Surge protectors are useful for several reasons. One reason is that they are a convenient way to make your power outlets more efficient. If you have more than two cords to plug into a single wall outlet, then a surge protector is a cheap solution, since it can accommodate anywhere from four to twenty outlets in one unit. They are also a handy way to adapt multiple devices to an extension cord. However, as the name suggests, the main reason that these devices are useful is that they protect your valuable electronics from power surges. There are specialized units that protect specific appliances, such as TV surge protectors for various types of modern televisions.
First we have to ask ourselves, what is a power surge? The most common example is lightning. When lightning strikes anywhere within the public power grid, it carries with it a tremendous amount of voltage, and the power grid transfers that voltage directly to the power outlets in your home – and anything plugged into those outlets.
Most electronic devices – such as your TV set, speaker system, personal computer, cell phone charger, and even lamps and refrigerators – are manufactured to handle a specific amount of voltage. In the United States, this voltage is about 120 volts. The EU standard is 230 volts. A typical lightning strike can send up to 63,000 volts through those same devices, causing irreversible damage. Still, as lightning strikes are rare, you still really need surge protection for TV sets to protect them from internal power surges.
Plugging your television into a TV surge protector instead of directly into a power outlet in your home is the best way to stop a surge on a tv’s power supply so that you don’t destroy your unit. It will also save you a fortune to replace it. Usually this device has connectors for expanded functionality, so if you happen to be watching TV, surfing the internet on your computer, or charging your cell phone and experience a power surge, you can plug all of these devices into a TV surge station and it will absorb any shock and redirect harmful extra voltage away from your sensitive electronic equipment.
Surge protectors are relatively cheap. Most of them go for under $50, and many are available for as low as $10, while the cost of replacing a plasma TV, for example, may be anywhere from $1000 to $2000, making a plasma TV surge protector an important investment. TV surge protectors ensure that you will only have to buy your TV set once, rather than having to buy the same TV two or three times.
Of course, there are some advantages to buying the more expensive models, but what many people do not realize is that the cheapest surge protectors often use the same type of electrical components, with no difference in quality, to protect your electronics from power surges.
So what is the difference between a $10 surge protector and a $50 surge protector? As you will see if you shop around, surge protectors come in many different sizes and shapes. Some of them can accommodate ten or more plugs, while surge protectors for TV sets need only accommodate one or two. There are surge protectors available that feature rotating outlets, which may be more suitable for office needs than a standard design. There are also surge protectors that have been adapted for use in cars or sport utility vehicles. The physical design of a surge protector can make an important difference in whether or not that surge protector is right for your specific needs, and much of the cost of this relatively simple electronic device has to do with its physical design and characteristics.
Plasma TV surge protectors do not necessarily need all of the extra features that drive up the cost; in fact, most of the fancier surge protectors are not suitable for use with plasma TVs. A basic surge protector, however, is a valuable tool to help maintain and secure the life of your plasma TV.
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