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Surge protectors - who is responsible?
Former Community Member
If a contractor installs a “fully loaded” domestic consumer unit with surge protection, are they liable for subsequent damage that may occur to electrical appliances within the installation?
SPDs only provide protection within certain limits anyway - too close a lightning strike or surges generated within the installation and damage may still occur even if there was nothing wrong with the SPD.
I agree it would be hard to prove anything - I doubt anyone would really know where the source of the particular surge that caused the damage was, or whether the SPD as already expired before the event (user error for not checking the indicator on the SPD). Probably no worse for an electrician than if an RCD failed to protect from shock.
SPDs only provide protection within certain limits anyway - too close a lightning strike or surges generated within the installation and damage may still occur even if there was nothing wrong with the SPD.
I agree it would be hard to prove anything - I doubt anyone would really know where the source of the particular surge that caused the damage was, or whether the SPD as already expired before the event (user error for not checking the indicator on the SPD). Probably no worse for an electrician than if an RCD failed to protect from shock.
