img
A Beginner's Guide To Understanding Power Strip Joule Ratings
A power strip joule is a unit of measurement for the ability of a power strip to store and discharge electrical energy from spikes or surges. Over time, electrical surges, typically caused by lightning, power outages, or electrical issues, can damage or weaken your electronic devices.
Electrical spikes and outages are very common occurrences in most homes and businesses. Approximately 20 to 25 million lightning strikes happen annually in the United States. Power surges can happen several times daily due to a spike in power consumption or regular failures of large electronic systems. Unfortunately, all can lead to an unsteady power flow for the electrical systems.
How Does Joule Work to Ensure Surge Protection
A joule is a measurement unit used to quantify energy dispensed gradually. The surge protector’s capacity to withstand an amount of energy before breaking down is determined by its joule rating. It’s worth knowing that electrical equipment burns one joule of energy (or one watt) every second.
For instance, an 80W light bulb consumes 80 Joules of energy each second when it is on. A power strip surge suppressor with that amount of energy can absorb energy spikes of up to 3,000 joules.
It's critical to remember that power spikes have a compounding impact on power strip joule protection. The power strip surge joules needed to absorb the sudden increase are permanently destroyed each time one happens.
Therefore, if there are enough surges, all the joules will be used up, rendering the surge protector useless. For instance, if an 800-joule surge protector takes eight spikes of 100 joules each, it’s no longer able to provide surge protection.
The quantity of MOVs (Metal Oxide Varistors), or their size, determines the surge protector joule rating. UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) systems that have outlets labeled "surge protection" or "battery backup" also provide surge protection.
A combination of MOVs produces a Joule rating of a surge protector. As a result, you can imagine the 1800-joule power strip surge suppressor most likely having three 600-joule MOVs.
The role of surge protectors is to control voltage and prevent excess voltage for power strip safety, which protects your gadgets. It does this through the help of metal oxide varistors (MOVs) that absorb and safely divert the excess voltage to the earth wire. Therefore, the power strip voltage protection helps stop the sudden power rise from damaging connected devices.
How To Choose the Right Surge Protector Joule Rating
Small and frequent power surges are quite detrimental. They can easily damage your appliances and even cause them to malfunction completely. Power strips with higher joule ratings can manage stronger surges, more effectively safeguarding your devices.
The high-level power surge is known to blow off fuses and even trick the circuit breakers. In contrast, low-level power surges cause gradual degradation of the internal circuitry.
A heavy-duty extension cord with a surge protector can absorb the sudden power spike. However, if your surge protector doesn’t have the proper joule rating, it will be of little use to you.
When determining how many joules you require, remember that the surge protector joule rating should be higher for valuable and sensitive electronic devices.
The following table lists the recommended joule ratings for safeguarding different devices:
| Device | Recommended Joule Rating |
| Laptop/Computer | 600-1200 Joules |
| Television | 1000-2000 Joules |
| Home Theater System | 2000-4000 Joules |
| Refrigerator | 600-1200 Joules |
| Gaming Console | 1000-2000 Joules |
| Microwave Oven | 600-1200 Joules |
| Smartphone Charger | 200-600 Joules |
| Small Appliances | 200-600 Joules |
| Home Office Equipment | 1000-2000 Joules |
| Power Tools | 1000-4000 Joules |
Factors Affecting Surge Protection
The following variables can affect surge protection's efficacy:
- Location: Power strips with higher joule ratings are necessary in areas where lightning hits often or where electrical networks are unreliable.
- Device Sensitivity: Stronger power strip voltage protection is advantageous for valuable and sensitive devices. You also need it for power strip overload protection.
- Wiring: For the best surge protection, ensure your home's wiring, including the outdoor extension cord, complies with the set regulations.
To increase your security, check for the following aspects when purchasing power strips:
- Clamping Voltage: The voltage level at which the surge protector turns on is known as the clamping voltage. Lower power strip surge clamping voltage provides better protection.
- Response Time: Swift surge diverting depends on the response times of the power strip. A quick response time is essential for effective power surge suppression.
- Noise reduction: Some power strips reduce the amount of electrical noise that reaches your gadgets.
Conclusion
Like all electrical devices, power strips have an expiration date. Keep an eye out for wear or damage on your power strip. You must consider replacing it even if it successfully shields your devices from a big surge because it might no longer offer sufficient security.
Low-joule-rated, inexpensive surge protectors can fail after just one power surge. Higher joule surge protectors survive longer but will also lose their effectiveness with time.
The LED light on most surge protectors illuminates continuously while the protection is active. It won't display the amount of joules you still have, but it will shut off after the surge protection ends.