FAQs
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What are the Surge Protectors?
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What are surges and how do Surge Protectors protect me against them?
Surges are sudden electric spikes which are supressed by special circuits inside the Surge Protector
Quite simply, surges are short over-voltages and over-currents that creep into the mains network mainly because of unexpected lightnings, or because of the sudden turning on and off of industrial or even household equipment. These surges can potentially destroy your equipment that is not designed to handle such great amounts of charge even instantaneously. Surge Protectors use special electronic parts (namely MOV - Metal Oxide Varistors) that short-circuit the sudden surges to the earth wire of your outlet once they detect an over-voltage. And they are pretty quick at detecting them (responce time about 1ns; that is 1 billionth of a second!). The surge is safely absorbed by the earth wire while the route to the connected on the Surge Strip devices is cut for protection.
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Why is the Joule rating one of the most important characteristics of Surge Protectors?
Because it determines the size of the power surge a Surge Protector can suppress.
The Joule rating is the most important factor for a Surge Protector because it is the measure of its capability to dissipate energy from a lightning (or general voltage or current surge) and direct it to the earth wire, while simultaneously cutting the connection to the connected devices. The higher the Joule rating, the safer your precious equipment is. -
Is my aerial also susceptible to surges that could damage my equipment?
Yes! A thunderstrike is enough to severely damage all of the electronics connected to your TV.
It certainly is. Since it is a metal construction (that is, highly conductive) that is placed at the highest point of your building, it is quite likely that it will function as a lightning arrestor if a storm hits your area. You definitely need to protect your TV, HD-Recorder and VCR from that possibility by inserting a Surge Protector, fetauring RF aerial protection, in between the aerial and the devices. Check our Surge Protection strips that offer RF aerial and F-pin Satellite protection and ensure that your expensive equipment is not at the mercy of a sudden storm! -
Do I need a Surge Protector for all my equipment?
Practically yes, as every electronic device is susceptible to power surges.
Ideally yes! All your equipment is sensitive to surges and can be destroyed by them. Mostly appliances with high precision electronic circuitry however, like Home Theaters, computers and screens, are prone to over-voltages, so they should at the very least be protected using a high quality surge protection strip.
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What does the Green LED of the Surge Protectors signify?
The green LED indicates the proper earthing of a Surge Protector.
The Green LED denotes a properly earthed outlet. It should be lit otherwise the Surge Protector is not functioning properly. If a surge spike creeps throught the network, the Metal Oxide Varistors (MOV) of the protector basically direct all the energy to the earth wire. If the outlet is not properly earthed, the extra charge won't be absorbed by the earth but will most likely destroy the surge strip and the connected devices. So, be aware! The Green LED should be lit. If it's not try another outlet and consult a technician.
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Are Crystal Audio Surge Protectors also stabilising the power?
No. You will need a separate device for this.
No. The Crystal Audio Surge Protectors are not stabilising the power. In order to stabilise it you need either a high quality UPS with electronic AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulation) function, or you need an AVR using a variable tranformer. The latter is the best solution for Home Theater systems although it doesn't have its own batteries so it can only work for a specified range of the input voltage.
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So, is it all about protection from surges?
Yes, but besides this, protection from EMI and RFI is also equally important.
Yes it is about protection, but not only about that! The Crystal Audio surge protectors feature filters that drastically reduce the Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Interference (EMI & RFI) by 50dB to 80dB. That results in much improved audio reproduction (without any noise, hum, clicks and pops) and a crispier, free of shadowing and artifacts image.
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Are Joules the same thing as Watts?
No, Joules are an surge suppression metric, while Watts are a measure of power consumption.
No. Joules are a metric of the ability of the Surge Protector to dissipate the extra energy of a surge spike, while Watts give the constant power that the connected devices consume under normal operation. Watts are related to the voltage of the mains and the current that the appliances absorb. If you want the maths, it is: Watts = Volts x Amperes (Power = Voltage x Current)
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