Extension cords are not enough if you have sensitive equipment or devices prone to grounding; sometimes you have to up the electrical protection by purchasing a voltage surge protector for yourself. That’s just exactly what I’ve done three weeks ago.
It Was a Dark and Peaceful Night
It was on a Friday evening around 9 o’clock when I decided to charge my Huawei Note 10 as the battery level was running low. I plugged it onto the extension cord’s socket and just slept after a short while.
Fast forward to 6:30 in the morning, I checked up on the phone and I was surprised it didn’t charge at all.
Good thing it’s a Saturday so I went ahead and tried to buy another USB-C connector, but even that was no use. I found out it was grounded. The only conclusion I had was because of a power surge or fluctuation.
I had my phone discharged and it was running normally again after one quick charge. That’s when I decided to buy a voltage surge protector to prevent it from happening again.
A Voltage Surge Protector
But what is a voltage surge protector? It’s a type of equipment that provides clean electricity and protection from power surges for all the devices plugged into it.
Basically, it makes sure your device won’t overload and go way past toasty when the voltage spikes all the way up. It does that by cutting off the excess electricity via diversion of excess electricity to a grounding line.
Review: Panther Voltage Surge Protector
I made my way to Ace Hardware just to buy a voltage surge protector. Just a quick in and out trip. The brands I’ve browsed were Royu, Akari, Omni, and then there was Panther. It’s a familiar sight since I’ve seen this in some eateries I’ve been into.
Availability
There were plenty of variants available with a 4-outlet model, a bigger 6 outlet model like the one I have above and even the same ones but with longer cables (measured in meters). You’ll have no trouble finding a model that will suit your need.
Price
I picked this model since it’s the cheapest model with the most outlets. It only costs Php 650 which isn’t bad at all considering its size and cord length.
Packaging
The packaging is fairly standard but feels a bit cheap, nothing too fancy with just a few specifications and warnings on the back. It’s pretty easy to open too, no need for scissors.
First Impression and Performance
It feels durable as soon as you pick it up. Compared to other brands, this has some heft to it and you’ll notice they didn’t skimp on the metalwork at all. I just let the cord loose, plugged it in, and turned the switch on.
The switch is standard for most voltage surge protectors of this calibre. It has a light included which is handy if you need to switch it off while in the dark. Just a little welcome touch.
The outlets grip nicely when you plug something in. My router adapter and chargers won’t shake loose even if I tried wiggling the whole thing.
The only issue I have with it is the metal body which is in itself, a conductor. Should something go wrong with the wirings inside, there’s a chance you may get a bit of a shock.
it’s nicely made and is pretty basic. You’ll find no fancy voltage meter, but so long as it works it’s fine.
Verdict
I’ve been using this for 3 weeks and 2 days at the time of this review’s writing. So far, it holds up well despite the age of our house’s electrical wirings which is very old.
Here are also some concerns I had and tested under this time span.
Ø I expected the LED light switch to go dim or busted soon but it still glows brightly.
Ø I haven’t been electrocuted by the metal body despite testing it with wet hands.
Ø My phone didn’t encounter a case of grounding so far, and the router seems to have cooled down a little compared to when it was plugged in straight to my room’s outlet.
I’ve yet to encounter any problems, but all in all, I recommend Panther’s voltage surge protector if you need general surge protection. It’s affordable, durable, and very simple to set-up.
Rating: 8 out of 10
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