Topic: Can there be too many surge protectors?

[DaleReid]

I am taking old stuff out and replacing the rat's nest of wires where my computers and internet and all sorts of stuff come into my house.

I'm looking at putting the cable modem, the router and some switches onto a new UPS so that I don't loose feeds to my web page and other places when the rare but usual power outages occur during the storm season.

The UPS is an APC, and has surge protection on all the outlets and battery backup on three.  That's not enough, so I want to put a power strip in that everything critical is plugged into and then plug the power strip into the UPS.

I have some good quality strips also from APC, which also has surge protection in it.

Question:  Is there a downside to having a surge protected power strip plugged into a surge protected UPS?  I'm fried if I take a direct hit (proven with a nearby strike a few years ago) but I'm assuming that since surge protection is a passive device that there would be no detriment to having the plugin setup the way I described?

Thx.  Dale

[WeatherHost]

I've seen it said that you cannot (OK should not) stack surge supressors.  In a few cases, I've used basic outlet strips with no supressors.  But keep the UPS load capacity in mind.  More stuff equal less run time too.

[Bushman]

Never really thought about it but.... https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/34048/why-daisy-chaining-surge-protectors-not-recommended

[Aardvark]

The electrician suggested and i complied with a whole house surge protector.  He said it acts like a sponge and eventually will need replacing, but as for something coming into the house in the line, it is going to help me a lot, should that happen.   On our two computers, i have a Ups.  On my desk by the mac, I have a cyberpower that carries my stuff and the wife has a floor model that does her stuff.   I have my computer, modem,power to my Console, Envoy and computer goodies there.

I think what the best plan is to trace the power back to where it gets into the house, and put in the whole house, then put in the UPS units.  If you do go with a surge protector, I suggest getting a good one, such as a APC.   

in any system, protection is only as good as the weakest link.

[WeatherHost]

I added a whole house (that hopefully will work, but how do you know if it did?) that fits in two breaker spaces.  That means it bridges both legs of the 220V incoming service.  It also has 2 - 20A breakers so you're not losing the spaces like other models.

[WA7FWF]

I run a whole house surge protector, and then have surge strips and then have home built stuff where I have MOVs inside for more spike protection. I think that the whole don't daisy chain comes from the fact that most power strips are crap inside and would be hard pressed to give you 15 amps from any one outlet even if it was the only outlet in use. Good ones have good mechanical connections that are also soldered and would made with heavy wire, open a typical one up and most of the time you you will find small wire and push in connections, more than once we would have power strips fail in server racks unless you dropped the big bucks for a quality one.

[eyecue]

Its kind of like the saying that you cannot have too much water in a nuclear reactor.  There are many pros and cons. MOV (metal oxide varister) and avalanche diodes wear out.  Coils  and chokes don't. Neither does insurance. 

[Aardvark]

I just installed a yberpowr CP1500pfclcd unit for my computer, modem, outside camera dvr, and computer.  might even get a chance to see how it flies as we have a severe thunderstorm warning until 3 am.  wheeeeeee