Surge protectors aren’t like diamonds. They have a definite lifespan.
At some point, your surge protector will stop protecting your gear from
power surges and become a dumb power strip.
It’s difficult to tell exactly when a surge protector loses those
protective powers and just functions as a power strip. But, if you’re
still using an old surge protector you purchased ten years ago, it’s
probably long past time to replace it.
Surge Protectors 101
I’ve already outlined why you want a surge protector. These
devices sit between the electrical socket and your gadgets, protecting
them from any power surges and ensuring they receive a consistent
voltage of electricity. It’s possible for a voltage spike caused by an
issue in the power grid to damage your expensive electrical equipment,
and that’s what surge protectors are designed to stop.
Typical surge protectors also function as a power strip. providing
additional electrical outlets for you. If you’re connecting your
computing equipment or home theater system, there’s a good chance
you’ll want some electrical outlets anyway — so just pick up a power
strip that’s also a surge protector, not a simple power strip that only
provides additional outlets without providing any protection.
Surge protectors are inexpensive, so they’re a no-brainer when it
comes to your expensive computing equipment and other
electronic gadgets.
Surge Protectors Aren’t Forever
Surge protectors aren’t magic. When they receive a power surge from
the electrical outlet they’re plugged into, they have to do something
with that extra voltage to get rid of it and shield the connected
devices from it.
A typical surge protector uses a component called a metal oxide
varistor (MOV). When the voltage spikes, the surge protector effectively
diverts that extra voltage to the MOV component. This component
degrades when it’s exposed to either a small number of large surges or a
larger number of smaller surges. The additional energy doesn’t damage
your devices — it stays in the surge protector, where it degrades the
MOV.
In other words, your surge protector can only absorb so many surges
before it stops functioning as a surge protector and starts functioning
as a dumb power strip that’ll let everything through to your devices.
Their Lifespans Are Measured in Joules
Surge protectors are rated in joules, and this tells you how much
protection they’re desigend to provide. For example, you might get a
1000 joule surge protector. This is a measure of a total amount of
energy a surge protector can absorb before the protection wears out and
it stops absorbing any extra voltage.
Every power surge your surge protector absorbs decreases the amount
of future joules it absorbs. if that 1000 joule surge protector takes an
1000 joule hit, it’s done for. But it’s also done for if it takes ten
100 joule hits — or if it takes a thousand one joule hits. It’s all
cumulative.
Surge protector lifespans aren’t measured in years — they’re measured
in joules. It’s all about how many joules your surge protector has
absorbed. But, the older your surge protector is, the more it’s likely
degraded.
How Can You Tell?
It’s practically impossible to tell exactly when a surge protector
stops functioning as intended. Some surge protectors have built-in
lights that are designed to alert you to this problem and inform you
when the protector needs to be replaced. However, you can’t necessarily
rely on these lights. It’s not a foolproof system
If your surge protector is warning you that it’s no longer protecting
you or asking you to replace it, you should probably get a new surge
protector. But don’t assume your decade-old surge protector is still
working properly because the warning light hasn’t come on yet.
So when is it time to replace that surge protector? Well, the longer
it’s been, the more at risk you are. If you know your surge protector
has absorbed a serious power surge, you should probably replace it
immediately.
There’s no exact lifespan we can give you, and it varies from area to
area — it depends how many surges occur in your area as well as how
many joules your protector can absorb. Many people recommend replacing a
surge protector every two years or so, but any recommendation like this
one can only be a rule of thumb.
Image Credit: Pelegs on Wikipedia, lungstruck on Flickr
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