smorgasbord Posted June 20, 2020 Posted June 20, 2020 (edited) I know the rule is to not use surge suppression power strips, but how can one test to see if the power strip you're using is filtering or not? Many devices are dual-band so I don't know if they're using RF instead. It's really hard to find anything that doesn't say "surge protection" on them, even the $6 cheapies advertise it. Maybe the cheapies can't actually protect and so don't actually filter? Can anyone give me an Amazon link to something suitable? I've got about 4 IOLincs that I need to connect (if I have to use small extension cords on them due to outlet spacing, I will). Thanks! EDIT: I found this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083K4CHPV Can anyone confirm Insteon suitability? Edited June 20, 2020 by smorgasbord
xlurkr Posted June 20, 2020 Posted June 20, 2020 I live near several Fry's stores in the SF Bay Area, and over the years I've bought several Shaxon-brand power strips that have no surge protection functionality. I just checked their website, and it looks like they still carry lots of models that they'll ship anywhere.. In my experience, the longer power strips are more likely to be vanilla, unless they state otherwise. Like this one: https://www.frys.com/product/6820356?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG -Tom
oberkc Posted June 20, 2020 Posted June 20, 2020 9 hours ago, smorgasbord said: Can anyone confirm Insteon suitability? I see nothing that mentions surge protection or other active electronics. I use several like that. Looks good to me.
Brian H Posted June 20, 2020 Posted June 20, 2020 (edited) Power strips like the one you linked to. Don't normally have any AC spike suppression or noise filtering in them. It is the filtering components in the surge strip that can absorb the Insteon power line signals. Mine had a .1uF AC rated capacitor across the AC input. That absorbed the signals. I removed them. It can be very confusing as you have seen. Some surge strips just have the MOV across the AC input and maybe each AC input line to the ground pin. They would work fine as there is no filter across the AC to kill the signals. I have seen that type with no filter. No surge mentioned on the package meant no filter or surge suppression. Watch the AC input for many UPS units. They frequently have a nice big capacitor across the AC input. So they too can kill the signals. I have mine feed through a FilterLinc and my PLM in the front unfiltered output. From the description on the strip you are looking at. It is a nice metal cased AC power strip and doesn't have a filter or surge features built in. Edited June 20, 2020 by Brian H
larryllix Posted June 20, 2020 Posted June 20, 2020 (edited) I have one of those I bought under a different name in a surplus store here. I don't detect any Insteon signal problems with it for Insteon devices connected beside it. I have never used Insteon devices plugged into it, though. Nice bars, with a little more space between each socket. I use a FilterLinc on each GDO and an I/OLinc plugged into each unfiltered receptacle on them. One Chamberlain MyQ GDO had crippled my whole Insteon system, so I know the FilterLincs must block Insteon interference very well. Edited June 20, 2020 by larryllix
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