Surge Protection

To hi-jack this thread-

If a home has a non-grounded wiring system (1952) and surge protector(s) will not protect components without a ground, will a power-up with a surge protection device @ the new panel possibly prevent outside power surges until the home is rewired ($$$)?

 

What is a power-up? You cannot prevent power surges from outside the home, but a whole house surge suppression device, properly installed at the service panel, will prevent them from causing damage.

 

Service upgrade, i.e. 100A to a 200A service (breaker panel).

The home is wired 2-wire with no ground presently.

Will a service/panel upgrade (with proper grounding) allow a surge protection device @ service entry to provide electronic device(s) protection within the home from outside surges until the home can be rewired to three wire service?

THANX!

 

No need to upgrade your current service. It should already be grounded and will with a whole surge protector provide the same protection as a new service.

I think you are confusing GEC* and EGC**. Your receptacles don't have EGC which is needed for individual receptacle protection but whole house relies on GEC. Any panel from even 60 years ago should have GEC and bonding***. Even if not it can be easily added.

*GEC, Ground Electrode Conductor, is for atmospheric charge protection. It consists of one are more ground rods and or a connection to the water pipes if they are metal.

**EGC, Equipment grounding conductor, is a low resistance to clear shorts to the metal of equipment or fixtures by tripping a breaker (or fuse). It can be used as a path for localized surged protection because it is connected to the GEC at the main panel (or in some case meter).

***Bonding is connecting metal plumbing to the GEC and EGC at the main panel to prevent a voltage difference between neutral or ground and the pipes.

 

The size of the service has no bearing in this case. A larger service just allows more loads to be used at the same time.

 

That's what I needed to know.

The upgrade is planned as to allow more capacity in the house as it is rewired and new circuits added.

I appreciate it gentlemen...