For anyone curious, a _Joule_ is the amount of energy delivered by _one watt_ for _one second_ (a watt-second). Here’s a sort of back-of-the-envelope calculation: The UL rating is based on a hypothetical surge of 6,000 volts and 3,000 amps (3 kA) in a pulse with a rise time of 8 microseconds and an exponential decay time of 20 microseconds. There’s your current and your time. Multiply those two together and multiply the result by your clamping voltage. So, a _”standard surge”_ would contain 3,000 x 340 X .000020 = 20.4 Joules. One caveat is that they’re assuming that you also have a _Type1 or 2 (whole house) Surge Protection Device_ capable of handling 10 kA of surge current. If not, and your power strip has to absorb the whole amount, a 10 kA surge would require 68 Joules. And some Type 1 and 2 units are rated up to *> 100 kA.* The bottom line is, no one knows in advance how powerful a given surge might be. I’ve heard of lightning-induced surge currents in the 100s of kAs! CME? EMP? Your guess is as good as mine... As for sizing the Joule rating to the _"value"_ of the equipment protect -- yes, sort of. A more important rating is the _clamping voltage._ It's what the surge *VOLTAGE* will be limited to. Some things can tolerate bigger surges than others. You can size the cost of a surge protector to the _"value"_ of your equipment, but ... _"value"_ is subjective. It's not only the *COST* to replace an item, but the *OTHER COSTS* -- cost of potentially not having an appliance for a period of time before you can replace it. For example, a critical medical device, like a CPAP machine, oxygen concentrator, etc.
Thank you for this video. I guess the Joule rating has very little or nothing to do with the actual total power being drawn by the devices plugged into the surge protector ?
That's correct. The joule rating is related to the protection the surge protector offers. It's not related to the power being drawn by the devices, nor the number of devices plugged into the surge protector. Thank you for the comment.
just note to look on the actual product to know the clamping voltage. I just bought this one and for some odd reason it says on the website and the box that clamping voltage is 330v on all 3 lines but when i looked on the back of the surge protector, the lowest i saw was 400v. The other remaining lines were 500v, just fyi. 400v isnt bad but its still false advertistment
You are correct. One needs a magnifying glass to read it, but it does indeed have that written there. The standard is to round up, but from what I've read, 330v is one of the rounded up levels. The next is 400. I might reach out to Belkin about this. It's not a huge deal as you've said, but it's certainly strange. Thanks for sharing the info.
Bought the 12’ version. Used with a B&D hedge trimmer and that killed the surge protector outlets. The protected light is still on and green. Also the wall hanger screw slots are one way and hang this upside down. The slots should be two way.
I can feel the frustration in your words. What exactly do you mean re: "killed the surge protector outlets"? Do you mean there is no power coming out of any of them when you plug other items in? It's confusing because you mention that the "protected light" is on, suggesting that all is well. According the Belkin website: The Protected Light on the unit would be no longer lit if the fuse was blown. I'm not saying it's "right" or "wrong", but the reason the wall hanging screw slots are positioned that way is so that when you hang the surge protector on the wall, the power cord (that powers the unit) will be on (hang from) the bottom of the unit. So the power cord will come straight from the wall outlet (presumably at the bottom of the wall) and run straight up into the bottom of the Belkin. If the wall hanging screw slots were positioned opposite to how they are currently, the power cord for the unit would have to run up from the wall outlet, up along the side of the Belkin unit and then curve/bend to the top and center of the surge protector. It would look awkward and messy because instead of having the power cord hang straight down from the bottom of the unit, the power cord would be coming out the top of the unit and dropping down one side or the other of the unit and then hanging down. As a result of where they chose to put the "Belkin" name on the front of the unit, the name does appear upside down when you hang it, so I understand why it appears "upside down". Their customer support is excellent btw...
@@efficientway I bought two each 12’ 8 outlet and 10’ 12 outlet. I tested the other 3 and they are ok. The one defective 12’ 8 outlet worked for only 3 seconds then no power out of any of the 8 outlets. The green protected light is still on. Switching the power on and off changes nothing. I was hanging the protector on the wall with the cord dropping down from the ceiling. The slots would be better at the other end of the screw hole or double slotted. Also hanging the unit upside down would allow debris to fall into any uncovered Ethernet ports. The updated, more expensive replacement Belkin unit on Amazon has two sets of sideways slots so it can be hung horizontally. It can be hung vertically but the unit can be pushed sideways and fall down. They should do a plus slot shaped hanging style. I will return the defective unit. I plan to buy this unit, Digital Energy 10-Outlet Flat Plug 3500 Joules Heavy Duty Surge Protector Power Strip, 15 Foot Long Extension Cord. It’s pictured horizontally mounted but I’ll mount it vertically. I’m keeping the 3 other Belkins but the will not be wall mounted.
Ah... thanks for clarifying. At least you had a few other units to compare/check so you weren't driving yourself crazy troubleshooting. I ordered the two featured and it was "plug and play" right out of the box, no issues. I took a look at the Digital Energy. I've never heard of the brand, but it seems to get good reviews. At $37 it's quite a price difference, but it does have some more bells and whistles, i.e. the USB ports, network ports, etc. I assume this one isn't for the garage? LOL! Btw... with the Belkins, if you're worried about dust getting in the ports in your garage (which isn't all that easy, but nonetheless ), just put a small dime size piece of clear or even black tape over the ports- problem solved. The other thing to note about the Digital Energy and all surge protectors really- is the layout of those outlets. Some plugs (especially from electronic items) are simply large and even awkward shaped. So you can't necessarily fit 2 plugs right next to each other or even right on top in some cases. The Belkin 8 plug featured here accounts for that by spacing out the outlets. I noticed that Digital Energy attempts to do that with 2 of the outlets, but then they stuck the network ports and phone jacks right in the middle of the spaced out outlets! Point is, just make sure it can accommodate whatever plugs you need it for. Yes, more advanced planning and research. Whoever thought buying a surge protector would be this complicated- re: joules, clamp voltage, power cord location, etc.?? Sheesh! That's why I made this video- to help others and jump start their knowledge/process of buying one. Replies and comments like yours are part of it and will help additionally. So thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and detailed info.
The other light on the Belkin 8 outlet surge protector is to alert you that the device is not grounded. Although you'll be able to plug an electrical device into the surge protector and receive power (the device you plugged in will work), it will not be operating under the "safest" conditions. You want the surge protector and ideally anything else that is plugged into a power source, to be grounded. Without a grounding wire, electricity doesn't have a safe path to travel in the case of an unstable current. I would look for a different power outlet. You may want to look into why the outlet is not grounded in the first place too. It may simply not have one as homes built prior to 1960 often lack a grounding wire. If there is no ground wire to be found, then your three-prong outlet must be GFCI to comply with the National Electric Code. If there is no GFCI or ground wire, then the outlet is violating code. A GFCI outlet or breaker can detect when more current is coming in on the hot wire than is exiting on the neutral wire, and will shut off the circuit quickly before the current can stray to alternate paths. It should be noted that the GFCI outlet does not actually create a path to ground, nor does it make it a grounded outlet. It simply makes the un-grounded outlet safer.
You're absolutely right. That would be super helpful in determining the remainder of the "life" or efficacy of the surge protector. I don't know if it's possible, but even if it is, it's in the best interest of the surge protector manufacturers like Belkin not to include one. That way we consumers just have to continually repurchase new surge protectors every several years, "just in case". And it's not like you can just keep track. You're not home or in the office to monitor the big surges anyway.
Nice! Thank you for the positive feedback. It helps in terms of keeping on track of fulfilling the channel's mission to save others time, money, and frustration! Enjoy your new Belkin surge protector and all the wonderful things it will protect going forward.
The Belkin 8 outlet surge protector in this video can't be used with 220 volts, but I did a video on a good Belkin 220 volt surge protector that can be used in the United Kingdom. You can find that video here: ua-cam.com/video/QxLtmR7aoYA/v-deo.html The U.K. wall plugs are different to say other European country plugs that also run on 220 volts. So make sure the surge protector you purchase is suitable for the country you will be using it in. Specifying the voltage is not quite enough.
Did you try turning the unit off and on with the switch, then plugging an item into the surge protector to see if that makes a difference? The green light should definitely work when the Belkin surge protector is operating properly. If you've tried everything to no avail, then I would definitely exchange it for a new unit.
@@yvonnechisolm530 Is the surge protector producing the green light? The on/off switch is on the side of the unit, and dark colored, so it's easy to overlook.
EFFICIENT WAY, when the surge protection say 3550 Joules that means the each AC outlet which is 8 outlet on that surge protect has 3550 joules PER each AC outlet to apply to the LOAD that is plugged into that AC outlet? I have looked in the user manuals and specs for TV's, computers, stereo systems but they don't list the JOULES for the house hold items. JOURLES is the current and time but i'm not sure why they don't tell the joules for the specs in house hold equipment
So for starters, no, the number of rated joules is not "per outlet". It is for the whole surge protector. You need not worry about the joules of each appliance. Think of the joules rating as a measure of protection against electrical surges. The items plugged into the surge protector don't really matter, other than how important they are to you to protect. If an electrical surge comes through, and you don't have a high enough rated surge protector (in terms of joules) or you've had multiple surges that have lowered your ability to withstand a larger surge, it can "fry" any and all appliances (1 or all 8) regardless of which appliances are plugged in. It's almost like the protection (measured in joules for simplicity) are a first line of defense to stop the surge (there's something else that I mention in the video too) so it doesn't matter what appliances are on the other side of "the line". On that note, I'd re-watch the video again because it can be confusing, but I think I explain it a bit better in there. Since a bunch of small surges can lower the initial rated joule protection, from say 3550 to 2000 over time, there's an additional incentive to start with a higher joule rating. Once you understand how it all works, you'll realize that the cheap surge protectors with like 400 joules are pretty much nothing other than extension cords/multi-outlet extenders.
@@efficientway Most Surge Protectors are 300 to 400 Joules at home depot, best buy and at Frys electronics. I wonder what is absorbing the Surges in the Surge Protector circuit that can absorb 4000 joules of energy. I'm not sure why they rate the units in Joules because a Surge is a Voltage & Current. A Surge is not a unit of Joules so I'm confused why they are saying 4000 joules which is 120VAC times XXX of current = Power divided by time = Joules. I rather they just like the Surge protector in watts instead of joules. Whatever the component is that is absorbing the surges over time it starts to Degrade/decay you're saying in the video from absorbing the surges so the joule rating degrades of time. They don't have an indicator letting you know what the joule percentage is at if there as been many surges throughout the month to know what the surge protector joules rating is at because it could start brand new at 4000 joules but over time its 500 joules and a new surge will whip out and fry out all your home TV, stereo system, etc
Joules is watts times seconds, so the longer the surge must be suppressed, the higher the rating must be. So it wouldn't help to just rate surge protectors in terms of watts. A surge protector must bear the brunt of the surge for the entire duration. The other factors I mention in the video in terms of rating a surge protector, like the Belkin, APC, or others are response time and "clamping voltage" - the minimum voltage at which a surge of current will be directed to ground. As to your question about what they use inside a surge protector, usually it's metal oxide varistors, but I believe there are other substitutes. And yes, as I mentioned and you wrote, they do get "used"/worn with each small surge or one large surge, so they eventually need to be replaced. While some surge protectors have an LED light indicating that it is "protecting", you are correct- they don't tell you how much protection is left. That is why if you know you sustained a major electrical event like a power failure or your A/C cycles a lot (and it's on the same circuitry as your other appliances/electronics) you may want to replace your surge protectors. Or, start with a surge protector that has a very high joule rating knowing that the rating will technically decline over time due to small surges and possibly larger ones.
@@efficientway Yes Joules is Watts/power times ONE Second. The Joules rating lets say 3500 joules is in ONE seconds. It doesn't say the Response time because if the Surge is 5 Seconds, the Surge Protector is only for ONE Second response time at 3500 Joules. The Response time is only for ONE second rated at 3500 Joules. That means that the Surge would have to be LESS THAN one second response time of the surge. If the Surge is MORE THAN one second response time then its going to fry or flash fry all your equipment you got plugged into the surge protector power strip?
One joule is the equivalent of one watt of power radiated or dissipated for one second. So if the surge is for more than 3500 watts in your example, a surge protector rated at 3500 joules couldn't bare more than 1 second. But during a common damaging power surge, the voltage can exceed 169 volts. A typical wall outlets is 120 volts and the actual delivered voltage is somewhere between 1 and 169. To get watts, multiply volts x amps. So for a common power surge 3500 joules and above is considerable for most items you are plugging in. There are other factors that go into it. But with uncommon surges like lightening strikes... I specifically mentioned in the video how it's a fallacy that a surge protector will help you if your house is directly hit by lightening!
For anyone curious, a _Joule_ is the amount of energy delivered by _one watt_ for _one second_ (a watt-second). Here’s a sort of back-of-the-envelope calculation: The UL rating is based on a hypothetical surge of 6,000 volts and 3,000 amps (3 kA) in a pulse with a rise time of 8 microseconds and an exponential decay time of 20 microseconds. There’s your current and your time. Multiply those two together and multiply the result by your clamping voltage. So, a _”standard surge”_ would contain 3,000 x 340 X .000020 = 20.4 Joules. One caveat is that they’re assuming that you also have a _Type1 or 2 (whole house) Surge Protection Device_ capable of handling 10 kA of surge current. If not, and your power strip has to absorb the whole amount, a 10 kA surge would require 68 Joules. And some Type 1 and 2 units are rated up to *> 100 kA.*
The bottom line is, no one knows in advance how powerful a given surge might be. I’ve heard of lightning-induced surge currents in the 100s of kAs! CME? EMP? Your guess is as good as mine...
As for sizing the Joule rating to the _"value"_ of the equipment protect -- yes, sort of. A more important rating is the _clamping voltage._ It's what the surge *VOLTAGE* will be limited to. Some things can tolerate bigger surges than others. You can size the cost of a surge protector to the _"value"_ of your equipment, but ... _"value"_ is subjective. It's not only the *COST* to replace an item, but the *OTHER COSTS* -- cost of potentially not having an appliance for a period of time before you can replace it. For example, a critical medical device, like a CPAP machine, oxygen concentrator, etc.
Would 2,100 be enough to protect a Xbox series x?
Thank you for this video. I guess the Joule rating has very little or nothing to do with the actual total power being drawn by the devices plugged into the surge protector ?
That's correct. The joule rating is related to the protection the surge protector offers. It's not related to the power being drawn by the devices, nor the number of devices plugged into the surge protector. Thank you for the comment.
just note to look on the actual product to know the clamping voltage. I just bought this one and for some odd reason it says on the website and the box that clamping voltage is 330v on all 3 lines but when i looked on the back of the surge protector, the lowest i saw was 400v. The other remaining lines were 500v, just fyi. 400v isnt bad but its still false advertistment
You are correct. One needs a magnifying glass to read it, but it does indeed have that written there. The standard is to round up, but from what I've read, 330v is one of the rounded up levels. The next is 400. I might reach out to Belkin about this. It's not a huge deal as you've said, but it's certainly strange. Thanks for sharing the info.
Bought the 12’ version. Used with a B&D hedge trimmer and that killed the surge protector outlets. The protected light is still on and green. Also the wall hanger screw slots are one way and hang this upside down. The slots should be two way.
I can feel the frustration in your words. What exactly do you mean re: "killed the surge protector outlets"? Do you mean there is no power coming out of any of them when you plug other items in? It's confusing because you mention that the "protected light" is on, suggesting that all is well. According the Belkin website: The Protected Light on the unit would be no longer lit if the fuse was blown. I'm not saying it's "right" or "wrong", but the reason the wall hanging screw slots are positioned that way is so that when you hang the surge protector on the wall, the power cord (that powers the unit) will be on (hang from) the bottom of the unit. So the power cord will come straight from the wall outlet (presumably at the bottom of the wall) and run straight up into the bottom of the Belkin. If the wall hanging screw slots were positioned opposite to how they are currently, the power cord for the unit would have to run up from the wall outlet, up along the side of the Belkin unit and then curve/bend to the top and center of the surge protector. It would look awkward and messy because instead of having the power cord hang straight down from the bottom of the unit, the power cord would be coming out the top of the unit and dropping down one side or the other of the unit and then hanging down. As a result of where they chose to put the "Belkin" name on the front of the unit, the name does appear upside down when you hang it, so I understand why it appears "upside down". Their customer support is excellent btw...
@@efficientway I bought two each 12’ 8 outlet and 10’ 12 outlet. I tested the other 3 and they are ok. The one defective 12’ 8 outlet worked for only 3 seconds then no power out of any of the 8 outlets. The green protected light is still on. Switching the power on and off changes nothing. I was hanging the protector on the wall with the cord dropping down from the ceiling. The slots would be better at the other end of the screw hole or double slotted. Also hanging the unit upside down would allow debris to fall into any uncovered Ethernet ports. The updated, more expensive replacement Belkin unit on Amazon has two sets of sideways slots so it can be hung horizontally. It can be hung vertically but the unit can be pushed sideways and fall down. They should do a plus slot shaped hanging style.
I will return the defective unit.
I plan to buy this unit, Digital Energy 10-Outlet Flat Plug 3500 Joules Heavy Duty Surge Protector Power Strip, 15 Foot Long Extension Cord. It’s pictured horizontally mounted but I’ll mount it vertically.
I’m keeping the 3 other Belkins but the will not be wall mounted.
Ah... thanks for clarifying. At least you had a few other units to compare/check so you weren't driving yourself crazy troubleshooting. I ordered the two featured and it was "plug and play" right out of the box, no issues. I took a look at the Digital Energy. I've never heard of the brand, but it seems to get good reviews. At $37 it's quite a price difference, but it does have some more bells and whistles, i.e. the USB ports, network ports, etc. I assume this one isn't for the garage? LOL! Btw... with the Belkins, if you're worried about dust getting in the ports in your garage (which isn't all that easy, but nonetheless ), just put a small dime size piece of clear or even black tape over the ports- problem solved. The other thing to note about the Digital Energy and all surge protectors really- is the layout of those outlets. Some plugs (especially from electronic items) are simply large and even awkward shaped. So you can't necessarily fit 2 plugs right next to each other or even right on top in some cases. The Belkin 8 plug featured here accounts for that by spacing out the outlets. I noticed that Digital Energy attempts to do that with 2 of the outlets, but then they stuck the network ports and phone jacks right in the middle of the spaced out outlets! Point is, just make sure it can accommodate whatever plugs you need it for. Yes, more advanced planning and research. Whoever thought buying a surge protector would be this complicated- re: joules, clamp voltage, power cord location, etc.?? Sheesh! That's why I made this video- to help others and jump start their knowledge/process of buying one. Replies and comments like yours are part of it and will help additionally. So thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and detailed info.
i have this -- wondering why both lights are turned on? can I still use it?
The other light on the Belkin 8 outlet surge protector is to alert you that the device is not grounded. Although you'll be able to plug an electrical device into the surge protector and receive power (the device you plugged in will work), it will not be operating under the "safest" conditions. You want the surge protector and ideally anything else that is plugged into a power source, to be grounded. Without a grounding wire, electricity doesn't have a safe path to travel in the case of an unstable current. I would look for a different power outlet. You may want to look into why the outlet is not grounded in the first place too. It may simply not have one as homes built prior to 1960 often lack a grounding wire. If there is no ground wire to be found, then your three-prong outlet must be GFCI to comply with the National Electric Code. If there is no GFCI or ground wire, then the outlet is violating code. A GFCI outlet or breaker can detect when more current is coming in on the hot wire than is exiting on the neutral wire, and will shut off the circuit quickly before the current can stray to alternate paths. It should be noted that the GFCI outlet does not actually create a path to ground, nor does it make it a grounded outlet. It simply makes the un-grounded outlet safer.
They should have a analog way of counting the amount of surgeses that occurrs
You're absolutely right. That would be super helpful in determining the remainder of the "life" or efficacy of the surge protector. I don't know if it's possible, but even if it is, it's in the best interest of the surge protector manufacturers like Belkin not to include one. That way we consumers just have to continually repurchase new surge protectors every several years, "just in case". And it's not like you can just keep track. You're not home or in the office to monitor the big surges anyway.
Great video! Very informative too. Going to buy one of these on Amazon now haha
Nice! Thank you for the positive feedback. It helps in terms of keeping on track of fulfilling the channel's mission to save others time, money, and frustration! Enjoy your new Belkin surge protector and all the wonderful things it will protect going forward.
Can this be used with 240 volts?
The Belkin 8 outlet surge protector in this video can't be used with 220 volts, but I did a video on a good Belkin 220 volt surge protector that can be used in the United Kingdom. You can find that video here: ua-cam.com/video/QxLtmR7aoYA/v-deo.html
The U.K. wall plugs are different to say other European country plugs that also run on 220 volts. So make sure the surge protector you purchase is suitable for the country you will be using it in. Specifying the voltage is not quite enough.
Great video thank you!
I appreciate the positive feedback. Thank you for the comment.
Just plugged in this Belkin. Protcted light does no work. Should I replace this item
Did you try turning the unit off and on with the switch, then plugging an item into the surge protector to see if that makes a difference? The green light should definitely work when the Belkin surge protector is operating properly. If you've tried everything to no avail, then I would definitely exchange it for a new unit.
@@efficientway talk about hitting the on and off switch/ slap me😒🤮🤯
Thanks much😎
@@yvonnechisolm530 Is the surge protector producing the green light? The on/off switch is on the side of the unit, and dark colored, so it's easy to overlook.
@@efficientway yes, I didn't see the switch until you mentioned it. Thank much. I was ready to return it.
EFFICIENT WAY, when the surge protection say 3550 Joules that means the each AC outlet which is 8 outlet on that surge protect has 3550 joules PER each AC outlet to apply to the LOAD that is plugged into that AC outlet? I have looked in the user manuals and specs for TV's, computers, stereo systems but they don't list the JOULES for the house hold items. JOURLES is the current and time but i'm not sure why they don't tell the joules for the specs in house hold equipment
So for starters, no, the number of rated joules is not "per outlet". It is for the whole surge protector. You need not worry about the joules of each appliance. Think of the joules rating as a measure of protection against electrical surges. The items plugged into the surge protector don't really matter, other than how important they are to you to protect. If an electrical surge comes through, and you don't have a high enough rated surge protector (in terms of joules) or you've had multiple surges that have lowered your ability to withstand a larger surge, it can "fry" any and all appliances (1 or all 8) regardless of which appliances are plugged in. It's almost like the protection (measured in joules for simplicity) are a first line of defense to stop the surge (there's something else that I mention in the video too) so it doesn't matter what appliances are on the other side of "the line". On that note, I'd re-watch the video again because it can be confusing, but I think I explain it a bit better in there. Since a bunch of small surges can lower the initial rated joule protection, from say 3550 to 2000 over time, there's an additional incentive to start with a higher joule rating. Once you understand how it all works, you'll realize that the cheap surge protectors with like 400 joules are pretty much nothing other than extension cords/multi-outlet extenders.
@@efficientway Most Surge Protectors are 300 to 400 Joules at home depot, best buy and at Frys electronics. I wonder what is absorbing the Surges in the Surge Protector circuit that can absorb 4000 joules of energy. I'm not sure why they rate the units in Joules because a Surge is a Voltage & Current. A Surge is not a unit of Joules so I'm confused why they are saying 4000 joules which is 120VAC times XXX of current = Power divided by time = Joules. I rather they just like the Surge protector in watts instead of joules. Whatever the component is that is absorbing the surges over time it starts to Degrade/decay you're saying in the video from absorbing the surges so the joule rating degrades of time. They don't have an indicator letting you know what the joule percentage is at if there as been many surges throughout the month to know what the surge protector joules rating is at because it could start brand new at 4000 joules but over time its 500 joules and a new surge will whip out and fry out all your home TV, stereo system, etc
Joules is watts times seconds, so the longer the surge must be suppressed, the higher the rating must be. So it wouldn't help to just rate surge protectors in terms of watts. A surge protector must bear the brunt of the surge for the entire duration. The other factors I mention in the video in terms of rating a surge protector, like the Belkin, APC, or others are response time and "clamping voltage" - the minimum voltage at which a surge of current will be directed to ground. As to your question about what they use inside a surge protector, usually it's metal oxide varistors, but I believe there are other substitutes. And yes, as I mentioned and you wrote, they do get "used"/worn with each small surge or one large surge, so they eventually need to be replaced. While some surge protectors have an LED light indicating that it is "protecting", you are correct- they don't tell you how much protection is left. That is why if you know you sustained a major electrical event like a power failure or your A/C cycles a lot (and it's on the same circuitry as your other appliances/electronics) you may want to replace your surge protectors. Or, start with a surge protector that has a very high joule rating knowing that the rating will technically decline over time due to small surges and possibly larger ones.
@@efficientway Yes Joules is Watts/power times ONE Second. The Joules rating lets say 3500 joules is in ONE seconds. It doesn't say the Response time because if the Surge is 5 Seconds, the Surge Protector is only for ONE Second response time at 3500 Joules. The Response time is only for ONE second rated at 3500 Joules. That means that the Surge would have to be LESS THAN one second response time of the surge. If the Surge is MORE THAN one second response time then its going to fry or flash fry all your equipment you got plugged into the surge protector power strip?
One joule is the equivalent of one watt of power radiated or dissipated for one second. So if the surge is for more than 3500 watts in your example, a surge protector rated at 3500 joules couldn't bare more than 1 second. But during a common damaging power surge, the voltage can exceed 169 volts. A typical wall outlets is 120 volts and the actual delivered voltage is somewhere between 1 and 169. To get watts, multiply volts x amps. So for a common power surge 3500 joules and above is considerable for most items you are plugging in. There are other factors that go into it. But with uncommon surges like lightening strikes... I specifically mentioned in the video how it's a fallacy that a surge protector will help you if your house is directly hit by lightening!