[Test-Equipment] Mains protection for work bench test equipment?

[Eric Lemmon]

Dave,

The need for "surge protection" is a favorite line of companies that want
your money for cheap and largely ineffective junk that is pathetically
unable to handle any real surges.  Furthermore, the most common cause of
power strip failures, a few of which actually caused a fire, is the
ubiquitous MOV- a metal-oxide varistor.  The danger of cheap surge arrestors
overheating has prompted my employer- Boeing- to ban any power strips that
contain surge arresting components.

The key to protecting your sensitive test equipment from spikes and surges
is proper electrical circuit design.  This means that there should be a
dedicated power circuit feeding nothing else but your test bench.  Ideally,
there will be a separate transformer for "sensitive" loads, so that vending
machines, copiers, water coolers, and lighting loads are fed from a separate
power source.  When grocery stores began using UPC scanners at the checkout
line, it was quickly realized that the POS (Point of Sale) terminal needed
to have a completely separate power feed from the motor driving the conveyor
belt.  Once these separate circuits became the norm, the need for
aftermarket "surge protection" went away.  The most prolific generators of
potentially-damaging spikes are motors in general and hermetic refrigeration
compressors (used in water coolers, cola-vending machines, refrigerators,
and air conditioners) in particular.

73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY
  

-----Original Message-----
From: test-equipment-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:test-equipment-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of davec
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 3:42 PM
To: Test-equipment list; TekScopes; Tek2
Subject: [Test-Equipment] Mains protection for work bench test equipment?

I've got a nice 6-foot, 20-outlet power strip strapped to the back of 
my work bench. It does not, however, have any surge protection or 
filtering.

What kind of protection do y'all use for mains power for your test 
equipment? Surely not the cheap "surge-protector" power strips?

Is there some protection I can add prior to my power strip that will 
be sufficient to protect my equipment investment?

Recommendations welcome.

Thanks,
Dave
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