Hey all, I'm new around here and hoping you can help me.

My home is over 100 years old and over time, the electrical has been upgraded. Some power outlets have the 2 wire electrical with no ground and others have the 3 wire electrical with a ground.

I seen a GE THQLSURGE whole home surge protector at Home Depot for $50 bucks and decided to pick it up. Once I got it home and read the manual, it says that "This PSP is not suitable for installation on single-phase two-wire 120V AC systems"

My question is, since I have a mix of some 3-wire outlets and some 2-wire outlets, does this just mean that I can still install the protector and it'll only protect the 3-wire outlets, or does it mean that it's not safe for me to install the surge protector at all? I can't find product support on GE's site for help on this topic.

 

A surge suppressor requires a ground wire (equipment grounding conductor).

If the ground wire is present at the location where you install the surge suppressor, then the surge suppressor will be okay and will protect the 2 prong receptacles also.

 

Single phase 2 wire systems mean you only have two wires in coming from the meter and can't have 240 volt loads. Most likely if your service was upgraded you are good.

 

What you have is a surge protector that takes the space of a 2-pole circuit breaker in a GE panel. Assuming you have a GE panel and have a 120/240V service (99.9% of homes have a 120/240V service) you should have no problems with the unit.

 

That's a big assumption, the OP never mentioned who the manufacturer of his electric panel was.

 

Does not matter if any branch circuit is two wire or three. Safety grounds are completely irrelevant to what makes a THQLSURGE work. Your total concern and attention should focus only on what does protection. Only earth ground absorbs those hundreds of thousands of joules. Both an electrode and how short that wire routes are critically important.

THQLSURGE is only a connecting device. It does not do protection. Instead it connects surges to what absorbs hundreds of thousands of joules. However if that ground wire goes up over the foundation and down to earth, then protection is compromised. That wire is too long (excessive impedance). Has sharp bends over the foundation. Is bundled with other non-grounding wires. Key to protection is not a connecting device - that protector. Key is what does protection. What sucks up hundreds of thousands of joules so that no surge is anywhere inside the house. That means a low impedance (ie 'less than 10 foot') connection to single point earth ground.

Earth defines protection on all branch circuits (two wire or three) for each surge. Protector spec number defines protector life expectancy for many surges. That protector should be 50,000 amps or larger.

 

Casual Joe, that's not a very big assumption in relation to all the rest of the assuming I have read on this forum. I mean its not like when guys assume the ability of the OP's and suggest working in live panels or tinkering with gas lines.

In fact its a fair assumption since the OP mentioned purchasing a GE surge suppressor.

 

When you have followed this forum for a while you'll notice that many posters have questions about purchasing circuit breakers when they have no idea who manufactured their own panel. You'll also see pictures of panels with a variety of breakers from different manufacturers that shouldn't be in that particular panel. The OP hasn't returned since his original post, I'd still like to know the manufacturer of his panel. It could very well be a GE panel or it could also be a Murray, Bryant, Challenger, Sylvania, Zinsco or even a Federal Pacific.