I am currently building a PC and searching for a 3000 joules surge protector. These really shouldn’t cost more than ¥3,000-5,000. Now when I visit a big shop like Yodobashi, they do have power strips with “lightning protection” but I can’t seem to find any products with a rating in joules. Rather they list voltage, and voltage clamping (i.e. 6000v/600v).
Store staff haven’t really understood how to help me, but apparently surge protectors used to have Joule ratings in Japan but not anymore.
Anyways, any advice would be appreciated. I love in an apartment and I’m looking to protect around ¥500,000 worth of equipment.
Thanks.
1 comment
Effective protector will always answer this question. Where do *hundreds of thousands of joules* harmlessly dissipate? Since ineffective, high profit protectors do not claim effective protection. And since local codes do not require them to list joules. Then that number is intentionally withheld. To protect profits.
3000 joule protector is tiny. Electronics will often convert such surges to low DC voltages; to safely power its semiconductors. Same 3000 (which means 1000 or 2000) can [do this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2WGC475PM29SI/ref=cm_cr_getr_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B000J2EN4S).
No problem. Surges are quite rare. One might happen in seven years. So any protector that does not fail in two years must be really useful? Another example of reasoning that successfully promotes tiny joule protectors.
If any appliance needs that protection, then every appliance must be protected.
What is most robust? A computer. What appliance is least robust? That protector strip. A [Type 3](http://www.nemasurge.org/faqs/) protector must be more than 10 meters from a power panel and earth ground. So as to not try to do much protection. An [example why](http://www.ddxg.net/old/surge_protectors.htm).
Educated consumers waste no money on plug-in magic boxes. Typically spend about ¥150 per appliance to protect everything by earthing one Type 1 or Type 2 protector. Only then does protection exist from a surge: ie *hundreds of thousands of joules*.
Ineffective protectors are measured in joules. How well it will ‘block’ or ‘absorb’ a surge. How does its 2 cm protector part ‘block’ what three kilometers of sky cannot? How does its puny thousands joules ‘absorb’ *hundreds of thousands of joules*?
Effective protector is measured in amps. How much surge can connect to the only item that does ALL surge protection. Single point earth ground.
What item requires most attention for surge protection? A low impedance (ie less than 3 meter) connection to and the quality of earthing electrodes.
Do they intentionally withhold these facts and those joule numbers to protect profits?