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QUESTION:

My modem recently bit the dust and I was told that its demise was caused by a power surge. But I had it on a surge protector. Any ideas on this and also if I got a UPS, would that be any better?

ANSWER:

You've found out the hard way that not all surge protectors are created equal. I've seen so-called protectors selling for under $10 and you'll certainly get what you pay for. Many are no more than glorified power strips that give you extra power sockets. A well engineered surge protector is going to cost you around $30 or more. And you should look for certain features before making your choice.

Suppression technology can vary widely. Certain components such as an MOV can actually wear out electronically as they are subjected to daily power surges. Some protectors have an indicator to let you know it is operational. But a poorly engineered device might have a misleading indicator. Your best bet is to buy a well known name brand protector whose manufacturer has proven itself and backs up its product.

Panamax has been in the surge suppression business for over 23 years with all of its protectors bearing the UL approval. Its latest series, the Powermax 8 comes in four models and is designed for home and office use. All Powermax 8 models starting with the basic unit ($29.95) offer 8 widely spaced sockets that accommodate those annoying transformer "bricks" at the end of many electronic power cords. Two indicators show that the surge protection is working and that your electrical outlet is properly grounded. If not properly grounded and when hit with a power surge, there would be no place for a protector to dissipate the excess charge.

Another nice feature is the Panamax "Protect or Disconnect" circuitry. Most protectors will continue to let electricity flow even if their suppression circuitry isn't working. The Protect or Disconnect idea is to disable the Powermax if it cannot protect your equipment. If it isn't protecting, your equipment won't turn on. That's the best indicator of all since you may not be able to see a warning light if the unit is in a typical behind the desk location.

But probably the best Panamax feature isn't an electronic one. If any equipment plugged into one of their units is destroyed, Panamax will fix or replace it up to $100,000. As to your UPS question, most units have some sort of surge suppression but in many cases, your expensive UPS can be damaged from a power surge. So plugging the UPS into a Panamax protector does two things. It gives you more surge protection and it brings the UPS itself under the Panamax insurance umbrella. Now you have the best of all worlds. Uninterrupted power when needed, added surge protection and insurance that covers all of it in case of surge damage.

The Powermax 8Tel ($39.95) adds suppression protection for your modem since the phone line can be a conduction of damaging power spikes. Simply plug the modem into the unit and use the provided phone cord to plug from the unit into the wall.

The Powermax 8Coax ($49.95) is ideal for cable modems or other home audio/video equipment with two female "F" coax connectors.

The Powermax 8 DBS+3 ($99.95) is the top of the line model offering protection for a direct broadcast satellite system with 3 pairs of coax connectors (one satellite box, 2 cable box lines) and one telephone line for satellite pay-per-view access.

Panamax (800) 472-5555 or (415) 499-3900 www.panamax.com