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#41
Which is what retail propaganda says. Nowhere does that recommendation say why. No 'whys' and no numbers immediately suggests a post based in hearsay from retail advertising.
A "good point-of-use protection" means the protector has no earth ground. What did the NIST say? "The best surge protection in the world can be useless if grounding is not done properly." Previous posts also said 'why' earth ground is critically important. No earth ground (that point-of-use protector) means no effective protection. And then it gets worse.
View what happens when a plug-in protector attempts to stop or absorb a hundred of thousands joule surge. Most fire departments have seen this:
http://www.hanford.gov/rl/?page=556&parent=554
http://www.ddxg.net/old/surge_protectors.htm
http://www.zerosurge.com/HTML/movs.html
http://tinyurl.com/3x73ol is entitled "Surge Protector Fires"
http://www3.cw56.com/news/articles/local/BO63312/
http://www.nmsu.edu/~safety/news/lesson-learned/surgeprotectorfire.htm
http://www.pennsburgfireco.com/fullstory.php?58339
Undersized protectors open a thermal fuse; disconnect protector circuits before fire can start. (Abandon the appliance to that surge.) Sometimes that thermal fuse does not disconnect fast enough. Above scary pictures result.
Those scary pictures are just another reason why informed consumers redirect 'plug-in protector' funds into better earthing for only one 'whole house' protector. Money wasted on plug-in protectors is better diverted into better earthing.
Many electricians do not learn how to properly install a 'whole house' protector. It is not defined in the code book. A rule (that must be forgotten to buy plug-in protectors): "A protector is only as effective as its earth ground." How to 'better earth' is below.
Find a wire that connects the circuit breaker box to earth. A solid bare copper, quarter inch wire. Does that wire go up over the foundation and down to the earth ground rod? That ground wire is too long. Too many sharp bends. Bundled with other wires. That wire only meets code. And compromises surge protection.
A ground wire must go through the foundation and down to the single point earth ground. Sharp bends eliminated. Wire is shorter.
Good reason why 'whole house' protectors are sold in Lowes and Home Depot. Any informed homeowner can do it. Every posted word is important: "informed".
Where is the point-of-use protector that has an 'always required' earth ground? Does not exist. A manufacturer must avoid earth discussions to make the sale. Missing ground is one reason why those scary pictures exist. Where does all that energy dissiapte? See scary pictures.
Why do we earth one 'whole house' protector? Point-of-use protectors, that cost tens or 100 times more money, also need 'whole house' protection. What kind of protector is that point-of-use device? Ineffective - and also many times more expensive. It has no dedicated earth ground. Where does energy dissipate? Never discussed. That alone says it is a profit center; not surge protection.