I didn't write this, so if the person that did write it comes across it, please credit yourself. I saved what he wrote in a text document, so I could easily reference it. Lots of good information here and really helped me understand this stuff a few months ago.
First define the problem. Where are hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly absorbed? Single point earth ground. Every wire inside every incoming cable must make a low impedance (ie less than 10 foot) connection to that ground before entering.
Your TV cable has always been required to make that connection. Unfortunately some installers and electricians do not understand this. That hardwire from the cable direct to earth ground is best protection. No protector required. That ground wire must be as short as practicable, have no sharp bends, no splices, not inside metallic conduit, etc - to make impedance low.
AC electric cannot connect direct to earth. So a protector makes that same low impedance hardwire connection. An effective protector does not do protection. It only connects to what does protection. That protector is only doing what a TV cable's hardwire does better.
2) If a surge is not inside, then best protection (already inside every appliance - every appliance needs this protection) is not overwhelmed.
3) Let's discuss impedance. Assume a protector connected to a wall receptacle safety ground will somehow earth a tiny 100 amp surge via that safety ground wire. That wire might be 0.2 ohms resistance. And something like 120 ohms impedance. 100 amps times 120 ohms is something less than 12,000 volts. Why less that 12,000? Because that surge (due to 12,000 volts) must find better paths to earth. One classic path is destructively through any nearby appliance.
So let's say that protector is 700 volts. That means 12,000 volts on one wire and 11,300 volts on another. Scammer love to manipulate numbers without discussing what it really means.
An IEEE brochure demonstrates this. A protector, too far from earth ground and adjacent to a TV, earths a surge 8000 volts destructively through another TV in the next room. Protector connected a surge to earth, destructively, via a best path to earth - a nearby appliance.
Once inside a house, that surge will find potentially destructive paths to earth. Since that protector was too close (low impedance) to appliances and too far (high impedance) to earth ground, then an adjacent protector simply compromised better protection inside some nearby TV.
4) Protection is never about a protector. Protection is always about where hundreds of thousands of joules dissipate (harmlessly in earth) and the (low impedance) path that current uses.
Ineffective protectors with massive profit margins will not discuss this to protect profits. Most consumers will not learn this because reality takes paragraphs - cannot be posted in a tweet.
What makes the 'whole house' protector so effective? Its connection to earth is low impedance (ie wire length - not thickness - is relevant). Connection from protector to appliance is long - high impedance. That high impedance between protector and appliance increases protection.
5) We learned in school math about the independent and dependent variables. The concept also applies here. Independent variable (what defines protection) is current. A dependent variable is voltage. Voltage is only a symptom of what happens when the current flows. The science of surge protection is about how that current connects to earth - for the same reason Ben Franklin's lightning rod is so effective.
Lightning seeks earth ground. It finds a best electrical connection via a wooden church steeple Wood is an electrical conductor - just not a good one. So that lightning current creates a high voltage (a dependent variable) - destroys the steeple.
6) Franklin's lightning rod connected to earth on a wire. Lightning seeks earth ground. It finds a best electrical connection via that wire - an excellent electrical conductor. So that same lightning current creates a near zero voltage - no damage. That same current will conduct no matter what - an independent variable. Protection is always about (for example) how 20,000 amps connects to earth. Either it creates a high and destructive voltage. Or it creates a near zero (harmless) voltage.
Damage is due to a human mistake. Because protection is always about how a current connects to and the quality of earth - as Franklin demonstrated over 250 years ago.
Finally, effective protector are sold like rice. You don't need a model for rice or a 'whole house' protector. That protector must have the dedicated wire to earth ground - that defines protection during each surge. Since lightning can be 20,000 amps, then a minimal 'whole house' protector is 50,000 amps. That defines protector life expectancy over many decades and many direct lightning strikes. That (not a model number or brand name) defines your best solution.
Yes there are 3 wires of ground, one is dedicated for rig,
What should the next step.
3 wires of ground? A receptacle would have two power wires and one safety ground. Safety ground does nothing to protect hardware and does nothing to make a protector effective. It exists to protect you (human life).
That wall receptacle safety ground is completely different from earth ground. A homeowner is responsible to know what earth ground is and to maintain it.
Find a bare copper, quarter inch hardwire that goes from the mains box (power board), outside, to an earth ground electrode. If that does not exist, then no effective protection is possible. And a serious human safety issue also exists.
All was simplified to a 'high school science knowledge' level. But since new, then it must be read at least three times. Rephrasing same here may help.
*QUOTE*
Once inside a house, that surge will find potentially destructive paths to earth.
All protection is about connecting a surge to earth BEFORE it can enter. That explains why an above bare copper hardwire is critical.
A 'whole house' protector is required to protect computers, to protect any plug-in protector, and to protect all other 'just at risk' or 'at greater risk' appliances. Including a dishwasher, clocks, refrigerator, garage door opener, LED & CFL bulbs, furnace, recharging electronics, dimmer switches, central air (even when not in use), and every smoke detector.
Everything posted was learned in school. High school math was defined. What Ben Franklin demonstrated was taught in elementary school science. What Franklin demonstrated is also what protects appliances and computers. What Franklin demonstrated does not require expert language. What Franklin demonstrated is also what you must do to properly earth every incoming utility wire via a 'whole house' protector.
That 'whole house' protector protects appliances for the same reason that Franklin's lightning rod protects a structure. In both cases, protection is only as effective as (is defined by) earth ground.
Go to any big box hardware store or electrical supply house. Ask the 'whole house' protector that they sell. Then confirm it is at least 50,000 amps. (Honesty is impossible without numbers.)
Last paragraph ('effective protector sold like rice') defines what must be purchased to effectively connect incoming utility wires to earth. Best protection is distant from every appliance and as close as possible to earth ground.
