What is the difference between power strips and surge protectors

Both offer several outlets for plugging in multiple appliances and electronics. The difference between them is that power strips are strictly for convenience, while surge protectors do what the name implies: They protect your belongings from electrical surges.

They do that by diverting brief increases in electrical voltage to a ground line before they can reach — and damage — your electronics. Whether caused by a major voltage spike, or a low-level pulse, power surges can tear down the circuitry system in your electronics. Surge protectors are designed to prevent power surges from causing damage to the items plugged into them.

You may want to go shopping for a surge protector. Rated by the amount of joules of energy they can absorb, surge protectors carry various ratings. For smaller electronics, like printers and smartphones, a rating of 1,, joules is sufficient. How can you tell the difference? Surge protectors will have a rating in Joules of energy showing the maximum voltage it can handle from a power spike.

You can find those numbers on the box or strip itself. If there are no numbers listed, it is just a power strip. Surge protectors may cost you a little more than a power strip, but just remember they save you thousands in protection.

So what should be plugged into a surge protector? Your more expensive devices, such as your computer, flat-screen televisions, stereo systems, etc. Best External Hard Drives. Browse All News Articles. Smart TVs Ads. Team Comes to Workplace by Meta. Block People Spotify. Verizon Selling PS5. Windows 11 SE Explained. Windows 11 SE.

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