Surge suppression diverts excessive electrical energy away from your sensitive electronics or appliances.

The energy goes to an electrical “ground” where it is dissipated without doing any harm. Consider a surge suppressor as inexpensive insurance to protect your sensitive office appliances, including PCs, monitors, fax machines, telecommunications equipment, postal meters and electronic scales. To make sure you get the right surge suppressor, look for products that meet specifications listed below.

Selecting the right surge suppressor
Look for these four key features in a surge suppressor:

• UL 1449 listed
  Conforms to Underwriter Laboratory's standard UL 1449 for transient voltage sure suppressors. UL 1449 listing is required for safety. UL listing as a “power tap” is not sufficient.
• Peak surge current
  Also referred to as maximum transient current or maximum surge. 4,000 amperes or more; higher is better
• UL 1449 suppressed voltage rating
  Also referred to as Clamping Voltage. 330 volts give the best protection; higher voltage ratings give less protection.
• Energy rating (joules)
  700 joules or more; the higher the joules, the better. Since testing methods for energy rating are not standardized, don't base your choice on energy rating alone.

Depending on your electronics and appliances, you might consider the benefits of using a surge suppressor with these other optional features.

• Extra surge suppressor connectors and outlets
  Look for several outlets for each piece of equipment, and room for AC adapters (transformers). To protect computers, peripherals or fax machines, telecommunications equipment or TVs, get a surge suppressor with TV cable connectors and/or phone jacks.
• Indicators
  Status or warning lights to indicate that the device is working (not just that the power is on).
• Electrical noise protection
  To protect your appliances from electromagnetic interference and radio frequency interference.
• Warranty and insurance
  Warranty on surge suppressor of at least five years. Warranty on connected equipment of $10,000 to $25,000 or more.

Common questions about surge suppressors
Q: What if the packaging doesn’t list all these specifications?

• Consider buying a different surge suppressor that lists all of the minimum specifications. Make sure the device you choose comes with UL 1449 listing.

• For office use, a quality surge suppressor is priced at least $30.

• It cannot protect you from power outages (blackouts) or power sags (brownouts). It provides only limited protection from nearby lightning strikes.

For more information, contact an electrical contractor or PGE’s power protection experts at 503-736-5750 or 800-270-7016 or
e-mail us.