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From: eacj@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Julian Vrieslander)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Surge Suppressors
Message-ID: <2005@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
Date: Mon, 12-Jan-87 20:52:41 EST
Article-I.D.: batcompu.2005
Posted: Mon Jan 12 20:52:41 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 14-Jan-87 19:00:26 EST
References: <1094@Shasta.STANFORD.EDU> <1016@sfsup.UUCP>
Reply-To: eacj@batcomputer.UUCP (Julian Vrieslander)
Organization: Theory Center, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
Lines: 28

Recently there was a comparative review of surge/spike protectors in one of
the IBM PC rags (sorry, I can't remember which one - they all look the same).
Quite a few (10-20?) devices were tested with simulated glitches, and the
article reported substantial differences in the effectiveness of the products.
Some units provided legitimate protection, some were worthless, and I remember
that there was at least one unit that INCREASED the risk of surge damage: it
caught on fire!  The authors suggested that different types of components are
needed to protect against different types of power line disturbances (surges,
spikes, RFI, etc.) and that the better boxes contained a variety of devices: RLC
filtering, MOV spike absorbers, gas discharge cells, relays, etc.

One unit that was recommended was the Datashield model 100.  This comes with 6
outlets, 2 of which are "super-filtered", and has a total capacity of 10 amps. 
It also has a brown-out alarm, and a switch for manually resetting after it
trips out.  The manufacturers claim that this allows you to avoid the burst of
dirty juice that often comes when the lines come back on after a power failure.
Price is about $75-100 (depending on source). 

Feeling superstitious, I bought a couple for my lab.  Do they work?  I don't
know, but they haven't burst into flames yet.



-- 
Julian Vrieslander     (607) 255-3594
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