaging equipment. 
• Myth #2: UPS offers reliable surge protection.  Most UPS units are designed for microcomputers, so they simply combine traditional metal oxide varistor (MOV) surge suppressors with back-up battery sources.  Although UPS protectors may be more expensive, they do not necessarily provide more effective coverage.
• Myth #3: Hardware damage is the only risk during an electrical surge.  Since computers send data as bit streams, a power surge actually interrupts data transmission.  The interruption can erase data and corrupt files.  That irreversible data loss can translate into significant economic losses, especially for businesses.
• Myth #4: Surge protectors last indefinitely.  Surge protectors use metal oxide to disperse power surges.  Over time, these components wear down and corrode, so traditional surge protectors must be replaced annually.
• Myth #5: More expensive products are more effective.  Most people assume that higher priced surge protectors must work better.  However, virtually all retail surge protectors use the same basic MOV components and offer the same level of protection, regardless of cost. 

Thus traditional surge protection products do not necessarily provide effective, reliable protection.  An alternative is a Transient Voltage Surge Suppression (TVSS) system.  Installed at the breaker box, a TVSS unit provides surge protection for the entire building.  Installing a TVSS system offers multiple benefits to both residential and commercial users:

• Long-term protection: Unlike traditional surge protectors, TVSS systems last for years.  The best companies offer warranties of up to 15 years. Installing TVSS units also means less expenditure on yearly surge protector replacements.
• Insurance discounts: Since these systems decrease the monetary impact of electrical surges, many insurance companies offer discounts to businesses and homeowners who install them. 
• Complete protection: Surges can occur from both lightning and other transient sources.  A TVSS protects against all surges, regardless of their source.
• Cost effectiveness: One TVSS protects an entire building, so consumers do not have to purchase a separate surge protector for each electronic device. 

Proper surge protection saves businesses and consumers both time and money.  The best option for comprehensive surge protection is a TVSS system, which protects the entire building directly from the breaker boxes.

For all intents and purposes surge suppression does not save any measurable amount of energy, in and of itself. This is confirmed by asking any Electrical Engineer. But that is not the whole story. The real question should be “Do surges (transients) cause equipment to malfunction?” The answer is, of course, yes. According to Webster’s dictionary, “malfunction” simply means: to fail to function as designed. 

Nearly every single publication ever written on surges all say that surges cause equipment to malfunction. In many cases it causes equipment to fail suddenly. In nearly every case transients shorten equipment life. If the motor in your car is misfiring, does your mileage go down? Would that misfiring engine require more repair and service over the same amount of miles as a well-tuned engine? If your computer is confused, can it retrieve and use data properly? The equipment in your home or business is no different. When your equipment malfunctions because of surges, it will run hotter. The hotter it becomes the less efficient it will become. This is confirmed by asking any Mechanical Engineer. This excess heat will shorten its life. Malfunctioning equipment will always use more energy than it needs. 

Malfunctioning equipment can affect the power supplied to all the other equipment in your building much like a virus. Every surge generated in your building will contaminate your other equipment. This contamination is CUMLATIVE. This contamination creates a kind of “electronic rust”. Surges (transients) are absolutely catastrophic on computers and microchip processors. Do you own anything that doesn’t have some kind of microprocessor in it? Computer chips require clean power! ALL equipment prefers clean power. 

How many surges are there in a home or business? That would depend on how you measure them. Many devices on the market such as a Fluke 43 or some machines made by Dranetz BMI register surges and transients very effectively. The closer you get to the incoming voltage (sine wave) the more surges there are present. In a home, 900 or more surges occur per hour. Large facilities, such as office buildings, often times will generate hundreds of thousands per hour. It is measurable with the proper equipment. What is the right type of surge suppression to buy? Always insist on UL1449 Second edition certification. 

Besides that, there are three main things to look for, reaction time, recovery time and clamping voltage. Reaction time is simply how fast a device will recognize the existence of a surge. Less than one nanosecond (billionth) is always recommended, especially in Florida or lightning prone areas. Recovery time should be as fast as the reaction time.  

The clamping voltage is the point at which a suppressor recognizes the existence of a surge and then suppresses it. Most surge protection products on the market today clamp at a fairly high level. They usually clamp at 200 – 900% over the rated voltage of the device that they are supposed to be protecting. This is too high to protect you from the bulk of the surges. Any device that does NOT clamp close to the incoming rated voltage (i.e. 120, 240 or 480 Volts) won’t be able to greatly increase efficiency, thus won’t save any measurable amount of energy. 

However surge suppressors that do clamp very close to the incoming voltage on all service panels can greatly increase the efficiency of equipment and extend its life. Because when the ENTIRE building is protected (100%) there is NO cross contamination (electronic rust). This not only equates to dollars saved on maintenance costs, but also dollars saved on energy costs as well. This means if your profit margin is 10%, $1,000.00 saved by reducing maintenance and energy costs increases your profits as much as a $10,000.00 increase in sales. This is “passive” profit. It is earned without increasing sales, manpower, inventory, or advertising. When you factor in for downtime related to equipment inefficiency from poor power quality the dollar figures become STAGGERING. Complete protection is a prudent investment. 

I find it amusing that those who profit the most off your waste are usually the last to tell you how to do anything about it.