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Whole Home Surge Protector Devices

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Essential protection for all your home electronics

The precious electronic devices in your home are at risk of damage caused by electrical storms, overloads, or other everyday voltage spikes. 

Protect your household with ABB’s reliable, easy-to-fit residential surge protective devices. Safeguarding electronic devices from costly damage or destruction, our whole home surge protectors help keep everything running smoothly and safely for valuable peace of mind.

 

 

What Are Residential Surge Protective Devices (SPDs)?

Every home faces the risks of potentially damaging electrical power surges. These surges can be very brief, lasting only milliseconds, but the consequences for your household appliances can be severe.

Overvoltage may damage circuits and devices, burn wiring insulation, and potentially result in dangerous fires. Over time, even moderate voltage fluctuations can stress the delicate componentry inside computers, TVs, hi-fi, smart devices, and dozens of other household gadgets, impairing their performance and shortening their life.

A professionally fitted surge protection device, like ABB’s easy-to-install THOMESURGE and THQLSURGE SPDs, safeguards all your home electronics by safely diverting sudden voltage spikes to ground.

This prevents a dangerous build-up of electrical energy in distribution panels, devices, and systems, which can impair equipment performance, cause costly damage, or pose a fire risk.

Why Do You Need a Surge Protection Device for Your House?

Abrupt voltage spikes can be caused by several reasons. These include switching heavy-duty appliances on or off, overloaded electrical outlets, equipment faults, or incorrectly wired household circuitry. 

Surges can also be caused by external factors, like grid issues or thunderstorms sending voltage transients through transformers and overhead power cables.

Think of a surge protection device as an electrical safety valve. During normal operation the SPD is like an open switch, allowing power to flow unimpeded. The SPD detects a sudden rise in voltage and closes almost instantaneously, creating a safe pathway to earth for the overvoltage. Once the transient has passed, the SPD re-opens automatically, and power flow continues normally.

As a leader in household power protection, ABB offers homeowners a choice of high-quality, cost-effective, and easy-to-install protection devices to safeguard home electronic appliances against surge events.


ABB's THOMESURGE and THQLSURGE Type 1 SPDs offer:

  • CSA and cULus certification for safety and compliance with Canadian standards
  • More effective protection than standard plug-in power bars
  • Convenient LED indicator for at-a-glance operational status confirmation

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Frequently Asked Questions



What is a whole house surge protector, and how does it work?
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A whole house surge protector helps safeguard electronic devices in your home from damaging voltage spikes caused by lightning or supply issues. Normally installed on a household electrical panel, a surge protection device (SPD) diverts sudden spikes safely to earth via your home’s grounding protection.

What’s the difference between a plug-in and a whole-home surge protector?
Plug-in surge protectors only shield the devices directly connected to them. Whole-home surge protectors are installed at your main electrical panel and protect everything in your house. They also handle larger voltage spikes, like those from lightning strikes, that would overwhelm a basic power strip.

Are ABB surge protectors certified for Canadian homes (CSA/UL)?
Yes. ABB’s THOMESURGE and THQLSURGE whole home surge protection devices are certified for use in Canadian homes. They’re both certified by UL (Underwriters Laboratories) and CSA (Canadian Standards Association).

How long does a surge protection device last?
The lifespan of a home surge protection device typically ranges from 5 to 10 years. However, the working life of an SPD may be significantly shortened by frequent or intense power surges caused by lightning strikes or distribution grid issues, leading to faster degradation of its internal components.

Do SPDs protect against lightning strikes?
Whole home surge protection provides protection for household electronics in the event of sudden voltage spikes, caused by events such as lightning strikes to power transmission lines and transformers in the distribution grid. However, a whole home SPD will not prevent the risk of damage to devices or fire caused by direct lightning strikes to a property.

How are whole house surge protectors installed?
For maximum protection and peace of mind, it’s wisest to have whole home surge protection installed by a licensed electrician. They’ll normally fit the SPD to your main electrical household panel, normally within the first couple of slots on the panel that are adjacent to the main breaker. This ensures optimal protection by minimizing the distance travelled by the surge before it’s safely routed to earth. Alternatively, SPDs can also be installed between the panel and the household electricity meter.

Surge protection vs grounded protection: Why your home needs both?

Learn how surge protection and grounded protection play complementary roles in home electrical safety, protecting electronics and guarding against shocks.

Read the blog


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