For your peace of mind we have conducted a comparative study on the 6 leading brands of surge protection units currently on the market – these were the findings:

Surge Protection Brand 1:

• 6×15 amp plugs and 6x Euro plug sockets.
• 2 MOVs. One live to neutral. One neutral to earth.
• Overload reset switch.
• Mains switch/isolator with neon indicator.





 
Disadvantages of sample 1:
1. No thermal cut-out to prevent fire hazard. (fire hazard protection)
2. No metal oxide varistor between line and earth. (this compromises surge protection.)
3. No bi-polar transorb ( this is needed for high voltage surges.)
4. No gas arrestor (this is needed for lightning spikes.)
5. No isolation or “switch on” protection. (this is essential for load shedding switch-ons)
6. No protection status indicator lamp. (Essential to see protection status)
7. No suppression between live and neutral. (For conditioning noisy power supplies)
8. No line conditioning between live and earth and neutral and earth.(For conditioning noisy power supplies)
9. Can be used in the non protected state. (This means one can inadvertently use the unit without surge protection)
Surge protection Brand 2:
• 6×15 amp plugs and 6x Euro plug sockets.
• 4 MOVs. Two live to neutral. One live to earth. One neutral to earth.
• 3 neons with, corresponding resistors, to indicate the supply status.
• Overload reset switch.
• Mains switch/isolator with neon indicator.
• Can be used in the non protected state.Disadvantages of sample 2:
   
1. No thermal cut-out to prevent fire hazard. (fire hazard protection)
2. No bi-polar transorb for high voltage surges. (this is needed for high voltage surges)
3. No gas arrestor for lightning spikes.
4. No isolation or “switch on” protection. (this is essential for load shedding switch-ons)
5. No protection status indicator lamp. (Essential to see protection status)
6. No suppression between live and neutral. (For conditioning noisy power supplies)
7. No line conditioning between live and earth and neutral and earth. (For conditioning noisy power supplies)
8. Can be used in the non protected state. (This means one can inadvertently use the unit without surge protection)TOP
Surge protection Brand 3:
• 3×15 amp plugs and 3x Euro plug sockets.
• 3 MOVs. 0wo live to neutral. One live to earth. One neutral to earth.
• 3 neons with, corresponding resistors, to indicate the supply status.

Disadvantages of sample 3:
1. No thermal cut-out to prevent fire hazard. (fire hazard protection)
2. No direct soldered or clamped connections between surge protection and equipment.
3. No bi-polar transorb for high voltage surges. (this is needed for high voltage surges)
4. No gas arrestor for lightning spikes.
5. No isolation or “switch on” protection. (this is essential for load shedding switch-ons)
6. No protection status indicator lamp. (Essential to see protection status)
7. No suppression between live and neutral. (For conditioning noisy power supplies)
8. No line conditioning between live and earth and neutral and earth. (For conditioning noisy power supplies)
9. Can be used in the non protected state. (This means one can inadvertently use the unit without surge protection)TOP

Surge protection Brand 4:
• 4×15 amp plug sockets.
• 3 MOVs. 0ne live to neutral. One live to earth. One neutral to earth.
• 1 indicator LEDs indicating protection status.
• Live to neutral capacitor suppression.
• 2 thermal cut-outs to prevent fire hazard.
• Overload reset switch.
• Mains switch with neon indicator.
• Telephone/fax surge protection.
   
Disadvantages of sample 4:
1. Thermal cut-out to prevent fire hazard rated at 10 amps which is below rating of socket.
2. No bi-polar transorb for high voltage surges. (this is needed for high voltage surges)
3. No gas arrestor for lightning spikes.
4. No isolation or “switch on” protection. (this is essential for load shedding switch-ons)
5. No line conditioning between live and earth and neutral and earth. (For conditioning noisy power supplies)
6. Can be used in the non protected state. (This means one can inadvertently use the unit without surge protection)TOP
Surge protection Brand 5:
• 4×15 amp plug sockets.
• 3 MOVs. 0ne live to neutral. One live to earth. One neutral to earth.
• 2 indicator LEDs for mains earth and protection status.
• Live to earth capacitor suppression.
• Live to neutral capacitor conditioning.
• 2 thermal cut-out to prevent fire hazard.
• Overload reset switch.
• Telephone/fax surge protection.
   
Disadvantages of sample 5:
1. No bi-polar transorb for high voltage surges. (this is needed for high voltage surges)
2. No gas arrestor for lightning spikes.
3. No isolation or “switch on” protection. (this is essential for load shedding switch-ons)
4.
Can be used in the non protected state. (This means one can inadvertently use the unit without surge protection)TOP
   
   
Surge protection Brand 6:
• 3×15 amp plug sockets.
• 3 MOVs. 0ne live to neutral. One live to earth. One neutral to earth.
• 1 indicator LEDs for protection status.
• Overload reset switch.
• Telephone/fax surge protection
   
Disadvantages of sample 6:
1. No thermal cut-out to prevent fire hazard. (fire hazard protection)
2. No bi-polar transorb for high voltage surges. (this is needed for high voltage surges)
3. No gas arrestor for lightning spikes.
4. No isolation or “switch on” protection. (this is essential for load shedding switch-ons)
5. No suppression between live and neutral. (For conditioning noisy power supplies)
6. No line conditioning between live and earth and neutral and earth. (For conditioning noisy power supplies)
7. Can be used in the non protected state. (This means one can inadvertently use the unit without surge protection)TOP
   
Serious protection offered by our Brand – The WATTRONICS Computer Guard SP Sonic
• Bi-polar transorb, live to neutral
• 3 MOVs. 0ne live to neutral. One live to earth. One neutral to earth.
• 1 indicator neon for protection status.
• Live to neutral capacitor suppression.
• Live to earth and neutral to earth capacitor conditioning.
• Isolating contactor for 100% “switch-on” protection.
• Switch-on isolating reset switch.
• Thermal cut-out to prevent fire hazard.
• Overload reset switch.TOP
   
THE WATTRONICS COMPUTER GUARD SP SONIC is the only brand that offers:
• 100% isolation “switch on” protection to counteract the most devastating effect of the ESKOM power rationing. When power is restored after an outage, the resultant power surge can seriously damage most electronic equipment. This is why the WATTRONICS surge arrestors are proud to be the only company to offer 100% “switch on” protection for your peace of mind.
• High voltage surge protection via a bi-polar transorb, for those times when MOVs and other components are just not capable in dealing with very high voltage surges or 3 phase connection problems.
• Immediate isolation. WATTRONICS is the only brand that offers immediate isolation and therefore protection,in the case of a devastating electrical surge, lightning strike, a low voltage situation or a “brown-out”.
• Cannot be used in the non protected state. The Wattronics Surge protectors will not allow usage in the non-protected state, therefor assuring piece of mind even when your equipment is attached to any form of power supply on a continual basis.TOP