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Belkin Surge Protector


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#1
SillyLilly

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I just bought a Belkin surge protector that says I can't plug it into an extension cord, because that will render any warranties void. It must be plugged directly into the wall outlet. Is that really necessary? Why would it not protect my stuff if it's connected to an extension cord? Cuz none of my outlets are close enough to reach without an extension.
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#2
Neil Jones

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Because the whole point of a surge protector is that it protects against surges coming from the electricity source. Extension cords just carry through everything they get fed, and a surge protector needs to be the first point otherwise there's nothing to protect and therefore it'll just act as an extension cable on its own.

You can obtain these things in varying lengths I would have though. Perhaps you should rearrange your furniture :)
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#3
SillyLilly

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Okay, I still don't understand it. I thought it would just regulate power coming thru, and assumed it could do that no matter where it was on the line.

I may have wasted my money, because I see it's a 3 prong and I don't have any 3 prong outlets in my house either. (It's very old.) So I had to plug an adapter into the outlet and then plug in the surge protector. Is that going to keep it from doing its job?
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#4
dsenette

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So I had to plug an adapter into the outlet and then plug in the surge protector. Is that going to keep it from doing its job?

definitely....one of the main points of a surge protector is to route any grounding or surges back through to the ground in your house (which is the 3rd prong)....not having the ground means that it can't completely do it's job

Extension cords just carry through everything they get fed, and a surge protector needs to be the first point otherwise there's nothing to protect and therefore it'll just act as an extension cable on its own.

i disagree with this one.....as far as a surge or voltage fluctuation is concerned...the electricity coming out of the end of an extension cord is exactly what's coming out of the wall so if you plug the extension cord into the wall or the end of an extension cord it's going to be about the same..... i THINK that the surge protector's warranty notice has two reasons behind it...#1 if your PC is plugged into a surge protector that's on the end of a faulty extension cord...then your PC get's zapped...you're going to blame the surge protector when it was probably the extension cords fault....#2 is the possibility of attenuation issues depending on the length of the extension cord...if you put a 50 to 100 foot extension cord coiled up in the corner to go 3 extra feet from the plug you're going to add extra draw on the circuit which increases the chances of a surge....if you're using a 2 foot extension cord to make up the extra 3 feet then you won't be drawing as much and thus have less of a chance of the cord enhancing the chances of a surge
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