Re: Power Conditioners?

westom1@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
On Jan 30, 10:37 am, Allen <all...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I am old enough to remember the long-passe screw-in fuses in
the main power box. When one blew and the equipment on that
circuit was undamaged, the fuse died in vain. Of course the
fried surge protector provided protection. It burned out, basically
serving as a fuse, but the equipment plugged into it was
undamaged.

If that old, then you should have known (by now) what a fuse does
and how it works. Fuses do not protect equipment. Fuses blow because
the equipment has already failed. A fuse protects humans. Damage
already existed long before any fuse can blow. A fuse blows so that
the damage does not create a house fire.

Same applies to surge protectors. Fuses or surge protectors take
milliseconds to blow. Surges do damage in microseconds. Surges too
fast. Reason number one for why a blown protector did nothing.

Two: a fuse also has a voltage rating. For example, those cartridge
(glass tube) fuses may be rated for 250 volts. If voltage is higher
(ie a surge) when the fuse blows, then that fuse keeps conducting
electricity. Let's see. A surge is thousands of volts. Will a 250
volt fuse stop thousands of volts? Of course not.

Worse, a surge protector is not connected in series like a fuse.
The surge passes unimpeded even through a blown power strip. A blown
power strip protector leaves the appliance connected to AC mains.
Where is this rumored protection? This example demonstrates that
protector circuits provide even less protection than a fuse. At least
the fuse will disconnect electricity after voltage has dropped below
250 volts. Even a blown power strip protector leaves an appliance
connected to AC mains and to surges.

What protects an appliance? A surge too small to overwhelm
protection inside the appliance, instead, destroys that grossly
undersized power strip protector. But failed protectors gets the
naive to recommend them. A surge strikes computer and protector
circuits simultaneously. That surge does nothing to harm a computer's
internal protection circuits. But that same trivial surge easily
destroys a strip protector. What kind of protection is that?
Ineffective? Worse. That protector is so undersized to increase
profit margins AND to get the naive to recommend it.

If that old, then known is that fuses do not protect equipment.
Fuses prevent fire AFTER damage has occurred. Fuses connect in
series. Protectors connect in parallel. A failed protector does not
even work like a fuse - does not disconnect the equipment. Being
undersized, a protector is destroyed even by a trivial surge otherwise
too small to overwhelm internal appliance protection. What kind of
protection is that? It protects the manufacturer's profit margins.
And it gets the naive to recommend it.


I connected two wires to an orange. My light bulb failed. But the
computer was undamaged. That proves (using Allen's logic) that
oranges are surge protectors?

Specifications for an orange and that APC UPS both claim to protect
from a surge? Of course not. View specs for that APC UPS, a Monster
Cable protector, or the $5 Fry's protector. Where is that spec number
for protection from typically destructive surges? No spec number
exists. Even the manufacturer does not claim to provide that
protection.

It is called a surge protector. Therefore it must be surge
protection? If it was called a surge fuse, many would claim that fuse
also provides surge protection? Amazing how English words rather
than technical spec numbers get the naive to recommend something.
Amazing that some still think a fuse protects equipment from damage.
But then some also never learned what a fuse does - protect humans
from a house fire AFTER equipment has failed.
My surge protector blew. The equipment behind it wasn't damaged. It did its job. Plonk. Adios. Adieu. Goodbye.
Allen
.

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