Knowing when to Use a Coaxial Surge Protector

A coaxial surge protector is a device that protects equipment such as satellite receivers, TVs, DVDs, CATV converters, CCTVs and even PCs and laptops from power surges caused by lighting or power failures. Unfortunately, many are still not aware of the dangers these surges have on coaxial cable lines. Therefore, know when to use a coaxial surge protector as much as possible to avoid the ill effects of power surges and lightning.

Cable TV Connections

If your television set is connected to a cable TV line, then a coaxial surge protector is definitely needed for surge protection. Television signals come from the coaxial cables that connect to the LED TV or LCD TV screen display. Because these cables do have current passing through them, devices connected to them are susceptible to the damaging effects of power surges. This is especially true in areas where thunderstorms usually occur. However, every area is susceptible to power surges at some point because these electrical imbalances may arise from other sources such as power failures. A coaxial surge protector can be connected to the coaxial cable at the point of entry in order to avoid damage to any equipment connected to the cable.

Some people may ask whether the device does have an effect on the signals being received. According to research, the device does have a minor effect on the signal, but the effect is minimal, especially if the signal is strong. In addition, it does provide a benefit because it reduces the effect of video noise that may cause problems in TV viewing.

Modems Connected to Cable Internet of Satellite Internet

Computers connected to the Internet via satellite or cable does require protection from coaxial surge protectors. Indeed, cable Internet does provide high quality and fast Internet connection. However, the modem can be damaged due to a lightning or power surge coming from an affected coaxial cable.

As with cable TV connection, the main concern of users is the effect of the device on the signal being received. There is no need to worry about this because the device does not have a very large effect on the Internet signal. In fact, the coaxial surge protector does not only provide protection from surges, it is reported that it also cleans up the signal to provide better data reception quality.

Choosing and Installing a Coaxial Surge Protector

As mentioned above, every coaxial cable connection like CAT5e or any other Ethernet cable connection should be protected by this device. In order to know the right type of equipment to connect to the surge protector, consider the line voltage, the frequency range, the connector type  (male to female or female to male), and the kind of technology used (HD TV cables need to connect to a surge protector that is connected to the ground).

To use the coaxial surge protector, simply connect one end to the coaxial cable coming from a cable TV company or Internet service provider and the other end to the coaxial cable that connects to the equipment that requires the signal.