re: Surge Protector/ Power Strip for Home office recommendations?

You are asking right questions by asking for numbers. Many who recommend have no idea what these numbers are.

Surges (lightning is only one example) mean protection must somehow harmlessly dissipate hundreds of thousands of joules. Facilities that cannot have damage, even over 100 years ago, routinely did that using a well proven technology originally demonstrated by Franklin over 250 years ago.

A plug-in protector must either 'block' or 'absorb' that surge. How does its 2 cm protector part block what three miles of sky cannot? Obviously it cannot.

How do hundreds or thousand joules inside a tiny protector 'absorb' hundreds of thousands of joules? This can happen: LINK

Your telco CO will suffer about 100 surges with each storm. How often is your town without phone service for four days after every storm while they replace that switching computer? Never? Exactly. Because direct lightning strikes without damage is that routine for as long as telephones have existed.

A typical home may see one potentially destructive surge every seven years. That informed homwowner spends about $1 per protected appliance to protect from all surges including lightning. By using products from other companies known for integrity. By using products that make a low impedance (ie less than 10 foot) connection to single point earth ground. Where do hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate? Earth ground. Just like Franklin demonstrated over 250 years ago.

That says what has always worked and what most consumers do not know due to education from advertising, wild speculation, hearsay, and subjective reasoning (no numbers).

Lightning is typically 20,000 amps. So a minimal 'whole house' protector (for about $1 per appliance) is 50,000 amps. Because protectors must connect even direct lightning strikes to earth - and not fail.

Code requires TV cable, telephone, etc to all have effective protection. Every wire inside every incoming cable must make that low impedance (ie less than 3 meter) connection to earth. AC electric is not required to have that protection.

Go to any big box hardware store or electrical supply house. Ask for their 'whole house' protector. Technology is so old as to sell as a commodity. Verify it is at least 50,000 amps.

This is installed on breaker box or meter pan. Or even rented from the AC electric company. That is the protector. But it only does something useful when connected low impedance (ie hardwire does not go up over a foundation and down to electrodes) to what needs most of your attention - single point earth ground.

That summarizes what works, what is also less expensive, what must be learned, and what is necessary. If any one appliance needs protection, then every household appliance (dishwasher, clocks, refrigerator, dimmer switches, garage door opener, central air, GFCIs, and smoke detectors) needs that protection.

Plenty more question should result. Only introduced is a simpler and reliable solution that means direct lightning strikes without damage even to a protector. So that protection remains functional for many decades.

Effective protection always answers this question. Where do hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate? A protector is only as effective as the item that does the protection - single point earth ground.

Wall receptacle safety ground is not earth ground. No plug-in protector has an earth ground connection; is ineffective protection. It can even compromise what is better protection already inside appliances. Read spec numbers from a UPS. Even less protection.