Almost every house has a large amount of equipment that is constantly connected to the mains. This means that it will constantly be affected by voltage drops that adversely affect the durability of the equipment. In this case, you will need to buy a surge protector.
What is a surge protector for?
It is necessary in order to protect household appliances from interference and voltage surges in the network, as well as from short circuits and network overloads. Outwardly, it looks like an extension cord, but its internal structure is significantly different. It includes:
- automatic thermo-bimetal fuse for overload protection;
- three varistors for protection against pulsed currents, they convert energy to heat, which leads to a sharp increase in resistance - to protect against rupture, special gas dischargers are located with them;
- ferrite ring capacitor and inductor to suppress high frequency interference;
- two-way switch (phase / zero) with light indication.
ATTENTION! The surge protector is only necessary for protection against network interference and it is not an uninterruptible power supply. This means that if voltage indicators are exceeded, it automatically turns off the equipment for fire safety, and therefore, when connected to a computer, there is a risk in the emergency case of losing valuable information. To save it, it is more advisable to use a UPS.
How to choose a surge protector for a TV
Despite the fact that all switching power supplies for the TV already contain an RF filter at the input, it is often not enough and it is much better to additionally secure yourself with a network filter.
ATTENTION! The source of tele-interference may not necessarily be a power outage, the problem may also come from the antenna.
This equipment happens:
- basic - for simple options for household equipment;
- advanced - universal in application and relatively inexpensive;
- Professional - for particularly sensitive equipment, such as home theaters.
Accordingly, the more complex the device for which it is intended, the more reliable and durable operation it provides.
Number of Outlets
This parameter is often underestimated, however, you always need to figure out in advance how many devices will be connected to the surge protector. In addition, it is advisable to leave one outlet in reserve for small devices, for example, for charging smartphones, tablets and other gadgets.
In addition, it is also necessary to take into account that each device has its own power, so it is also important to calculate its total indicator, which should be at least 1/3 lower than the maximum power of the line filter. If this rule is not observed, the filter may overheat and even catch fire.
REFERENCE! You can find information about the power of the device in its passport.
Cord length
According to the standard, it is 1.8 meters, but there are also longer options, for example, three or five meters. When choosing a device, pay attention to two points:
- a longer cord provides greater practicality in use, however, there may be problems with hiding it and it can simply get in the way, especially when it comes to large offices;
- a shorter one is more convenient in this regard, however, before buying, it is necessary to make accurate measurements of the lengths of the wires connected to the device filter and the distance from it to the outlet.
Be sure to compare the manufacturer’s declared cord length with the actual one, as they do not always match. In this case, it is better to look for another filter, from a more reliable manufacturer.
Button availability
Models with an on / off button, of course, are preferable, since it is much more convenient than pulling the cord out of the socket every time, especially if it is in a hard-to-reach place. The only inconvenience when buying may be that outwardly such a filter is easily confused with an ordinary extension cord. Therefore, the only thing that can be recommended in this case is not to forget to inspect the packaging well.
Some varieties, for added convenience, are equipped with control buttons for each of the outlets individually and one common, as well as many indicators that signal operating status.
The most popular brands of surge protectors
In Russia, this list includes the following models:
- SVEN - with 5 outlets with protective curtains, each of the outlets has its own switch, the cord length is 1.8 meters. The maximum power is 2200 W at a load of 10 A. The structure contains fuses to protect against overloads and short circuits.
- PS Audio Dectet Power Center - with 10 sockets, divided into zones for digital and analog equipment and with additional protection against common mode and differential interference.
- APC - with 4 sockets, power 2500 W and cable length of 1 m, there is one switch. The filter is equipped with fuses and a bimetallic circuit breaker, is able to withstand a load of up to 10 A, is inexpensive, and is reliable and durable. There are curtains to limit children's access to electricity.
With information about the features and popular brands of surge protectors for TVs, it is much easier to make a choice when buying.
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