How to Install a Surge Arrestor on a Circuit

If your house--like millions of other houses in the United States--is filled with personal computers, large screen televisions, portable telephones and any other electronic equipment with microcircuits, then power surges are your worst enemy. Surges can destroy the fine circuitry in all of these items. One way to ensure this doesn't happen is to install a surge arrestor on a circuit in the main electrical panel. Read on to learn how to install a surge arrestor on a circuit.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Turn off the main power breaker in the electrical panel. Unscrew the panel cover and set aside.

2. Remove the breaker from the circuit you wish to protect. Disconnect it from the wiring.

3. Install the surge arrestor in the following manner: attach it to the red and black wires of the circuit from where you removed the breaker in Step Two. Then attach the white wire in the back of the arrestor to the neutral bus bar and the neutral wire to the panel's ground bus.

4. Snap the surge arrestor into an empty slot in the panel by pushing it into the bus bar tabs, as you would install a standard breaker.

5. Screw the panel cover back into place and turn on the main breaker. A red or green light on the surge arrestor will indicate it is working properly.

Tips & Warnings

• Though you are attaching the surge arrestor to only one circuit, the whole house will be protected.
• For added protection, install individual surge arrestors that plug into each outlet that powers the equipment you wish to protect from power surges.
• If you have a sub-panel in addition to a main electrical panel, install a surge arrestor on the sub-panel as well.
• Always consult with a licensed electrician if you are unsure about making any electrical repairs or upgrades.
• With the main breaker off, power will still remain in the panel at the point where it meets the main breaker.