FURMAN Power Conditioner

[ty]

Furman is one of the leading Power Conditioners in the Music World.

I personally own several of them and have never had an issue.

Here is a link to a video from Furman, on youtube, demonstrating the difference between their PL8-C (which is a popular model), and a typical power strip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JujCqjLSQF8

Does anyone else question this test? in the way it is performed, or in the outcome, or anything else?

For starters, there is no visible PPE on ther person performing the test. (not sure if it is required for any reason or not. But one would think gloves at least?)
Also, how did they 'know' where the fault would be, I mean, could the fault have been, say, near the test switch below his hand?

 

[charlie b]

There was no ?fault,? as in current leaking to ground. But I do find fault in the test. It is a marketing ploy, a disreputable attempt to alarm the viewer into a distrust of every product other than theirs. And what it worse, it will not be easy for the typical consumer to discern the fallacy in the test process.

A common surge suppressor, or common power strip, is not designed to handle a continuous application of a 67% overvoltage. They protect against a sudden surge, a momentary rise in voltage, and that is all they are designed to do. If you apply 200 volts, and keep it there for 30 seconds or longer, that is not a ?surge,? and it will not trigger the protective feature of a common surge protector. So the device will overheat, and may well catch fire. Of course it will.

However, please tell me what circumstances will cause a surge protector that is plugged into a receptacle outlet to receive a constant voltage of 200 volts. An open neutral might get you there, but how common is that? And even if a home did experience an open neutral, the owner will not have purchased a PL8-C for each and every receptacle outlet in the home. So there will still be a risk of fire; their device will not have made the entire home safe.

 

[ty]

Thanks for the reply, Charlie.
By 'fault', I guess I should have clarified, 'the exact point of where it was going to get hot and catch fire'.

I agree with what you said in your post.

I definately don't think Furman makes junky equipment, but I don't like how they marketed this 'test'.

 

[TOOL_5150]

I have found the higher end monster power conditioners lead to less hum in my audio equipment.

On that note, I am not trying to push that brand, I dont even like most of monster products, and find them too expensive. However, side by side furman and monster - I liked the monster better for my equipment.

~Matt

 

[ty]

I never bought a Monster power conditioner, so I will take your word on it.
I will agree they are expensive.

 

[mxslick]

There was no “fault,” as in current leaking to ground. But I do find fault in the test. It is a marketing ploy, a disreputable attempt to alarm the viewer into a distrust of every product other than theirs. And what it worse, it will not be easy for the typical consumer to discern the fallacy in the test process.

A common surge suppressor, or common power strip, is not designed to handle a continuous application of a 67% overvoltage. They protect against a sudden surge, a momentary rise in voltage, and that is all they are designed to do. If you apply 200 volts, and keep it there for 30 seconds or longer, that is not a “surge,” and it will not trigger the protective feature of a common surge protector. So the device will overheat, and may well catch fire. Of course it will.

However, please tell me what circumstances will cause a surge protector that is plugged into a receptacle outlet to receive a constant voltage of 200 volts. An open neutral might get you there, but how common is that? And even if a home did experience an open neutral, the owner will not have purchased a PL8-C for each and every receptacle outlet in the home. So there will still be a risk of fire; their device will not have made the entire home safe.

Charlie, I wouldn't quite call that demo a disreputable or alarmist attempt to inspire distrust. I would call it dramatic though. :grin:

The simple fact is that a great majority of common surge strips do NOT cut power on sustained overvoltages and the internal MOV's can and do catch fire with relative ease. I have seen it happen firsthand on more than one instance.

I believe that the latest UL standards for surge strips require temperature sensitive cutoffs to disconnect the MOVs (but NOT the load) in the event of sustained overvoltages or end-of-life MOV failures.


Other than open neutrals, utility systems can (very rarely) experience sustained overvoltage (usually due to a transformer failure or a downed primary line contacting a lower-voltage primary or the secondary) and it does happen.

Furman's main point is that their product automatically disconnects the loads in the event of extreme voltage. Of course, ONLY the loads connected to the Furman would be safe in such an event.

Furman makes great quality porducts and I have never had any problems with them..my only beef with them is that their built-in voltmeters are NEVER accurate from the factory. They are adjustable though if you don't mind opening the cover to get to the trimpot.

 

[charlie b]

I have seen it happen firsthand on more than one instance.

May I ask whether you know the cause of the sustained overvoltage condition?

 

[big john]

I believe that the latest UL standards for surge strips require temperature sensitive cutoffs to disconnect the MOVs (but NOT the load) in the event of sustained overvoltages or end-of-life MOV failures.

That's the other thing that makes this "test" disingenuous.

Not only is a sustained overvoltage very unlikely, but when using a new TVSS that's designed to UL 1449 standards, nothing is gonna catch on fire, anyway.

This "test" is mostly a scare-tactic.

-John

 

[ELA]

Its the Music

Its the Music

The music makes it all so enticing to me :roll:

Hardly a fair comparison using a cheap plugstrip vs their unit - with what sort of a relative cost difference?

There are some MOV based plugstrips that will blow a fuse on sustained overvoltages before the MOVs burn up.

 

[mxslick]

May I ask whether you know the cause of the sustained overvoltage condition?

Yes sir. One case was indeed an open neutral, one case was with an older portable genny that was running too fast and putting out 195 volts (I measured it myself, it was at one of my racetracks) and the third that I am aware of was from a transformer failure that had impressed high voltages throughout a cinema. A lot of equipment got fried in that case.
The padmount was buzzing very loudly and making other very odd noises during that event. I have seen about 4-5 others but do not know what the specific cause was.

That's the other thing that makes this "test" disingenuous.

Not only is a sustained overvoltage very unlikely, but when using a new TVSS that's designed to UL 1449 standards, nothing is gonna catch on fire, anyway.

This "test" is mostly a scare-tactic.

-John

Absolutely right John, but how many people replace their older surge strips just because the new ones tout UL1449 compliance? As long as the power still flows they don't care. Most people wouldn't know what it means anyways and there are many cheaper surge strips out there, made in you-know-where and are probably not even UL compliant period.

Only knowledgeable folks like us would even bother to upgrade their surge strips in the first place. :grin:

Scare tactic, yeah I can agree, but the tactic is as old as advertising itself, and as long as Furman's products deliver the goods as shown, I say more power to them.