The computer you receive from CFK will not include a surge suppression device. You should obtain a surge suppression device and plug your computer, monitor and other equipment into it to protect if from (indirect) lightning strikes and electrical surges.

If you connect to the Internet, you should protect the equipment that you use to connect to the Internet as well. Surge suppressor outlet strips are available with (two) special connectors to allow you to run your telephone line through the surge suppressor before connecting to your modem.

Many times a surge protector looks like a multiple outlet power strip with switch -- you have to be careful -- some are surge protectors, some are just power strips without surge protection.

I should think about talking about MOVs (is that the standard?) vs. alternatives and the idea that the protection can deteriorate over time.

first shot, more later

List of desirable illustrations -- CFKVolunteers please see UsingTWikiAsCfkDocumentation:

• pictures of some typical surge protectors, and a power strip showing that there is often no obvious way of distinguishing it from a surge protector. Could include top, side, and end views, or one "perspective" view that showed the top/front clearly but also gave a view of one end and one side.

Contents

Local Sources for Inexpensive Surge Protectors

This is not intended to be advertising, but just a help to people looking for inexpensive sources of surge protectors.

Notes for the following tables:

• Rating is in joules -- higher numbers are better
• Type (if known) is intented to indicate MOV vs. whatever -- what is more likely to provide long term (multiple event) protection. Do I also need to consider common mode vs. normal (?) mode (can't even remember the right terms), or maybe "all" modern suppressors include phase to phase and phase to ground (x2)?
• Price is shown as "$regular_price/$occasional_sale_price (end_date_of_last_noted_sale)"

Note to me: I forget how to center the entry in a table (or, a plugin is required that is not installed).

Power Only

See notes, above.

Source	Brand	Outlets	Rating	Type	Price
Sears Hardware	Leviton	6	70	$3.99/$2.99 (17 Feb 2003)

Power and Telephone Line

See notes, above.

Local Source	Manufacturer	Outlets	Rating	Price

Telephone Only

See notes, above.

Local Source	Manufacturer	Outlets	Rating	Price

Contributors

• () RandyKramer - 13 Feb 2003
• <If you edit this page: add your name here; move this to the next line; and include your comment marker (initials), if you have created one, in parenthesis before your WikiName.>