Surge Protection for the House


I've just received an offer from our regional utility provider (Sacramento Municipal Utilities District) for 'whole house protection', by which they install a surge protector on the electrical box for our duplex. It is free for three months, and then $6.95 thereafter, with only a 6-month total commitment. For $21, I might try it, but I wanted to get feedback first. If it makes no sense to do it, I want to know before having them install the protector and/or effecting the sound of our system in a negative way.
Thank you.
boa2

Showing 2 responses by shasta

If you don't do it, then you have waived SMUD from any potential liability for appliance damage due to surges in the future (by my reading of their Site.) It's an insurance policy in the form of a whole-house TVSS installed at the meter. This is step 1, and only covers motor driven appliances. Step 2 is the outlet strips, and those are required to cover "electronics."

If I was in Sac, I'd do Step 1 in a heartbeat. I'd do Step 2 certainly on the computer and peripherals. On the stereo equipment is a tough call since the supplied outlet strip is, well,...you know. I think I'd look at a glorified outlet strip like the baby Hydras that have some decent surge suppression.

Fortunatly, lighting strikes in No. CA are scarce. I have PG&E and I'm going to look into what they may offer.
Good advice, and going from memory, the SMUD supplied strips come in 2 flavors; w/ phone jacks (RJ-something) and the other with F-connectors for coax cable.