Surge Protection for Whole Home

• 

  mskeggs on 24/09/2025 - 18:06

  +3

  Do you need this? In my life there has been one event where a device was damaged, and it was when the neighbour's tree was felled by lightning.
  I know some rural places have very long copper runs to the power distribution, but only 2% of people live there.

  • 

    bargaino on 24/09/2025 - 18:35

    Yep. The only time I ever had surge damage was in a thunderstorm, from the phone line.
    Not a problem since fibre.

  • 

    boomramada on 24/09/2025 - 19:24

    And none for my lifetime.

• 

  tenpercent on 24/09/2025 - 19:24

  +2

  As others have intimated, it's highly unlikely you'll need it.
  I assume you have appropriate contents insurance?
  The most I would do is surge protect wherever you plug in your computer/phone because insurance can't replace your data. But I'm not even sure that's necessary.

• 

  Far Cough on 24/09/2025 - 20:38

  +1

  ive lived through a lot of storms, blackouts, heavy thunder/lightening, and never had an issue with power surges

• 

  Shitforbrains on 24/09/2025 - 23:20

  +2

  When our house was being built we asked them to include surge protection at the switchboard. The builder's electrician installed a Clipsal SPD.

  My family also uses surge protected power boards for computers and network equipment, and uninterruptible power supplies for the CCTV system and the NAS.

• 

  joka on 25/09/2025 - 05:58

  +1

  None of this matters if the house burns down or a giant tree comes crashing down on the house.

• 

  geekcohen on 25/09/2025 - 06:33

  +2

  Just install power surge protectors in areas where you need them to protect your expensive equipment. I got one on my good fridge and then all my electronic/computer/IT stuff. Never had an issue.

  I know of people in regional areas who have had issues during storms and taken out a power supply of some sort (most of the time it is the Router Power Supply). A surge protector powerboard or power block is self-installing and will do the job just fine. No need to spend extra and get an electrician to fit it.

  An alternative is to change powerpoints to surge protected GPOs but that could be just as expensive as doing it within the switchboard.

• 

  boomramada on 25/09/2025 - 08:09

  +1

  They are not that expensive, so why not ask a sparky for a recommendation, rather than from some bargain site where people usually patch their own power switches?

  https://directwholesale.com.au/products/hager-surge-protecti…

  • 

    GEMINI on 25/09/2025 - 12:03

    +1

    for a standard SPD, sparky wanted $250 supply & install - Melbourne metro.

    Our TV was repaired twice as it was plugged directly in socket. One under warranty & 2nd time LG honoured it.

    I agree chances are low, but if house is protected for couple of hundred bucks, it's a good insurance. I don't want to make home insurance claim as next premium would go higher.

    • 

      boomramada on 25/09/2025 - 14:17

      Damn, you are unlucky. Go with what Sparky suggested. For reference, what happened? blown fuse or fried mb?

      • 

        GEMINI on 25/09/2025 - 15:25

        they changed MB once & some components the other time.

• 

  AustriaBargain on 25/09/2025 - 11:22

  +1

  I'd rather have more circuits so if one does trip it knocks fewer other things out.