Surge Protector

Some people wonder how many appliances can you plug into a surge protector without it overloading. Well, the answer is you can use every outlet available on the device, but you shouldn’t plug another surge protector into one you are already using and you definitely shouldn’t plug extension cords or other power strips into it. You are only creating a fire hazard by doing this and you get no further protection from plugging one surge protection device into another. But having a 10 outlet surge protector with with 10 appliances plugged into the outlets will not cause an issue. That is what it is made for, afterall.

Do you really need 10 outlet surge protectors to accomplish the job? Some people do, yes. There are situations where multiple outlets are needed, such is the case with home theater surge protection. When you have several pieces of equipment and only two outlets in the wall, then having those extra 10 outlets is quite handy. Many times electronic appliances will have AC transformer adapters that hog wall outlets. Most surge protectors with 10 outlets or more are made to accompany these adapters by spacing the outlet apart, like the Ultra 10 outlet surge protector pictured.

The question then arises how many power strips does the typical home need? Well therein lies the confusion because a lot of people don’t realize that power strips are not always surge protectors. Even if that surge protector has 10 outlets and looks like a power strip, the opposite is not always true. There are merely convenient ways to add cords to an outlet. This is dangerous because it makes it easier for an outlet to overheat and cause a fire. A surge protector prevents fire outbreaks. That’s the reason for the surge protection, to protect your equipment from overheating and burning out and possibly causing the wiring to ignite.

What would cause a surge protector fire? Faulty wiring already in the wall. A surge protector absorbs heat and disperses it harmlessly in the air. If you experience a fire as a result of the surge protector being installed, chances are the wiring in your house is outdated. You need to bring it up to code before you install something like a 10 outlet surge protector. Even with bad wiring, a surge protector will not cause a fire. It may prevent it though. Surge protector ratings don’t include fire safety, but most quality devices will carry a warranty of some kind. You just need a dependable unit.

The most dependable surge protector you could choose would be one with the highest Joules rating. Depending on your application, you could get an energy-conserving unit like the Belkin 10 outlet surge protector with remote. You can turn off the power to eight of the ten outlets so that you don’t have wasteful standby power sucking at your power source. It also provides you with coaxial cable protection to help you eliminate line noise if you use the device close to an LED TV. You could also install a Phillips 10 outlet surge protector for home theater applications if you need more coaxial protection. It comes with a 3600 Joules rating so you are well protected from everyday household surges.

Just remember that when choosing surge protection for your home, a good surge protector rating is measured by Joules. The more it has, the better protection it offers.

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