If you want to safeguard your home from lightning strikes and power surges, you should invest in a whole-house surge protector.
To protect your freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, refrigerator, and other electrical home appliances, it is imperative that you have this piece of equipment.
Most surge protectors are plug-in devices that are installed behind the electric panel or in close proximity to the service panel.
In-line protection is another method; it entails setting up a power strip between two pieces of equipment so that they can share an outlet. Nonetheless, if there is a problem with either component of the electronics, it will only affect one of the appliances.
Contents
What Is a Surge Protector?
Protect your electronics from harmful power surges with a surge protector. In the event of an electrical surge or spike above the set threshold, the device’s internal metal oxide varistors are switched on to prevent damage. It reduces the financial impact of catastrophic calamities.
You’ve probably seen them before; they’re the small black boxes with a row of outlets on each side, and some models even come wired and ready to go into your wall. Your expensive electronics can be connected into them without fear of damage.
How Does a Home Surge Protector Work?
Whole-house surge protectors do the same function, but are durable enough to resist multiple power surges over the course of several years. The finest surge protector for a whole house will also shield electronics and appliances at the breaker box. Even better, it has wires!
Surge protectors for the entire house are a smart investment because they shield your expensive electronics and appliances from power fluctuations.
Installing a Surge Protector Throughout the House
If you want a whole-house surge protector installed, several manufacturers advise having a licensed electrician do the job. There’s good reason for this, as gaining access to your home’s main electrical panel box might be risky.
Although the main power switch may be turned off, there may still be live wires in the box, which poses a serious risk of electrocution or even death. However, there are a lot of reasons why you might still choose to tackle this project on your own if it doesn’t need too much time or money:
- Installing all systems at once is more cost-effective than installing them separately.
- Wanting more control over how things are wired.
- Like any other profession, electrical work carries with it some inherent risks, yet you’re still interested in it.
Electricity will need to be available wherever it is installed.
Put your mind at ease by installing a whole-house surge protector to safeguard your home and loved ones. See this post for instructions!
Here’s a list of tools needed to install a primary panel surge protector: Screws, flathead screwdrivers, electrical tape, hammer and nails, voltage detector, wire strippers, flashlight, needle nose pliers, and cordless drill.
How to Mount Surge Protector on the Main Panel
Turn off the Main Power
It’s important to turn off the primary power switch outside the electric panel box before beginning any home renovation project.
All electricity flow will be stopped off, protecting against electrocution and fire. Assuming you have used a voltage detector to ensure it is safe, you should then verify that each breaker slot has a corresponding break to allow for its safe reactivation at a later time.
To put it simply: stay away from the electrical outlets! If you’re intending to install a surge protector yourself, now is the time to double-check its settings. Do not attempt to make electrical connections if you are unsure of what you are doing.
Mounting the Surge Protector
It only takes a light tap from your fist to the side of your surge protector to make a hole for the cables. First, you’ll need to cut a hole, then you’ll need to put one end of the wire, and last, you’ll need to guide the wires to their final destination on the front side.
Before rotating back around, make sure any holes left behind are securely screwed up using a drill or screwdriver.
Your surge protector will be more effective and easier to access if you install it outside the panel. Installation instructions should always be read carefully for the sake of safety.
Finish Install a Home Surge Protector
There are four wires that must be connected within the panel box of a whole-house surge protector. The White wire = Neutral, Green wire = Ground, and 2 Black wires = Complete the circuit.
Remove the Surge Protector Wires.
Make sure you insert the wire end into the 14 AWG slot on the stripper. You can avoid damaging your cable and compromising the surge protector’s efficiency by using a strip gauge that is too tiny.
- Put the green wire into the right ground bus bar.
- Join the white neutral wire to the white wires on the right-hand bus bar.
- Mount a dipole circuit breaker near the main power cables and connect the two black wires to it.
Put back the panel cover and run a test.
When you’re through with your wiring connections, reinstall the panel cover carefully so as not to accidentally reset any circuit breakers. First, you should replace the panel’s four primary screws.
When reinstalling these few components, please ensure that there are no spaces or gaps between them. After that, you can safely flip the main breaker back on.
Connect the two black wire leads from the circuit board to the dipole switch’s flipping contacts using a screwdriver, and then flip the switch. To ensure that the surge protector is functioning properly and that electricity may pass through securely without risk of harm, check the lights and digital displays as directed in the user handbook.
Benefits of a Whole-House Surge Protector
Although lightning is the most common cause of damage to electrical devices, power surges can also be caused by other sources.
The list contains items that generate energy regardless of whether or not they are connected into an outlet, such as microwave ovens and other appliances having an electronic circuit board inside. Consult with an electrician about installing surge protectors in vulnerable areas to avoid this problem in the workplace or at home.
Even when there isn’t any lightning nearby, power surges on the grid frequently occur and can cause significant damage. It doesn’t take much of a surge to destroy sensitive electronics, and replacing an electronic circuit board can be as expensive as purchasing a new gadget, thus everyone should have whole-house surge protectors installed.
People in rural locations are more likely to experience power outages, and if your home is at the very end of the power line, there is nowhere for the surge to go but into your home.
In case of emergency, your friends will be able to help you out, therefore make sure they can enter your home without any problems.
To safeguard your home’s electronics and appliances against damage caused by power surges caused by storms, defective wiring, or downed lines, it’s wise to invest $300 in a whole-house surge protector, such as the Square D No. SDSB1175C, or $175 in hiring an electrician.
DIY installation costs roughly $200-$250 depending on what tools you already have and how many cables need shielding; keep this option in mind if you want to maintain some level of control over your project.
You should know that having surge protection installed helps prevent electrical appliances from being harmed. Whole-house surge protectors stop damage from occurring during power outages, when it occurs most frequently.
In addition, electrical surges very certainly will not be covered by your homeowner’s insurance. They cost more than the norm, but the extra money is well worth it for the extra assurance they provide.
Conclusion
Plug-in surge protectors are typically mounted either directly behind the electric panel or nearby. They can withstand repeated power surges over a long period of time. The best whole-house surge protector will also provide protection for sensitive electronics and appliances right at the circuit breaker panel. Before starting any home improvement project, make sure the main breaker is turned off outside the electrical panel box. Whole-house surge protectors require the connection of four wires inside of the panel box.
For your own safety, always read the installation instructions thoroughly. It’s time to put in a dipole breaker and change out the four primary screws on the panel. Join the dipole switch’s on/off contacts with the circuit board’s two black wire leads. Inspect the surge protector’s indicator lights and digital readouts to make sure it’s functioning as specified in the manual. Power surges on the grid happen frequently, even when there is no nearby lightning.
Sensitive electronics are easily destroyed by even a small surge, and the cost of replacing a circuit board can be comparable to buying a brand new device. In the event of a power outage, whole-house surge protectors prevent costly damage.
Content Summary
- If you want to safeguard your home from lightning strikes and power surges, you should invest in a whole-house surge protector.
- To protect your freezer, washing machine, dishwasher, refrigerator, and other electrical home appliances, it is imperative that you have this piece of equipment.
- Protect your electronics from harmful power surges with a surge protector.
- The finest surge protector for a whole house will also shield electronics and appliances at the breaker box.
- If you want a whole-house surge protector installed, several manufacturers advise having a licensed electrician do the job.
- Put your mind at ease by installing a whole-house surge protector to safeguard your home and loved ones.
- It’s important to turn off the primary power switch outside the electric panel box before beginning any home renovation project.
- To put it simply: stay away from the electrical outlets!
- If you’re intending to install a surge protector yourself, now is the time to double-check its settings.
- It only takes a light tap from your fist to the side of your surge protector to make a hole for the cables.
- Your surge protector will be more effective and easier to access if you install it outside the panel.
- There are four wires that must be connected within the panel box of a whole-house surge protector.
- Mount a dipole circuit breaker near the main power cables and connect the two black wires to it.
- Put back the panel cover and run a test.
- When you’re through with your wiring connections, reinstall the panel cover carefully so as not to accidentally reset any circuit breakers.
- First, you should replace the panel’s four primary screws.
- After that, you can safely flip the main breaker back on.
- Check the surge protector’s lights and digital displays as specified in the user manual to guarantee appropriate operation.
- Although lightning is the most common cause of damage to electrical devices, power surges can also be caused by other sources.
- Consult with an electrician about installing surge protectors in vulnerable areas to avoid this problem in the workplace or at home.
- Even when there isn’t any lightning nearby, power surges on the grid frequently occur and can cause significant damage.
- It doesn’t take much of a surge to ruin delicate electronics, and repairing a circuit board can be as expensive as buying a new item.
- People in rural locations are more likely to experience power outages, and if your home is at the very end of the power line, there is nowhere for the surge to go but into your home.
- To safeguard your home’s electronics and appliances against damage caused by power surges caused by storms, defective wiring, or downed lines.
- You should know that having surge protection installed helps prevent electrical appliances from being harmed.
- Whole-house surge protectors stop damage from occurring during power outages, when it occurs most frequently.
- In addition, electrical surges very certainly will not be covered by your homeowner’s insurance.
