Is it Safe to Place a Surge Protector on a Wall Unit?

How it Works

• A surge protector works via the means of a breaker, just like those placed in common breaker boxes found in residential and commercial settings. When there is a power spike, most surge protectors divert the excess electricity to the ground wire. Others use inductor banks, as well as capacitors and resistors that push the excess power to the neutral wire. In most cases, the surge protector will automatically switch to the “Off” position, requiring manual reactivation. However, more expensive variants do this automatically.

Power Strip

• A power strip can be plugged into any other outlet, which means you can place this type of surge protector anywhere you want. As such, it can be used on a wall unit, as long as you mount it in some fashion so that it remains on the wall. The only restriction is that you need to be close to a physical outlet so that you can plug the surge protector into the electrical outlet for power to the strip itself.

Direct Wiring

• If you are dealing with a direct wire power surge protector on a wall unit, it is wired in place similar to a breaker box. However, only licensed professionals with the proper requirements at a local level should perform this task to ensure it is up to city, county and state codes for electrical work. Directly wiring a surge protector unit into a wall setting should never be done by an amatuer.

Safety Concerns

• Because surge protectors are designed to shunt power away to the neutral or ground wires, which are, in turn, connected to the ground wires for the home, there is no risk of fire or other damage when the surge protector is placed in a wall setting. Any excess power will automatically be diverted to the ground outside of the home, where it is rendered inert. As such, you can place a surge protector on a wall unit just as safely as you can for the floor or any other area, so long as it is connected properly.