[igreg]

Any recommendations for a surge suppressor for the 50PHD7UY? Is it really necessary to spend hundreds of dollars like recommended by the retail outlets? For example, while visiting Magnolia Hi-Fi, the salesman said the rule of thumb was to spend 10% of your equipment's value on the surge suppressor/line conditioner.


Heard and read that a cheap suppressor may protect from large surges but that small surges will shorten the life of your plasma and justify an expensive surge protector.


And how important is it to have good line conditioning as opposed to just protecting from electrical surges? Is this feature why you should spend hundreds of dollars for a high quality surge suppressor with excellent line conditioning properties? Do the line conditioning properties really improve the picture quality, and, even if so, are these properties exclusive to expensive units? For my computer system, I use an APC Surge Arrest Professional with states that it provides instantaneous response to 600v surge, and has a let-through voltage of

 

[orogogus]

Check out this thread it answers some of your questions (with a link to a bigger, better thread on the topic). Basically don't get an MOV surge protector, get a series based system like Brickwall (which also has some power conditioning). Anyway read the thread... I'm in the same boat. Plasma is coming soon and I know I have noisy power at my place.

 

[igreg]

Checked out the thread but most of these posts are getting into the the "best" (title of thread) and are quite expensive, intricate products. Of course, you can spend $500+ for a surge suppressor/ conditioner, and the more you look the more features you see and the more you spend. I'm not looking for the best, just adequate to protect my system. I'll take my chances on lightening (one in a million). Plus, even my APC SurgeArrest at under $100 has a "fast-acting fuses that reacts instantaneously to lightening strikes and other spikes. A thermal fuse shuts your system down safely if there is a wiring fault. If the surges suppressor components are damaged, excess power cannot reach your equipment. Most other surge suppressors continue to let power through even after their circuits have been damaged, leaving your equipment exposed to future surges."

 

[Plasmata]

I bought a Zero Surge in-line panel from Allied Electronics at a very good price. Its worth it considering it protects about $10k worth of equipment.

 

[Joe Murphy Jr]

Most people who think their chances are one in a million end up saying "You'll never guess what happened..." at a later date.



APC's super-sophisticated NASA-engineered Einstein Foundation-approved "thermal fuse" is an...


(drumroll, please)


...MOV.



Glad I could clarify this for you. Next...

 

[mdrums]

Do not get a MOV based surge protector. Furman has some great priced high quality Series Mode protectors From $199-299. Go to your local Guitar Center, Sam Ash or independant music store hagle the price a little and pick up a Furman.

 

[QZ1]

Quote:

Originally posted by igreg Checked out the thread but most of these posts are getting into the the "best" (title of thread) and are quite expensive, intricate products. Of course, you can spend $500+ for a surge suppressor/ conditioner, and the more you look the more features you see and the more you spend. I'm not looking for the best, just adequate to protect my system. I'll take my chances on lightening (one in a million). Plus, even my APC SurgeArrest at under $100 has a "fast-acting fuses that reacts instantaneously to lightening strikes and other spikes. A thermal fuse shuts your system down safely if there is a wiring fault. If the surges suppressor components are damaged, excess power cannot reach your equipment. Most other surge suppressors continue to let power through even after their circuits have been damaged, leaving your equipment exposed to future surges."

No need to spend $500+. Spend $200+, and one can get an SM surge protector.

SM surge protectors include: ZeroSurge, Brickwall, Surgex, Adcom, and Furman.

Lightning doesn't have to be a direct strike to do surge damage. Also, surges are happening all the time.

With MOVs, sometimes the surge is so much that the MOV is destroyed and so are the attached devices. SMs are virtually indestructible.

MOVs send the surge to ground, which can ruin other devices in the home. SMs send surges to neutral.

 

[igreg]

Appreciate advice. Now if I can just find one of these before my Wednesday installation. I don't think Magnolia, Best Buy, Good Guys, etc. carry these brands/types. I didn't know music stores carried surge suppressors, but will check them out. Thanks.

 

[mdrums]

Yes, musicians (I am a drummer by trade and work in the industry) use surge protectors all the time. It is an absolute must with all the digital recording and processors used live and in the studio. Unlike Best Buy and others you can go in Guitar Center or Sam Ash or your local independant music store and find Furman Series Mode protectors. Go check out these models:

PL-PRO II $199

PL-PRO DII $227

PM- PRO II $299

 

[jadziedzic]

I'll second (third?) the suggestion for Furman Sound series-mode units. I purchased the PM-PRO Series II from Musician's Friend with free shipping, and MF subsequently price matched against another on-line retailer (store.djhardwares.com) that turned up a week or so after I bought from MF. All of the PRO series units include over voltage protection (shuts off if the input voltage rises above 140 volts AC); real handy if you lose your neutral connection from the power company.


Furman also doesn't spout the nonsense about "authorized Internet dealers" that Adcom and others have adopted. I personally have decided against doing business with any companies that won't honor their warranty for items bought from an "unauthorized" dealer. If the manufacturer has issues with "back door" sales and other tactics used by their "authorized" dealers to spin products out the back door then the manufacturer should be sticking it to the sellers who supply the products, NOT the purchasers.


Furman also has "home theater" versions of their products available. Worth a look at www.furmansound.com.


Tony

 

[PanamaMike]

With a pure sinewave output? Someone mentioned APC are MOV, is this true for all of their products?

APC Smart UPS


Mike

 

[Nelob]

Quote:

Originally posted by igreg Appreciate advice. Now if I can just find one of these before my Wednesday installation. I don't think Magnolia, Best Buy, Good Guys, etc. carry these brands/types. I didn't know music stores carried surge suppressors, but will check them out. Thanks.

I ordered a Zerosurge directly from their site and had it the next day (YMMV).

Excellent customer service too.

 

[orogogus]

Quote:

Originally posted by jadziedzic Furman also has "home theater" versions of their products available. Worth a look at www.furmansound.com. Tony

Checked out the site... many options... I'm slightly confused as to what I need. I'd like to run the whole home theater, I'm not sure which product to buy... oh bother. Any suggestions?

 

[wolfmanjack210]

I have a question regarding surge suppression and AC line conditioning. The electrical code requires the use of three pronged power outlets in North America with three wires. One is the "hot leg", 120V. The second is the neutral wire, or the return path for the current. The third is the ground wire (the bottom round prong). My understanding is that the ground prong is there simply for safety reasons. Now, I live in an old apartment building that is missing the ground wire. Do these surge suppression and line-conditioning units require the ground wire to be present to perform their functions? Will these units work without the ground wire being present? Also, is there additional noise being generated due to the ground wire not being present.


Also it seems like the Furman units are highly recommended. I am planning on running my tv coax line to a stb and from there to the plasma via component. Would this not also be a path for a surge to come in through and hit the plasma? Do these furman units protect against this entry path?

 

[QZ1]

Quote:

Originally posted by PanamaMike With a pure sinewave output? Someone mentioned APC are MOV, is this true for all of their products?

Yes, they are all MOV.

So, why not both? Seriously, I bought a Sinewave UPS and an SM Surge Protector. The TV and Xbox, and soon an HD DVR will be plugged into the UPS, which is in turn plugged into the SM. Everything else (audio) is plugged directly into the SM. It is expensive though. The UPS is necessary for my LCD's fan to run to cool off the bulb, as well as the Xbox and DVR, which have HDDs, that don't like to be stopped while writing.

 

[mdrums]

Orgous, any of the professioanl Furman units will work perfectly. I mentioned these in an above thread. I use a PM-PRO II for my Sim2, McIntosh pre-pro, Denon 5900 and HD Sat. I run my McIntosh amps direct to the wall which is a dedicated 20 amp circut. I use a Furman PL-PRO for my bedroom system and plug my Pioneer 49TX receiver, Loewe scaller box, DVD, and HD sat all into it.


Also just so you all know Musicians Friend is Guitar Centers mail order division. They are one of my biggest customers and are safe to order from. Before you order check with you local independant store as most of these music stores sell Furman in there PA/ Pro Audio departments and will price match MF or GC.

 

[igreg]

I found a music store that is "blowing out" the Furman PL-PLUS-DM for $100. Is this a recommended unit? Thanks!

 

[fishcall]

what store has the blowout on furman? gotta website?

 

[igreg]

Just a local retail store. I called Wild Wild West Electronics about the Furman PL-PLUS-DM , and rep told me that unit was for rack systems. What does this mean as far as applicability for this unit for plasma? She was not too familiar with the unit. I'll see if this store has mail order if you desire. Thanks.

 

[mdrums]

No stick with the current models

PL PRO II

PL Pro D II

PM Pro II

rack systems means the unit can be rack mounted (19" wide) in a carry case or studio rack. It still has rubber feet to sit on your shelf.