Looking for a good surge protector/line conditioner combo

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Hunter Ashpole

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Aug 10, 2013
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I recently moved back in with my parents so that I could attend school with minimal stress and the electrical wiring in their home is rather shoddy. In the past, it has destroyed LED TVs, consoles and it's fair share of power supplies even when hooked up to a surge protector. Just recently from my CIT instructor, I learned about a line conditioner and that it might be what I need for my computer.

As it stands, I refuse to hook up my current PC because I am afraid the house's wiring would harm the components in my computer. However without it, I am unable to do my course work at home.

So I was wondering if anyone with experience with issues similar to mine could weight in on something that had a good balance between quality and price? I don't have much expendable income.

PS: Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask for this. I couldn't find a better place.
 
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C12Friedman

C12Friedman

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Jan 25, 2012
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Unless you are running multiple graphics cards and/or overclocking, I don't foresee any issues. Your total draw from the wall should be in the <500W range - I run an overclocked i5-2500k and an overclocked HD7950 and a 46" TV on my UPS and pull ~450W from the wall. If you are overclocked that would change my recommendation but if not, you should be fine IMO
 
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westom

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Learn what happens inside electronics. First AC voltages are filtered. Then converted to well over 300 volts DC. Then filtered again, Then converted to high voltage, high frequency spikes. Now that electricity is the dirtiest thing in the house. No matter how 'clean' that incoming power is, electroncs makes it 'dirty'. Then superior filters and regulators convert high voltage radio frequency spikes inot the most rock solid, clean, and stable low voltage DC.

With or without that line conditioner, it is still made into the dirtiest power. Circuits far superior to what a line conditioner might do also clean and regulate power. A line conditioner could never 'clean' power that dirty.

Electronics undo what the power conditioner might do. Many power conditioners do almost nothing for an obscene profit margin. Most only know it did something good because it is so expensive.

Long before curing a problem, first define that problem. Other anomalies well beyond household wiring can explain failures. Best evidence is a dead body. What exactly failed in each appliance? Are incandescent bulbs brightening or dimming significantly when other appliances power cycle? Normal voltage for electronics is lights even dimming to 50% intensity. Are those lights changing that much?
 
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Hunter Ashpole

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The power supplies all failed. The power supply for my Xbox, PS3, PS4, TV and my PC. Some of these were pulled directly into the wall while the last three were plugged into a surge protector.
 
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westom

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First, adjacent surge protectors do not claim to protect from typically destructive surges. In some cases, it can make damage to attached and nearby appliances easier.

Second, two completely different devices exist. Both called surge protectors. Those adjacen to appliances only protect from a type of surge that is typically made irrelevant by what is inside power supplies. The other, located at the service entrance, protects from all types of surges. And is essential to protecting everything that needs protection. Including refrigerator, RCD, dimmer switches, dishwasher, furnance, and recharging mobile phones. The first costs how much per protected appliance? £30? The second costs maybe £1 per protected appliance. Your choice.

Third, nobody with relevant certainty can say why damage happened. Previous post demonstrated what is necessary for a useful answers. Your replies are only as useful as the facts you provide. Not provided is information from the autopsy. Not provided are obvservations of incandescent bulbs.
 
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