On guard of equipment protection: TOP-5 surge protectors

The activities of the company Defender (translated from English — "defender") began with the production of protective screens for CRT monitors. With the development of technologies for constructing image output means, the need for them has disappeared, and the company has sent its own protective detachment of products to guard the safe operation of equipment connected to the power supply.

Defender DFS 153 is a fairly simple extension filter for 6 round sockets in a case made of fire-resistant plastic in black or white. Under the influence of high temperatures, the plastic that prevails in the construction materials of the model does not burn, but melts. The filter is available in three different variations with differences in the length of the power cord — 1.8 m, 3 m and 5 m.

The vocation of Defender DFS 153 lies in the protection of connected equipment from short circuits and short-term impulse voltage surges. The maximum power consumption of the connected devices, which the surge protector can tolerate without consequences, corresponds to a value of 2200 watts. With an even distribution, a little more than 350 watts falls on each of the 6 outlets. Accordingly, the filter is not suitable for the simultaneous connection of a kettle, a heater and other high-power consumers.

The model is subject to both the classic floor installation method and hanging on the wall — cross- shaped holes on the back of the case allow it to be placed either in a vertical or horizontal position. From above, all this is “seasoned” with an attractive price tag, which, in the light of the ability to provide full-fledged equipment protection, becomes one of the most significant advantages of a surge protector.

A home or office PC is often overgrown with a bunch of peripherals, as a result of which it is difficult to organize power supply to the computer's companion devices. The Sven Optima Pro extension cord is designed to help solve the problem of the lack of free sockets, an equally important function of which is to protect the connected equipment from impulse voltage or current surges.

In an impact-resistant case made of non-combustible plastic , 8 sockets with grounding contacts are closely adjacent, spaced far enough from each other so that the plugs of various equipment do not interfere with each other. Each of the "seats" is compatible with both European-type plugs and east european-style plugs, so there are usually no difficulties in connecting equipment.

Under the outer “wrapper” of the Sven Optima Pro case, varistor protection against high-voltage interference (lightning and other serious power surges of this kind) is hidden from prying eyes, and the model also has a thermal fuse. Note that the surge protector is intended to a greater extent to be paired with computer equipment and other low-power devices — the maximum connection power of 2200 W makes it an unsuitable solution for use in the kitchen or for organizing the operation of a heater.

So that the extension cord does not get in the way under your feet, it can be attached to any surface vertically, for which holes for wall mounting are made on the back of the model case. The model is presented on the market in two variations: with a 1.8 m cable and a 3.1 m power cord, which allows you to choose the required modification depending on the distance to a stationary outlet.

The owner of the APC brand, whose product range includes UPS, surge protectors and voltage stabilizers, is the eminent French company Shneider Electric. Experience in the field of protection of connected equipment from surges in the network they do not hold.

Due to the short length of the power cord (only 1 m), the APC P43B-RS cannot be used as an extension cable. Models have a different role — to protect devices from power surges and lightning. For these purposes, a group of metal-oxide varistors is included in her circuit, capable of dissipating up to 918 J of dangerous energy. The operating characteristics of the surge protector require the connection of devices with a total input power of up to 2500 W and with a current load of up to 10 A.

If the permissible load level is exceeded, the automatic switch is activated, interrupting the power supply. Its restoration is carried out by pressing the Reset key on the end face of the surge protector. The fact that the model is connected to the network is indicated by the backlight of the power button, and the absence of malfunctions in the voltage surge suppression circuit is indicated by the protection indication.

Each of the four outlets of the surge protector is equipped with protective shutters that prevent curious attempts by kids to stick fingers or foreign objects into the outlet. In turn, on the reverse side of the case of the model there are holes for wall mounting. And it is up to the owner of the extension filter to decide which place to allocate for mounting the APC P43B-RS.

It is important to know! The surge protector does not replace the voltage stabilizer! It eliminates only short-term voltage pulses (on the order of several thousand volts) and filters out relatively high-frequency noise. However, the extension filter does not help with a long-term constant voltage deviation up or down from the limits allowed for the operation of the equipment.

The surge protector from the REAL-EL company in one sitting solves a wide range of problems associated with the energy supply of a variety of equipment. The thing is that on board the model, 5 sockets and 4 USB ports are successfully combined, and in total the extension cord can pass 3.6 kW of power through itself.

The protection system in the depths of the surge protector housing extends its action to both sockets and USB ports. It protects connected devices from high-voltage impulses (including power surges during lightning strikes) and filters high-frequency interference. In addition, mechanical shutters prevent children's pranks associated with inserting foreign objects into socket outlets.

A pair of USB ports closest to the power button delivers 5 V at 1 A, while the far tandem of connectors is more powerful (5 V and 2.4 A) and is suitable for fast charging compatible devices. The current strength sags slightly only when all USB ports are used simultaneously, as they give out less than 6 A in total.

REAL-EL RS-5F Charge 4 3m is supposed to be placed on the floor, since there are no holes for wall mounting in the “body” of the model. In this light, the modest size of the extension cord power button, which is difficult to find with your foot, causes disappointment. Yes, and reaching for USB connectors is often simply inconvenient. However, if you remove the cords from the USB ports in advance, then the second minus is completely reduced to nothing.

The unusual externally filter-extension by Schneider Electric protects the equipment from power surges and allows you to charge your gadgets through two USB ports. They are accompanied on the front panel by a trio of sockets, another trio of sockets is located on the side end.

On the front of the model case, among other things, there are several status indicators: "Protection is working", "Power overload" and "There is grounding". They do not need additional explanation — all the inscriptions speak for themselves. The indicator of the maximum energy dissipated by the filter is equal to the value of 1836 J. This figure indicates that a sudden impulse surge in the electrical network, which the model can handle without compromising its own performance.

The length of the APC PM6U-RS own power cable is 2 m. With a wall-mounted surge protector, the cable can be laid in a niche along the perimeter of the lower part of the model case, and it is possible to bring it out both to the left side and to the right. Also on one of the side faces there is an auto-fuse button, through which a quick restoration of the operation of electrical appliances in the event of failures is ensured.

The total connection power at the level of 2300 W unequivocally hints at the direction of the surge protector for interaction in conjunction with computer equipment. APC PM6U-RS is used to connect a PC, monitor, external speakers, printer, desk lamp and other peripherals. And although it costs a little more than its direct competitors, the equipment with two USB ports, high-quality assembly and reliable equipment protection certainly correspond to the funds spent on purchasing the model.