Surge Protectors & Power Conditioners

@rpmpam 

I purchased a Shunyata Research Everest 8000/T, after reading the glowing reviews.  I have no regrets.  It lowered my noise floor.  Everything sounds better;  Nothing sounds worse.

I got a good deal on a floor model, when the store brought in Shunyata Research's new flagship, the Everest-X.  Supposedly that new model is noticeably better.  I have no way to know for sure.

The Everest power distributors will protect all of your connected equipment.  Also, it has a power reserve, for musical transients.  That takes care of millisecond amp clipping.

The Everest units lower the noise floor, mostly by stopping electrical noise that is generated from your own stereo's boxes.  Every box generates electrical noise, resulting in your stereo being awash in its own electrical noise.

One of  the other brands mentioned in this thread does not do anything with electrical noise traveling from box to box.

You might think you have no electrical noise, until you remedy it.  You will hear each of your boxes at its best.

It will also handle noise from the wall, and suppress surges.  But the wall is not the main source of electrical noise.

Lastly, the Everest models have a lifetime warranty.  That speaks highly of its quality, and the confidence that the company engineered into it.

One of the other brands mentioned in this thread has (I believe) a 2 or 3 year warranty.  And I have heard stories of warranty claims being a bumpy road.

If you can budget the Everest-X you will not be sorry.

Note that you will need a quality power cord for that unit.  That would mean an Omega-X power cord (flagship model).  I purchased the Sigma-X power cord (one step down from the Omega-X).

ok, Architect here, 

there is no reason you can't get a dedicated power circuit to your system, even if you are on a slab. Any qualified electrician can do this for you. They will run it in the attic and fish it through a wall cavity. 

As for voltage spikes, I have a similar issue. We are just across the James River from the Surry Nuclear power plant. In the mornings, my voltage at the wall is right around 120, but at night it can go up to 127 volts and sometimes it can drop to 116 volts around the middle of the day. These are not spikes, they are predictable and consistent. I have a limiter on my HVAC system so it doesn't code out every day. 

To combat the voltage changes throughout the day I've installed a Variant Transformer to each side of my system - (mono blocks on each side of the room). These transformers have a digital readout and I keep them around 116 volts to keep from melting my tubes. They work great for this, but will not protect for the spikes, for that I use quality surge protectors at the outlet. 

Power conditioners are another story for another day - for me.

@spenav  + 1

 Type 1 SPD at the meter.

 Type 2 UL Listed/Certified SPD at the main electrical panel.

If by chance the audio equipment is fed from a sub panel IEEE recommends a Type 2 SPD there as well.

I also have the Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA SPD.

Installation instructions  ( Install the SPD as close to the incoming Power Lines, Legs, Main breaker, as possible to the 2 pole breaker the two Line SPD leads will connect to. The shorter the leads the better. Avoid sharp bends. Look at the photos in the link.  

Another good Type 2 SPD is the Siemens FSPD 140KA.

Siemens FSPD140 140kA   

Point of use Type 3 is also recommended by IEEE. 

/ / /

@rpmpam 

Mother Earth grounding is very important for the SPD to function as designed to protect from a near by lightning strike high voltage transients. The lower the Grounding Electrode, (a ground rod for example), to earth soil resistance the better. Simple OHMS LAW...

IEEE recommends 5 OHMS or less for commercial electrical services. NEC code says, if tested , 25 Ohms or less. (25 ohms is way to high for the SPD to divert the high voltage lightning transients fast to mother earth. (a lightning high voltage transient(s) lasts, is over, in less than a blink of an eye), Again simple OHMS LAW.)   NEC says if the Grounding Electrode to soil resistance is greater than 25 ohms it shall be augmented by one additional electrode, driven ground rod. (NEC minimum size ground rod is 5/8" X 8ft). No further testing is required by NEC. A very good chance not by your electrical inspector either. Electrical contractors just have the electrician drive two rods, connected together and install a bare solid #6awg copper wire and connect it to the electrical service’s Service Entrance Neutral Conductor and both are bonded to the metal enclosure of the main service equipment, electrical panel. Service is grounded, meets NEC and any local electrical codes.   

So what is your actual Grounding Electrode to soil resistance? I have never heard of a residential electrical contractor spending the money to test the resistance. Drive two 5/8" X 8ft ground rods in the earth and they are done. Move on to the next job and never look back...

In Florida, from reading what you said about the soil, the rod to soil resistance might measure 50 ohms, 100 ohms, or more ??? . What are the chances of adding an additional ground rod will lower the resistance to 25 ohms? Which is still to high for the SPD.  

 Something else, a low Grounding Electrode to soil resistance of 5 ohms or less will help do. In the event of a utility high voltage power line coming in contact with the low voltage power lines feeding your house.

(NOTE NO SPD will protect from a utility high voltage power Line coming into contact with your power Lines feeding your house event. IF the Grounding Electrode to earth soil resistance is low it will help drain the high voltage to the Earth. The Electrical Circuit? ... All them ground rods driven into earth. All are paths through the earth back to the Utility Company’s grounded high voltage power source.) 

From what you said about the soil where you live I doubt driving addional ground rod(s) 8ft each in the earth and connecting them together to your existing Ground rod will do much for lowering the resistance. The only way to find out is to contact a reputable commercial Electrical Contractor in you area. Good chance he may not own the testing equipment required. He will have the phone number of a Power Quality Company he uses. 

After the Power Quality Tech evaluates your situation he will give the Electrical Contractor his recommendations for a 5 ohms or less ground rod installation. (If, that’s what you or the Electrical contractor and or the Power Quality Tech recommends.)

My guess is one ground rod driven deeper into the earth at one location near the electrical service’s main service equipment. 

Depth? Here I would use 5/8" X 10ft ground rods. The Power Quality Tech might tell me to drive 20ft into the earth and call him back to test the resistance. At that point I would probably respond it would be cheaper to drive three coupled 10ft rods in to the ground and then give the Tech a call to come and test the ground rod to soil resistance. 30ft deep may do the job and measure 5 ohms, or less. If not, add another 10ft rod. Check rod to soil resistance again.

This works for me in West Palm Beach:  FP&L supplied whole house surge protection and insurance and PS Audio P20.  I was going to have a separate 20 amp circuit installed, but have not required it. 

@rpmpam I too, highly recommend Audioquest Niagara 3000, 5000 or 7000 power conditioners/surge protection, which truly are non-power restricting for amplifiers (the closest to true non-power restricting for amplifiers that I’ve experienced in over 25 years of experimenting with power conditioners).  I also use an upgraded AC wall outlet, an Audioquest NRG Edison 15 high-performance 15-amp (they also come in 20-amp version) AC wall outlet.  I use a high quality power cable (Audioquest Hurricane high-current) to connect from the Audioquest wall outlet, to my Audioquest Niagara 3000 power conditioner, then I plug all the rest of my auxiliary components, including my amplifier, into my Audioquest Niagara 3000 power conditioner.  The Audioquest power conditioners all have special high-current outlets on their back panels, which are specially and specifically designed for high current amplifiers.  After over 25 years of experimenting with various power conditioners/surge protection and power cables which work best with them, the Audioquest solution described above, was the combination that became my long-term, reference solution.  Happy listening.