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What meter socket surge protector?

toyotadriver

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Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
1,586
I'm close to installing the power to my shop building and the power will also eventually feed the house. I would like to install a meter socket surge protector. The local power utility would like me to lease one for $4.75 a month. It's a Sycom unit. I found a Leviton unit to purchase for $209. At $57 per year, it's less than 4 years to pay off the price of purchasing one.

So, I lean toward buying a unit.

What do you recommend and where to buy it?
 
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pattenp

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Jun 4, 2008
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10,175
Location
Virginia - USA
I went the purchase route and put one off my main breaker box. I got a Leviton unit that was around $200. I don't like leasing stuff like that if I can buy it.
 

Gooch

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May 30, 2009
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676
Location
Petersberg, IA
one lightning strike and that thing will be garbage(and really, that's about all it's there for), if you buy it, it's your dime to replace it(including labor) if it's the utility, they replace it free of charge. I don't like leasing but sometimes it just makes sense.
 
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toyotadriver

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Dec 30, 2010
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From what I can tell, it looks like it has a lifetime warranty so if it takes a hit, I would tend to believe that they would replace it for free or nearly free.
 
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bassman

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Feb 13, 2005
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198
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florida
Sycom is great stuff, its what I install, and many utilities. Sycom also will replace it if it gets smoked.
 

Teken

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Joined
Jan 2, 2010
Messages
8,214
Location
The Bad Lands
I'm close to installing the power to my shop building and the power will also eventually feed the house. I would like to install a meter socket surge protector. The local power utility would like me to lease one for $4.75 a month. It's a Sycom unit. I found a Leviton unit to purchase for $209. At $57 per year, it's less than 4 years to pay off the price of purchasing one.

So, I lean toward buying a unit.

What do you recommend and where to buy it?

Sycom is great stuff, its what I install, and many utilities. Sycom also will replace it if it gets smoked.

If the POCO is offering you a Sycom unit for lease please go this route. The Sycom unit is used in almost every major USA / Canadian market place.

That says a lot for the performance aspects of the device . . . I too am not a fan of leasing any sort of gear as I like to own the things I have. But, in this case letting the POCO take the hit and the warranty is a no brainer.

Unlike going after market . . . If it dies you will have to call the POCO out to kill the power anyways. This will cost you dollars to do since they don't own it. Then you will have to ship it out on your own ticket and out of pocket expense.

Then, you will have to wait for the endless bull **** and answer 25 questions of *was this installed by a certified electrician, where is your receipt, was this caused due to a direct hit, if so you're fucked*

With the leased POCO unit . . . Its fucked, you call the POCO, they bring you out a new one with no down time or costs to you!

In my mind this is the true no brainer and is the best value in the long run. If you live in *Lightning Alley* this is the ONLY solution to use!

Teken . . .
 

cowboyjosh

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Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Messages
1,066
Our POCO doesn't even offer surge protectors at the meter pedestal; they have to be on the main panel on your dime. I have a bad *** NEMA 3R Leviton on the main feed thru panel on the outside of the house, then on the 2 panels in the basement, each has a Square D QO secondary surge breaker installed.

My favorite surge protection quote "Surge protectors are allot like birth control, you don't know when its worked, but you sure as hell know when it didn't".
 
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