I purchased a Tripp Lite Model TLP-808. Several comments about this purchase: • When a manufacturer or retailer (in this case, Amazon) shows several dissimilar products under one listing, it causes preventable confusion. This multiple listing is no different. The reviews and questions for several different models and configurations are all jumbled together. For several comments, it is unclear to which of the 10 products listed they apply. • The item was listed as “New,” but obviously it was a return, as evidenced by sloppy rewinding of the power cord and the very loose, obviously previously-used cable ties. • Amazon’s product description, under a section called “From the Manufacturer,” clearly states: “Certified to meet strict UL standards (UL 1449 4th Edition; File E89439; Series AGIP7555; Updated 03-16-2016)” However, neither the product’s box, nor the enclosed literature, nor the device itself, has any mention of UL 1449, any edition! UL 1449 was an important reason for my selecting this product, safety being a key feature of any surge protection device. So this apparent discrepancy was disappointing. Comments and reviews listed for these products reflect fairly widespread misunderstanding regarding their intent and design. What are they, and what are they not, designed to do? So I am sharing some general clarification for anyone buying such a device. My qualifications? I am neither a master electrician nor an electrical engineer, so anything I say here should be checked. However, I was an IT manager, and for 17 years I was in charge of a total IT operation, including a computer and network “central site” where several computer technicians worked, and where we consulted with qualified people about electrical issues, so I gained much of this knowledge from highly qualified people, one of whom was an editor of two IEEE publications. I wrote specifications for Type 2 and Type 3 (see below) surge protective devices (SPDs) in 14 buildings. 1. This Tripp-Lite product, and others like it, are POINT-OF-USE surge protective devices, or SPDs. In other words, you plug in this kind of SPD where the device to be protected is located in the building; in turn, the device to be protected plugs directly into the SPD. In UL 1449 3rd edition, these SPDs are referenced as Type 3 devices. They are designed to rapidly limit voltage spikes of a very fast, transient nature―each SPD typically supporting just one or two workstations. This kind of surge would include the spike your refrigerator compressor generates when it turns on or off, and a lot of the other electrical “noises” characteristic of all residential power. DON’T expect Type 3 SPDs to protect against lightning―they would melt or vaporize if confronted with a direct, or nearby, lightning strike (typically 300 million volts and 30,000 amps!). People who have “survived lightning strikes” are more likely to have been affected by the much lower, but still life-threatening, ground current radiating outwards from the actual strike location―not by the strike itself. SPDs are not intended to be “daisy-chained.” In, addition. do not overload this type of SPD with lots of other appliances. It seems that everybody is looking for just one more outlet in a power strip. Don’t be tempted! Take the recommended maximum loads seriously! 2. To provide residential protection against nearby lightning strikes―and against more local high-power surges (the guy who drove his truck into a nearby power pole)―consider having a professional electrician install a Type 2 SPD at your MAIN electrical panel/"breaker box” (not into a subpanel). Type 2 devices are permanently wired into the panel. They are somewhat slower-reacting, but are much more effective against longer-term, higher-powered surges such as I just mentioned. This might be a $350-$400 project, or slightly more, including labor. I consider this expenditure well worthwhile, especially if you live in a lightning-prone area and/or work at home and wish to have better protection against your equipment being seriously damaged. Type 2 SPDs protect all devices “downstream” of the panels in which they are installed. This kind of SPD used to be called a “Transient Voltage Surge Suppressor” or “TVSS.” Several Type 2 devices sold by Amazon mention UL 1449, 3rd or 4th edition. Just remember: Type 2 SPDs are NOT designed to protect against very short, often hi-voltage spikes. That is the job for Type 3 SPDs. Type 2 and Type 3 SPDs are placed in different locations in a building to achieve different goals. They complement each other very nicely. For optimal protection, use both types in concert with each other. A surprising number of electricians is unfamiliar with this specialized niche. Ask technical questions to probe the knowledge of each candidate for this kind of work. If necessary, ask a knowledgeable person to join your interview. And obtain the electrical contractor’s written assurance that the person you interview will be the person responsible for the work! For people who encounter difficulties fitting plugs into such a device, consider "6-Inch Power Extension Cable, 5-Pack, Outlet Saver, 18 AWG " or "Kasonic 8 inch Short Power Extension Cord Outlet Saver, ETL Listed, SJTW 16AWG/13A 3 Prong Indoor/Outdoor Use, 4 Pack, Black," also available from Amazon.
