Re: Test for Surge Protector?

["RF Dude" <post@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Two things can happen with a MOV device.  Professional equipment will SHORT
to ground and blow the feeding circuit breaker if the unit has "done its
job" with a huge surge.  The MOV pack is robust enough to survive even
lightning strikes (at least the kid I deal with).  You can test the MOV
device for its resistance.  It should be very high (like >100k ohms? but I'm
not the exact value for your device).  Anything less, the leakage current
will start to climb and become an issue.  Eventually, the device gets hot
and will fail.  If it is a cheapo MOV package, it may have already failed
short, and an internal fuse, or the MOV leads have blown.  Hard to say
without visually inspecting your MOV or knowing the characteristics.

There are some companies that transfer critical loads to generator when a
storm approaches.  I'm not a big fan of disconnecting the loads from the
utility.  Kind of like sticking your head in the sand and playing roulette
with the symptoms rather than dealing with the root cause.  You still have
other copper "tethers" like your phone line and cable TV.  Like others have
said, the ground system is all important.  Surge protection without
connection to an effective (low impedance) ground is like a car without
gasoline.   Not much use.

Here is a product that I have deployed many times over:
http://www.rayvoss.com/  The device gets installed next to your mains
disconnect.