Protecting your new LED lighting??

Xringer · 10-07-11, 08:40 AM

I've seen reports of LED blubs lasting for a very short time,
where others with the same model LEDs lasted just fine.

A few folks think some of the failures might be due to spikes on the AC line..

I've been meaning to get some surge protection for my Sanyo ASHP,
and now that I've invested in a bunch of LEDs, I've been looking for
some whole house Surge protection. All out of stock at Lowes & HD..

But, I found some chspt2micro protectors on Ebay..
EATON Cutler-Hammer Whole House Surge Trap / CHSPMICRO | eBay

I've read some info about installation and how well these work,
on Amazon etc, and the ebay price isn't too bad..
Oh no! Only 4 left in stock!! (I just ordered one)..

Xringer · 10-07-11, 08:57 AM

I just saw this bit of info about Triac dimmers..

GreenMark Inc.

"Figure 1 shows the current waveform of triac dimmer at different dimming levels.
We can clearly see the disastrous power factor and severe current spikes at various dimming levels."

Jeepers, that's spike-o-rama!

zick · 10-07-11, 10:24 AM

That's a pretty good price.

This is the one I bought and installed last year.
Leviton 51120-1 Whole House Surge Suppressor / Surge Protector - Smarthome

I'm curious on what should be a "minimum" surge amp rating we should consider for a whole house surge protector?
The Eaton one is 36K and the Leviton is 50K.

Phantom · 10-07-11, 10:39 AM

When thinking of purchasing one contact your utility company some of them have whole house surge suppressors that they sell and will install. I believe a few of them will also cover some damages if the unit fails and damages any equipment.

Xringer · 10-07-11, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zick

That's a pretty good price.

This is the one I bought and installed last year.
Leviton 51120-1 Whole House Surge Suppressor / Surge Protector - Smarthome

I'm curious on what should be a "minimum" surge amp rating we should consider for a whole house surge protector?
The Eaton one is 36K and the Leviton is 50K.

That says "36k amp surge current capacity per phase rating"..
Does that mean 36K for each side of the box? 72k amps total?

I know very little about these things. Lightning hits are rare around here.

I read some reviews and one user described how a lightning storm worked
over his neighborhood, zapping electronics all over the place,
but his home's electronics weren't touched.
I said to myself, wow! That's the one for me!

But afterwards, I remembered when a big tree 30 yards across the street got hit.
Killed their GDO and my phone Modem.. Nothing else was damaged.
I was in the basement when it hit. All kinds of sparks snapping all around me,
as the juice headed down the slope into the swamp in my backyard..

All my ham gear (connected to antennas) & PCs were fine..
I think the EMP hitting the phone line is what killed the modem.
It was still trying to work. It could actually call out, but could not hear..

It's all random. If the hit is major, nothing is going to stop it. (IMHO).

What I need protection from, is the power company!
Sometimes they sent us about 256 volts and it has noise on it.
Plus, it's flat-topping.. That's without much load..

herlichka · 10-08-11, 06:35 PM

I think, aside from lightning strikes, these surge protectors pay for themselves during windstorm or icing events, where trees fall on the powerlines and cause "false trips", where the utility's circuit breakers trip and automatically reset several times before finally staying out. In the last two years I have had two of these protectors installed on panels at jobs that I have done, and the one in particular, has almost eliminated false burglar/fire alarm signals. I've wondered, considering how effective they are, why they are not a mandatory code requirement.

philb · 10-08-11, 08:33 PM

When you have a while to read, you might look at this:
Lightning Protection
It's the most comprehensive post I have seen on protecting anything from lightning and power companies too.

Xringer · 10-11-11, 10:27 PM

Well, the chspt2micro is now installed.. And, nothing in the house has been damaged by surges..

The install sheet said to use an un-used 15A dual breaker, to connect
to each side of the line (lights up two status LEDs).
But, I connected the hot wires (red & blk) to my Sanyo's 20A breaker.
Which, is where I want max protection.

zick · 10-12-11, 09:40 AM

If I understand you correctly, you connected both wires to one breaker?
Wouldn't that only protect one leg of the system?

Xringer · 10-12-11, 12:54 PM

Sorry, maybe I should have said, "my Sanyo's dual 20A breaker".. (These Sanyo units run on 230vac and require a dual breaker).

10-07-11, 08:40 AM	#1
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Protecting your new LED lighting?? I've seen reports of LED blubs lasting for a very short time, where others with the same model LEDs lasted just fine. A few folks think some of the failures might be due to spikes on the AC line.. I've been meaning to get some surge protection for my Sanyo ASHP, and now that I've invested in a bunch of LEDs, I've been looking for some whole house Surge protection. All out of stock at Lowes & HD.. But, I found some chspt2micro protectors on Ebay.. EATON Cutler-Hammer Whole House Surge Trap / CHSPMICRO \| eBay I've read some info about installation and how well these work, on Amazon etc, and the ebay price isn't too bad.. Oh no! Only 4 left in stock!! (I just ordered one)..

10-07-11, 08:57 AM	#2
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	I just saw this bit of info about Triac dimmers.. GreenMark Inc. "Figure 1 shows the current waveform of triac dimmer at different dimming levels. We can clearly see the disastrous power factor and severe current spikes at various dimming levels." Jeepers, that's spike-o-rama!

10-07-11, 10:24 AM	#3
zick Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: WI Posts: 42 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	That's a pretty good price. This is the one I bought and installed last year. Leviton 51120-1 Whole House Surge Suppressor / Surge Protector - Smarthome I'm curious on what should be a "minimum" surge amp rating we should consider for a whole house surge protector? The Eaton one is 36K and the Leviton is 50K.

10-07-11, 10:39 AM	#4
Phantom Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 101 Thanks: 13 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	When thinking of purchasing one contact your utility company some of them have whole house surge suppressors that they sell and will install. I believe a few of them will also cover some damages if the unit fails and damages any equipment.

10-08-11, 06:35 PM	#6
herlichka Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada Posts: 102 Thanks: 11 Thanked 15 Times in 10 Posts	I think, aside from lightning strikes, these surge protectors pay for themselves during windstorm or icing events, where trees fall on the powerlines and cause "false trips", where the utility's circuit breakers trip and automatically reset several times before finally staying out. In the last two years I have had two of these protectors installed on panels at jobs that I have done, and the one in particular, has almost eliminated false burglar/fire alarm signals. I've wondered, considering how effective they are, why they are not a mandatory code requirement.

10-08-11, 08:33 PM	#7
philb Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 155 Thanks: 58 Thanked 17 Times in 14 Posts	When you have a while to read, you might look at this: Lightning Protection It's the most comprehensive post I have seen on protecting anything from lightning and power companies too.

10-11-11, 10:27 PM	#8
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Well, the chspt2micro is now installed.. And, nothing in the house has been damaged by surges.. The install sheet said to use an un-used 15A dual breaker, to connect to each side of the line (lights up two status LEDs). But, I connected the hot wires (red & blk) to my Sanyo's 20A breaker. Which, is where I want max protection.

10-12-11, 09:40 AM	#9
zick Helper EcoRenovator Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: WI Posts: 42 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	If I understand you correctly, you connected both wires to one breaker? Wouldn't that only protect one leg of the system?

10-12-11, 12:54 PM	#10
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	Sorry, maybe I should have said, "my Sanyo's dual 20A breaker".. (These Sanyo units run on 230vac and require a dual breaker).