AVR and cal-lab is 2 different kind of thing.

AVR is Auto voltage regulator which use to stabilize the voltage in order not to let it fluctuated too much. Example if you house voltage incoming is 200V-260V. That is fluctuated a lot. So the AVR will stabilize it at 230V +-5%. No matter what the incoming voltage figure.

Cal-lab is same as belkin - Surge protector. It main purpose is to protect any surge like lightning from your equipment. Cal-lab have a better protection than belkin. But beikin have warranty coverage to your equipment. So it is like chicken and egg to choose.

For belkin equipment claim, you need receipt. But their main priority is repair your equipment first if it expensive. If unable to repair, than pay back to you according to market price. Not your buying price. For the belkin surge protector 1 to 1 exchange. You can claim it unlimited of time.

There is many other brand and non brand in the market too. Depend on your wallet.

When was that?

Last year when I went there to make a claim, I was informed that if you chose to claim warranty on the electrical items, you cannot claim the Belkin Surge Protector. You have to surrender the faulty Belkin Surge Protector.
If you don't claim the electrical items, then they will exchange a new Belkin Surge Protector (same model) for you.

Maybe too many people claims already.

Claiming is one, but the time spend to reconfigure the IT equipment in original running conditions is a hassle. Imagine you have a nas storage and it fry the broad and storage.

Cal-lab operate different from most of the surge protector, cal-lab isolate it. That is when lightnings hit, the cal-lab box 99% is fried and leaving behind the equipment safe.

New T&C?

So which 1 you take?

so how you guys configure your cal-lab?

mains> cal-lab> avr> strip sockets > equipments ??

I took the Surge Protector (mine got 8 sockets). The RJ11 koyak.
My router still got warranty. Just need to buy a used ADSL modem for RM20.

For Cal-Lab, once kena hit, must buy a new one?
How much is one unit?

off topic.

possible to used cal-lap isolator with tacima power conditioner?

This post has been edited by bad2928: Feb 19 2014, 02:15 PM

Few years ago, I went to their warehouse somewhere in Taman Desa IIRC. Got the info from some blog.... And yes, they paid the market value for the damage equipment, not the price you paid.

The thing about claiming the Belkin insurance is that it only covers the replacement cost of the damaged items. Doesn't compensate you for the inconvenience and time and effort to buy the items and setup again. Nor does it cover loss of data (e.g. if your HDD is fried).

So, I prefer if the surge protector actually protects the equipment. The insurance is of secondary value. Anyway, that's why I'm using Cal Lab too

They changed the T&C already.
Last year they told me cannot claim the Surge Protector and the electrical items.
Either claim the Surge Protector or the electrical items.
If claim the electrical items, they will take back the Surge Protector. You need to buy a new Surge Protector.

Thanks for your explanation. I'm gonna go read up more on these things.
I live in an apartment, does this change anything? Lightning strikes especially?

It doesn't have any different if you live in apartment or house. It strike anything that connect with wire to your equipment.

I'm looking for a power strip with individual switches as well. Somehow the good ones don't have switches
This I'm quite interested - the Belkin Conserve which comes with a remote switch to power down certain outlets.

http://www.belkin.com/uk/F7C01008-Belkin/p/P-F7C01008/

But can't find it here.

I have two units of the Belkin 8 socket surge master. Haven't experience any surge yet but two of the outlets are experiencing some contact problems. Can't get power unless you wiggle the plug. In the end don't dare to use those two outlets for fear of arching

Pay RM25 to change another set.

Look like a good deal. Where to buy this Cal-Lab and where to claim (in the event lightning hit).

You can search here too, someone in lowyat selling. I got mine in Ace H/W

So many replies discuss completely different and unrelated anomalies. As if some magic box will solve all. As if a recommendation without numbers can be honest.

For example, normal voltage for electronics is even when incandescent bulbs dim to 50% intensity. How often are your bulbs dimming that much? Why then do so many recommend AVR or UPS for low voltage? Advertising and hearsay says so - subjectively. Well, here is a relevant number. How often are your bulbs dimming that much? Zero times? Then best AVR is standard inside all electronics.

How many joules does that Cal-Lab or Belkin absorb? A thousand? Destructive surges are hundreds of thousands of joules. What will the Belkin et al protect from? Surges that are already made irrelevant by existing protection.

One concern is a rare transient that can overwhelm existing protection inside appliances. What will absorb hundreds of thosuands of joules? What makes even direct lightning strikes irrelevant? Earth ground.

A lightning strike far down the street is a direct strike incoming to all appliances. Are all appliances damaged? Of course not. For reasons taught in elementary school science. To have damage means a current must be incoming on one path. And simultaneously outgoing to earth on another path. What is damaged? An appliance that best connects a surge to earth. Not a receptacle's safety ground - earth.

What is found in every facility that cannot have damage? Protectors distant from electronics. And always a connection low impedance (ie 'less than 3 meters') to earth ground. For cable TV, that connection is best made by a wire - no protector. Neither telephone nor AC electric can be connected directly to earth. So we use a next best thing to make that low impedance (ie 'less than 3 meter) connection: a 'whole house' protector.

Remember an important number. A surge, that can overwhelm protection already inside appliances, can be hundreds of thousands of joules. What harmlessly absorbs that energy? Single point earth ground. All four words have major significance. Even the length of that wire to earth is critical - even a sharp wire bend compromises that connection.

Neither Cal-Lab, AVR, Belkin, etc claim to protect from typically destructive surges. As demonstrated by manufacturer specification numbers that recommend each device.

Do this. Ask only about one anomaly. And always demand spec numbers. Nothing protects from all anomalies. Voltage regulation is a concern when light bulbs dim to less than 50% intensity. And then an entire post longer than this one can discuss effective solutions unique to that anomaly.

Noise is another concern. A completely different solution addresses that.

Belkin is for a type of surge already made irrelevant by what is inside all appliances.

Lightning is another type of surge that the Belkin does not even claim to avert. Don't take my word for it. Every recommendation either provided relevant manufacturer specification numbsrs. Or is best considered bogus hearsay. A discussion of that anomaly can also be longer than this post.

Which anomaly concerns you. Ask about each separately. Only then can effective solutions be suggested ... with manufacturer specifications that say how good. BTW, best warranties are more often found on lesser products.

This post has been edited by westom: Feb 20 2014, 05:17 PM

wow. that's not helpful.
i'm still processing.
... still ...
... still ...
... still ...
... error.
yup.