A power surge protector causes a certain amount of high voltage to remain for a very small period of time. It mainly occurs as an oversupply of voltage from the main source such as the generator or the mains supply which lasts only for a few microseconds. A power surge protector is an appliance that is used for such a purpose. It can be a device or a small appliance. The purpose of the surge protector is to guard against any kind of damage that may be caused by a sudden power surge.
It works by pulling the current from one of the outlets and delivering it by passing through the devices that are plugged into the surge protector. A surge protector generally is built of MOV or Metal Oxide Varistor. The MOV diverts any extra voltage to make sure that the connected devices receive a consistent amount of power level. It works like a valve with a pressure-sensitive feature. As the MOV detects high-level voltage, it runs into action to reduce the resistance. On the other hand, if there is a low supply of voltage, the MOV increases its resistance. It kicks automatically in to redirect the excess supply of voltage. The MOV is built up of three components- the metal oxide that is connected with the grounding line and power by two semiconductors. The semiconductors are connected with variable resistance that makes the electrons move in a manner that changes the resistance when there is a high fluctuation in the voltage, whether it be too high or low.
The power surge protectors come with protection measurement that is counted in Joules. This rating of Joule indicates the amount of energy the surge protector has the capacity to absorb without failing. The higher the Joule of the power surge protector, the greater the protection that it can provide, whether by handling a number of simple surges or single large power.
Appliances
Not all electrical appliances can be directly connected with the Power surge protectors. However, it should be made sure that expensive items should always be connected with surge protectors so that it is damaged by the sudden supply of high voltage. Newer appliances are seen to be more sensitive to power surges than older ones because older electronics had smaller and more delicate components. Items that can be commonly protected by power surge protectors are- Computers, Microwaves, Televisions, Modems/Routers, Video game systems like Play stations, Audio equipment with high ends.
Smart power surge protector
A smart surge protector works, in the same manner, to protect from extra voltage, but with a smart strip. It gives a safer power supply to the electronic devices as it is connected with the wall. Smart homes reduce the electricity bill costs, to which smart surge protectors make a contribution because it lowers expenses. Smart surge protectors are high powered, energy saving, surge protectors and also protect the environment.
Benefits
The smart power surge protector saves electricity by eliminating the sources of phantom energy, such as of appliances that are rarely used. Electronic devices such as televisions are protected from a power shortage during storms and save dollars to be spent in hundreds otherwise. The outlets are generously spacious so that bulky plugs can be used easily all the time. One bought, a smart surge protector can last up to twenty years. By just plugging in the television and all the related accessories like the speakers, printer, gaming system or a DVD player. The smart strip turns off the remaining devices automatically when the television is turned off. It is the simplest way to eliminate phantom energy users in a smart home. Since the first outlet is the control outlet, the television receives constant power, and the hassle of reprogramming the tv over again can be avoided.
Drawbacks
A drawback in buying a smart power surge protector is that they are more expensive than the typical traditional ones that can be found in any big-box retailers. Even though they reduce electricity bills, it is quite costly to get it for once. One drawback of owning a smart power surge protector is also that it is hard to find. One cannot just find them in any store out there. Mostly, smart surge protectors could only be bought online.
Summary
Smart surge protectors are indeed very useful and cost-effective for electricity bills and are environmentally friendly. But since it can be found only online and is much expensive, therefore, one must evaluate one’s needs and their bills of electricity to examine if it is worth the purchase and need for one’s own self and his/her family. After its purchase, it is a cost-effective medium to manage the utilities at home due to its power-saving ability with the minimum usage of power.
