Power surges come from lightning, utility switching, big motors cycling on, and bad neutrals. Stopping them needs the right kind of protector at the right place.
Type 1 — service entrance
Installed at the meter base, before electricity even enters your home. Handles the biggest surges (direct lightning hits, transformer failures). Required for some commercial setups, optional for residential.
Best for: Lightning-prone properties, rural areas with overhead lines, multi-unit buildings.
Type 2 — whole-home panel mount
This is the one most homeowners need. Installs inside or beside your main electrical panel and protects every circuit in the house from one device. Handles 80,000+ amps of surge capacity.
Best for: Almost every residential setup. Single best surge-protection upgrade you can make.
Schneider Square D and Eaton are the brands we install. See pricing.
Type 3 — point of use
Plug-in surge strips and battery-backup UPSs. Protect a single outlet or device. Limited surge capacity (~1,000–3,500 joules) — fine for sensitive electronics behind a Type 2 but inadequate as your only protection.
Best for: Computers, TVs, gaming setups — in addition to (not instead of) a Type 2.
The right setup for most homes
- Type 2 whole-home protector at your panel ($600–$900 installed).
- Type 3 strips on your computer, TV, and home office gear.
The Type 2 stops the surge before it reaches anything. The Type 3 catches the tiny residual that gets through and adds a battery backup for clean shutdowns.
What surge protectors don’t do
- Don’t protect against under-voltage (brownouts) — that’s what UPS battery backup is for.
- Don’t last forever — the metal-oxide varistors inside wear out with each surge they absorb. Replace every 10–15 years.
- Don’t protect data — ethernet, coax, phone, and cable lines also conduct surges. Modern panel-mount Type 2 units include coax and ethernet inputs for whole-home coverage.
Get a free Copper Bee quote or contact us with the details and we’ll write back the same business day.