Is My System Toast?

@jea48 

I apreciate the limitations of my EP and your Eaton devices. Could you be more specific in terms of a recommendation for a whole house prolonged voltage spike protector? That is, do you have a manufacturer and a model number?

Could you be more specific in terms of a recommendation for a whole house prolonged voltage spike protector? That is, do you have a manufacturer and a model number?

I am not aware of one that would work like a whole house Type 2 SPD, (Surge Protection Device). 

How would you clamp a temporary, sustained, overvoltage? The overvoltage surge is real available power... A temporary, sustained, overvoltage event could last seconds, minutes or longer... It’s not like a high voltage transient surge that has a life span in microseconds. (Going from memory the Eaton Type 2 SPD reacts to a high voltage transient surge in one nano second or less. That’s fast!  And that’s why the big name manufacturers use Multiple MOVs in their Type 2 SPDs. 

Not all temporary, sustained overvoltage events are caused from Utility Power coming back on Line. (And that doesn’t happen every time.) Some overvoltage events are caused by high voltage power lines coming down on low voltage power lines. Causes? Wind, fires, falling big tree limbs, vehicles hitting power poles.

Then another, more localized temporary, sustained overvoltage event is a loose and or corroded, or open, neutral service conductor. This can be at the secondary side of the Utility Power Transformer, at the overhead service weather head connection, in the meter socket, or at the main electrical service equipment panel. A loose and or corroded, or open, service neutral can take out audio equipment pretty quick. Along with any other electronic devices on the higher voltage Hot leg.

The electricity in my town went out the other day for a short time.

Town ? Not City? Small town? May be with its own Generating Power Plant? 

@jea48 

So it appears that this kind of protection is only available for an individual outlet.

I continue to suggest a whole house and individual surge protectors are better than nothing,

I agree on a whole house Type 2 SPD 

I use Tripp-Lite Ultra Type 3 point of use SPDs on the PC computer and Home theater system. Various other LED TVs I use Tripp-Lite Type 3 SPD power strips. 

(FYI,The branch circuit wiring length must be a minimum of 30ft to use a type 3 point of use SPD. That is now a requirement in the 2023 NEC. It has been a UL requirement for at least a few years. Impedance and inductance matters in the branch circuit wiring when using a plug in Type 3 point of use SPD.)

 The whole house Type 2  SPD must be installed per best practices.

The majority of high voltage transient surges in a home are caused by electrical appliances and electrical equipment found in the home.

For lightning protection a low resistance Grounding Electrode system is also needed. IEEE recommends 5 ohms or less for commercial and industrial facilities. 

NEC just says if the electrode to soil resistance "is measured" it shall be 25 ohms or less. Way to high... The lower the grounding electrode to soil resistance the quicker the high voltage lightning transient is diverted to Mother Earth. Simple Ohms Law.  

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This got me thinking about my generator and what kind of surge protector they put on it. Turns out it is a "Type 1 Service entrance rated 100000 surge amp hybrid MOV/gas tube surge protector" in an "NEMA 6 enclosure". Or at least that's what's on the invoice. 
From Grok:

Type 1 SPD

• Installed ahead of the main breaker, between the utility meter and your service panel.
• Designed to handle direct or nearby lightning strikes and utility switching surges.
• Can often be installed without a dedicated breaker.
• Highest exposure to incoming surges.

I guess they are available to mere mortals. Purchase price $170.