Remote Desktop 1908
User N
Asked for are numerous principles and citations. Therefore this will be quite ... long... - chock full of sources and numbers...
Detailed previously is damage because a protector was adjacent to electronics. This problem even suggested in IEEE papers such as Martzloff, et al in 1994:
A typical computer grade UPS uses a relay to connect computer either directly to AC mains or temporarily to battery backup. Does that relay stop or eliminate...
There is no best plug-in protector. But a kludge solution exists - buttuming nothing else is possible. Remember protection is about connecting as short as possible to earth - the 'less than 10 foot' connection. Protector power cord starts with an undesirable six feet - undermining protection. Cut power cord of a plug-in protector (of maximum joules) to be short as possible. Locate receptacle closest to earth ground - ie receptacle attached to breaker box. Now a protector may accomplish something useful.
Above kludge is an example of 'secondary' protection system. Of course, inspection of a 'primary' protection 'system' is required:
My understanding is that proper point of use protection involves routing all AC-ground-signal...
Meanwhile, standard protection already (should) exist on cable and telephone. Telco installs a 'whole house' protector on phone line - for free. Every incoming utility wire must be earthed. Homeowner inspection is required. Telco and cable company now install their wires to meet earthing requirements. More effective than that kludge plug-in protector is earthing integrity. Inspection of what is protection is still necessary no matter what protector is used. Even the kludge solution still requires an earthing inspection.
Some effective 'supplemental' solutions exist. They are effective IF a properly earthed 'whole house' solution exists. Without that earthing, these supplemental solutions are easily compromised.
People buttume what they see - a magic box - is the active solution. What is not seen - earthing - that is THE most critical part of a protection 'system'. Earthing - not any protector - is where every layman begins. Even the kludge solution is useless without effective earthing. Earthing of primary and secondary protection 'systems'. Last thing to consider - the absolute last - is a plug-in protector. They are that ineffective as was even demonstrated by tracing and repairing damaged ICs due to direct lightning strikes. Adjacent protector provided destructive paths through adjacent and powered off computers. Destructive path made possible because plug-in protector was adjacent and was not earthed. Adjacent plug-in protector compromised protection already inside the computer.