[Bob in St. Louis]

Despite having surge protection via a Belden UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) good ol' Mother Nature zapped me this morning. 
I have three of these units in the house (two are in my HT room) and have had reservations about how good of a job there really doing for me.
This morning I found out how good of a job they're doing.
So, out of fear, I'm looking for surge protection options. Either "over the counter" or something DIY. Not that I really want another DIY project, but this issue just got bumped up my priority list. The UPS aspect is nice as one of the items I have plugged in is the video projector (and they REALLY don't like having their cord yanked).
Extra bonus if the unit has a little conditioning abilities, but my primary goal here is to protect what I've got.


I'm also will to have separate units that will 'play well together' that can be built in the future. IE: Build the surge protection now, the conditioner later, and UPS even later.

I am on a budget, SO, those high dollar options are out the window.

Thanks in advance folks!
Bob

p.s. I'm also asking on HawthorneAudio as well to give as many options as possible.

[BobM]

Generally DIY surge protection (any much commercial surge protection) is nothing more than putting a varistor across the line. You can couple this with a little bit of conditioning by adding a .1uF X or Y type cap across the line also. Just solder them together and add the combo to the back of your outlet, or inside a multi-outlet extension box/power strip.

From what I understand, varistors can wear out over time so they should probably be replaced after a couple of years. Don't know this for certain, but that is what I have heard. So those of you with power strips with built in surge supressioin that are 5 years old won't have much surge protection left in them.

There are audiophile recommended varistors mentioned in Jon Risch's DIY power conditioner. The details are here, and below:
http://www.geocities.com/jonrisch/surge.htm

For US AC lines :Harris V150LA20A,B or C   from $.78 to $1.02

This is a 150 VAC rated part, capable of over 80 joules of transient
energy absorption, and peak currents over 6500 amps.  The maximum
rated clamping voltage is 390V vs. 340V for a 130VAC rated part.
This is a minor difference, and the higher voltage point keeps the
MOV from conducting regularly on high line peak voltages, avoiding
the worst of the wearout mechanism that MOV's are prone to, and
preventing the degradation of the sound.

Enjoy,
Bob

PS - you might get more DIY help if this question was posed in the LAB

[spudco]

You may wish to speak with your electric utility company.

Our local coop offers whole house protection at a fairly reasonable rate.  I had whole house protection installed after a lightning strike a few years ago.  I also spoke with the guys in the coop office and they also put additional surge protection on the line at the transformer for my farm.

It helps me sleep, but I know the only real protection is reliable home owners insurance.  To that end, I keep my insurance company informed with an up to date replacement cost list of all my expensive electronics.  I also pay a slightly increased premium to cover the extra value.  When we had our lightning strike, the company sent an adjuster to take a few pictures and we had a full replacement check in less than 48 hours.

[Wayner]

Hubbell, my old company, now has a surge protecting duplex outlet. It's kinda neat.

Wayner

[lazydays]

Despite having surge protection via a Belden UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) good ol' Mother Nature zapped me this morning. 
I have three of these units in the house (two are in my HT room) and have had reservations about how good of a job there really doing for me.
This morning I found out how good of a job they're doing.
So, out of fear, I'm looking for surge protection options. Either "over the counter" or something DIY. Not that I really want another DIY project, but this issue just got bumped up my priority list. The UPS aspect is nice as one of the items I have plugged in is the video projector (and they REALLY don't like having their cord yanked).
Extra bonus if the unit has a little conditioning abilities, but my primary goal here is to protect what I've got.


I'm also will to have separate units that will 'play well together' that can be built in the future. IE: Build the surge protection now, the conditioner later, and UPS even later.

I am on a budget, SO, those high dollar options are out the window.

Thanks in advance folks!
Bob

p.s. I'm also asking on HawthorneAudio as well to give as many options as possible.

That was probably the same storm that rolled thru here last night right after midnight. I've never seen so much lightening!!!!! First time it ever triggered my big Monster 5100. The whole sky was filled with lightening most of the time it went on. But there was no thunder to speak of. Kinda scarey.
gary

[bwaslo]

Even surge protection is no guarantee.  Lightning can generate currents in the wiring of your system itself, beyond the AC line.  A big loop of wire or cabling can pick up the pulse if it is close enough.  We got zapped in June (to the earth in the back yard about 25 feet from my listening room), and got some ground traces fried in a line level crossover circuit among other things that were connected to outside wires.  The strike even managed to reset (though not damage) a small battery operated alarm clock that wasn't connected to anything!  I could say exactly when the strike occurred because the clock went back to 12:00 when it happened.

[cloudbaseracer]

Hubbell, my old company, now has a surge protecting duplex outlet. It's kinda neat.

Wayner

A model number would be helpful and much appreciated.

James

[Cayenne]

Hi  Bob,

I'm not an expert but I believe firmly in the Brickwall Surge Protector.  A company called ZeroSurge actually manufactures the Brickwall and is a little cheaper but supposedly the Brickwall audio version has some additional noise filtering - the individual outlets are isolated from each other.  I have spoken to Ryan at Brickwall many times and he says the additional noise isolation is not necessary but audiophiles wanted the extra filters so they oblige.  Ryan also said almost all surges occur across phone or network cables, not power lines.  For these he recommended any cheapie surge protector.  They use a gas tube, which does not conduct surges due to their nature, and this technology is cheap and effective.  Years ago he said a fiber optic device was being worked on but it would be $$$ and not necessary since gas doesn't allow for surge passage.  I think I asked if the outlets on the cheapie could be used if the unit was plugged into the Brickwall and he didn't recommend it.  Something about creating noise or something like that.

On the audiophile side of things, some say they can hear the Brickwall, that it limits current and dynamics.  Others say it doesn't.  I've never heard a difference and I don't think it's possible for it to limit current.  I have the 15 amp version.  They make 20 amp ones too.  That's the one the current limiting crowd recommends.

Others here use the Brick Wall as well.

Hope this helps.

Kevin

[woodsyi]

Yes on Brickwall (Zero Surge).  I put in a commercial Zero Surge 2 x 20amp sub-panel to protect my dedicated audio lines.  I really don't think anything is being limited. 

[Jazz and Baroque]

I put in a commercial Zero Surge 2 x 20amp sub-panel to protect my dedicated audio lines. 

Did you go all the way and get an independent ground connection installed for your sub-panel  ??  To separate it from the ground noise for the other circuits.

[woodsyi]

No,  it's tied to the main ground.  There was some talk about separate ground not being up to code since power still has to come through the main panel.  I use other filters for noise. 

[bacobits1]

I'm using the 15 amp AUD version of the Brick Wall filter (again).
I say again because I was going to sell it. I have had it for 4-5 years now and always worked well.
The tube Integrated is plugged into the wall though because it seems to sound better that way. Less hum.
I don't think it's current limiting.
Everything else is used on the Brick Wall. There seems to be a smoothness associated with the Brick Wall and no detrimental effects to the music. I purchased one of the (Naim) Wire Mold outlet Strips ($35) that were recommended and the Brick Wall still seems to do it for me.

"If it aint broke don't fix it" 

This all started because of the amp having a hum issue. Not loud but louder than I'm used to.
It is quieter into the wall and I have just biased the tubes down a bit from where they were on the higher side.
It sounds better and runs cooler now. 

Den

[Bob in St. Louis]

Thank you for posting Den.

A good friend mentioned this as a possible solution to whole house protection:
http://www.smarthome.com/4839.html

Any thoughts?

Bob

[pbrstreetgang]

I use and suggest the brick walls. I have the non audiophile version and the audiophile version. I detect a slight difference in dynamics with the non audiophile,, and none with the audiophile. I plug the source components into it and the Tube amp into the socket. Just for convienience though, I have tried the amp into the Audiophile brickwall will no ill effects. Not to say I wouldnt want a Haley but not right now.