mains power cleaners good or bad?

[dazza1011]

i have just purchased my first home cinema system and have noticed these things called mains power cleaners for filtering out the electric etc


are they any good or are they just another the wife will look at and say " Its just another extension "

 

[MitsiTurbo]

What equipment do you have? Unless you have a really decent system with all the best interconnects and speaker cables, then I doubt youll notice any difference.

 

[MarkE19]

IF you have a dirty mains supply and IF the power cleaner filters that type of interference then you MIGHT see/hear a difference with it.
I hope this clears it up for you

To be serious, the above statement is probably the most accurate you can expect. A mains cleaner can only improve the mains if there is interference that needs filtering out in the first place. If you have a good clean supply then no matter how good the filter is (or expensive ) it wont make any difference.
IMO you should get some sort of surge protection for peace of mind, and if it also has noise filtering then that is an added bonus (maybe).

Mark.

 

[njp]

A mains cleaner can only improve the mains if there is interference that needs filtering out in the first place. If you have a good clean supply then no matter how good the filter is (or expensive ) it wont make any difference.

Similarly, if the PSUs in the equipment you are supplying are properly designed, you won't see get any improvement either...

IMO you should get some sort of surge protection for peace of mind, and if it also has noise filtering then that is an added bonus (maybe).

I suspect trailing socket surge suppressors are the ultimate in snake oil, but each to their own!

 

[MarkE19]

I suspect trailing socket surge suppressors are the ultimate in snake oil, but each to their own!

So how come Belkin give an unlimited equipment replacement guarentee for the surge protectors I have? I do know of people that have had equipment killed by surges until they installed these particular versions of 'snake oil'.

But as you said, each to their own.

Mark.

 

[njp]

So how come Belkin give an unlimited equipment replacement guarentee for the surge protectors I have?

Well, I'd be quite happy to give you an unlimited guarentee that your AV equipment will not be stolen by space aliens...

I do know of people that have had equipment killed by surges until they installed these particular versions of 'snake oil'.

How do you know that was the cause of the equipment's demise? The only such cases I am sure about were multiple failures caused by lightening induced surges of a magnitude that would most definitely not be absorbed by the tiny MOVs built into a trailing socket surge suppressor.

I did spend some time trying to research the usefulness of surge suppressors, with depressingly inconclusive results. I am not prepared to state categorically that they are pointless, but I am inclined to believe that, and so I do not use them myself.

Actually, that's not quite true. I did buy one once (before I did any research). However, it claims not to be functioning any more - the poor thing has clearly sacrificed itself to save my PC, as indicated by the non illumination of the "protected" light. This happened several years ago. Ungraciously, I haven't bothered to replace it, because I now believe that the cheap components within it are so inadequately specified that they will inevitably fail long before anything I'm likely to connect to it.

But I could be wrong.

 

[dazza1011]

hmm seem to have stirred up a hornets nest here,

thanks for the views i was already going to go with a surge protector lead just wondered whether to go with filter one as well .

i think ill stick with the surge protector and leave the filter thing alone

 

[deaf cat]

A surge protector is a filter

I assume you have switched mains power point fronts, going by the noise thing, passing current through the switch causes some noise. You could try swapping to unswitched MK ones even just one, and try your amp in the unswitched socket.

I found it quite supprising the difference it made, music wise, not worth trying it with my tv, I don't think anyway, hmmm no harm in trying a!

Naturally, others hear no difference, others do, so you really need to try it for your self to see / hear if you hear / see a difference.

 

[alexs2]

MarkE19 makes a few very good points.

If you live in area with poor mains quality and frequent power surges etc then a filter can make a substantial difference.

I live in an area with overhead power lines and appalling mains quality...frequent power cuts,lightning strikes and brown-outs etc,and bought a Belkin PureAv filter(very similar to some of the Isotek boxes internally) and was very pleasantly surprised with the results.

But...as has been said....you should pay attention to whatever you can in your own mains supply first,before turning to filters,and there is also quite a difference between the Belkin PureAv/Isotek filters and some of the mains extension types.

 

[JohnWH]

I think njp may have a valid point, most shunt mode supressors are likely to self destruct in the presence of any surge capable of damaging the attached kit leaving that same kit exposed to the surge. Further to this for smaller surges (as may happen in the case of "noisy" mains) the diversion of the voltage spikes to earth or neutral may actually induce more noise than if the thing wasn't present! So basically if you're worried about surges you really need to invest in a series mode surpressor...

John.

 

[Chris Muriel]

Some units have additional "RF suppression" - meaning some lower value capacitors (or substantial chokes) fitted in addition to the MOVs; this can be worthwhile in some environments but I would need to see the specs (in dB suppression at 10, 100 or whatever MHz) before being able to trade off against any extra cost.

Chris Muriel, Manchester

 

[forrestgump]

Don't forget that within the last 6-12 months wireless internet has taken off considerably and what does that use to communicate? Radio waves, so any home with wireless internet will have RFI all over the place, particulalry in the mains area as all wires around the home act as aerials!

A good mains extension socket is a must as far as I am concerned, I use a belkin which is on special offer at amazon, it has insurance included in case your gear explodes from a lightning strike etc, and it filters out rfi, AT LEAST IN MY SYSTEM ANYWAY.

Mains threads always get closed due to fierce opinions, let's not end this one the same.

 

[jwruk]

Just a heads-up if anyone is looking for a surge suppressor, then Dell have a Belkin/PureAV one for under a tenner delivered (currently £169.99 in Argos for the same thing).

http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=dhs&cs=ukdhs1&sku=A1209210

 

[Chris Muriel]

Almost £19 with the VAT - and doesn't seem to be anything but a surge suppressor - no specifications given for RF supression that I could see.

Chris Muriel, Manchester

 

[MarkTaylor]

Dell changed price on this in the last hour or so, it was under £10 inc VAT and shipping originally

 

[CTR_Paul]

Dell changed price on this in the last hour or so, it was under £10 inc VAT and shipping originally

That's what it was when I ordered mine (£9.86 or something). I've ordered belkin speaker cable (30m), a sub cable, banana plugs and that for about £60 delivered.

 

[GalacticaActual]

HI all,

I know this is an old thread , but i was wondering if a mains cleaner would help with my problem.

Every time my boiler switches on it casues interfernece on my freeview picture. Aparantly acording to some opinions on the net, a mains cleaner could sort this out.

Any ideas ?

 

[Mad Mr H]

You require spike supression in your room stat.
Russ Andrews sells these and they are one of the cheaper items available from them .

It is also worth checkingall your cables are fully inserted I have removed this type of isue from many systems JUST by correct cable termination and installation.

VDR & Contact Suppressor : Get rid of clicks and pops in your syste...


Hope you find that of help.

Andy.