# Surge Protectors need to be replaced once a year?



## SKreme (Jan 2, 2006)

I was in CompUSA and the sales rep told me that surge protectors should be replaced once a year. I have never heard anything like this before and suspect he didn't know what he was talking about. Does anyone know anything about this?


----------



## Who's Me (Aug 29, 2006)

I just googled "surge protector lifetime" and found a bunch of companies that offer lifetime warranties so my guess would be no.


----------



## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

Sounds like a heck of a scam to get people to buy more surge protectors. I use mine until the Protected light isn't on anymore.


----------



## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

Getting a good surge protector is what you really need to do and they have lifetime warranties.


----------



## SouthParkXP101 (Jun 2, 2006)

I Hope not , my old server is on a 8 year old surge prosesser


----------



## loserOlimbs (Jun 19, 2004)

As the surge portectors get older the resistors and circuitry used to lessen the spikes wear out. So yes, he was right. However you can circumvent this in two ways.

1) A higher quality unit will last longer.
2) A Good quality UPS will last even longer and serve the same purpose as a good surge protector.


----------



## Gibble (Oct 10, 2001)

I was going to say the same thing as Limbs, get a UPS instead.


----------



## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

If the surge suppressor has not had to deal with any large surges, then it will not have "worn out" as suggested above. There is no defined "life".

The life is totally dependent on the magnitude and frequency of any surges that it has had to deal with. After handling even one good surge, it's future ability may be in doubt.

For those advising on using a UPS, I totally agree, but please remember that the input to the UPS also contains similar surge suppressor circuitry, that protects the UPS electronics.


----------



## lexmarks567 (Aug 13, 2006)

Sales people will say ANYTHING to make a sale as there on commission the more they sell the more money they make


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

There is a grain of truth in that statement. Most cheap surge protectors use MOVs (Metal-Oxide Varistor) as the active element. Every time the MOV clamps a surge, it loses a bit of it's longevity. Here's one of many references on the topic: http://www.iaei.org/subscriber/magazine/04_b/04_b_brown.htm

Cheap surge protectors don't last forever, and their lifetime is highly dependent on the environment. In Florida, the lightning capital of the world, it's likely that salesperson might be close to correct.


----------



## ferrija1 (Apr 11, 2006)

I would reccomend replacing it every 2-3 years. But like JW said it depends...


----------



## SKreme (Jan 2, 2006)

How can I tell if the surge protector is worn out? 

I have heard the UPSs should be replaced every couple of years also...


----------



## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

You cannot physically tell if the MOV is internally degraded, the next good surge may tell you though as it goes straight through...


----------



## lexmarks567 (Aug 13, 2006)

A surge protecter can't protect your electronics from a lighting strike.NO surge protecter can.They all say that.Even a direct hit.


----------



## SouthParkXP101 (Jun 2, 2006)

lexmarks567 said:


> A surge protecter can't protect your electronics from a lighting strike.NO surge protecter can.They all say that.Even a direct hit.


thats why i put a lightning arestor on my house


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The whole house surge protector that you're calling a lightning arrestor won't protect you from a direct lightning hit either.  However, it'll do a better job on all the close misses you get down there in Florida!


----------



## SouthParkXP101 (Jun 2, 2006)

JohnWill said:


> The whole house surge protector that you're calling a lightning arrestor won't protect you from a direct lightning hit either.  However, it'll do a better job on all the close misses you get down there in Florida!


 yea im aware of it but they have a 200,000 USD warranty and nothing in my house that is plugged into electricty is more than that but they have worked before.. once i got a direct hit and it fried ,but the rest of the house was fine ... i was glad i had it


----------



## SKreme (Jan 2, 2006)

This is so confusing... So basically, I should be replacing my surge protectors every 2-3 years no matter what cuz there is no way to tell if they are internally eroded? Why do some SP give you 10 yr or lifetime warranties on the stuff that is plugged into them then?


----------



## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Save your receipts and try to prove it was a surge that damaged the equipment.


----------

