Basic 4-1-1:
In the words of Sir Isaac Newton, "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." So true—just look at the world of consumer electronics. The prices of video products have fallen. In reaction, the power- conditioning category has emerged, offering resellers a viable product selection that stems the erosion of revenues to provide a profitable attachment sale.
From the consumer perspective, the benefit is that they can protect their A/V, computer and other components from enduring any damage from an electrical surge, spike or brownout. The category’s high-performance products provide additional features such as voltage regulation and line filtration that can theoretically improve the playback of their systems.
Pluses/Minuses:
Power conditioning is like many other consumer-electronics categories; it’s hard to quantify the exact level of benefit the products offer. Nevertheless, even the most basic power-conditioning products will provide some level of surge protection, but this protection degrades over time as the circuitry wears out. Also, most power conditioners are placed in series within an electrical circuit. This means that if there are any ground-loop issues the power conditioner will not help to eliminate the problem.
Installation 4-1-1:
The majority of power conditioners available through consumer-electronics manufacturers are offered in 15A (ampere) and 20A versions, and they simply plug into a home’s electrical outlets. Many manufacturers recommend that to achieve maximum performance from these products it’s best to have a licensed electrician run a dedicated 20A line to the room the power conditioner is located. Many of these products can also be mounted into an equipment rack where they can coexist with otherA/V components.
Other models can install inside a wall before the walls are put up, and other models are designed specifically to protect the entire home at the electrical box and are installed at the point where the main line feeds into the house. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) often certifies these models and they provide whole-house surge protection. These products require professional installation by a licensed electrician.
Cost 4-1-1:
Power conditioners can be found for as little as $5 each or as expensive as $10,000. The cheap power strips utilize a technology known as metal-oxide varistors (MOV), which are known as a self-sacrificing circuit design that eventually dies over time. More expensive products feature a variety of circuit designs that protect against surges without any of the limitations of MOV circuits, and include line filtering technologies that remove line noise, voltage regulation to ensure that anything plugged into the device receives a consistent 120 volts, and anti-current limiting power technologies.
The cost of these products ranges from about $1,000 to $3,000. Meanwhile, they plug into any 15A or 20A outlet.
Profit 4-1-1:
One of the reasons why electronics professionals really like the power- conditioning category is because it is profitable. Once a homebuilder or electronics professional moves beyond the entry-level power strips that are available nearly anywhere, there is a growing list of products that offer margins that range from 30 percent to 50 percent.
Warranty 4-1-1:
Warranties are a tricky issue with power conditioners due to several factors, which include usage, lengths of ownership terms and insurance claims that relate to monetary retribution in the event of a destructive power surge.
Dick McCarthy, president and co-founder of Richard Gray’s Power Company, a New Orleans, La.-based power-conditioning manufacturer, advises builders and electronics professionals to do their homework and to read any product warranty fine print to ensure they understand the entire scope of coverage any product offers.
More 4-1-1:
Additional information on the category and specific products can be found at these Web sites:
www.cepro.com
www.electronichouse.com