# Do I need this overpriced hoojeewatsit to "clean" my electricity for a LCD televsion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 14, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310 "2009-01-14T20:16:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/21 "2009-01-15T02:00:48Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > [Monster PowerCenter](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp;jsessionid=TAACDIF0NO0LBKC4D3MVAGA?skuId=8812083&type=product&id=1206749374164). I would like to see how the color-coded sockets prevent you from unplugging the wrong unit. That must be some special trick. And a surge protector cannot adjust for fluctuations of voltage so the claim made by the sales-dweeb is fertilizer. > [@WhyNot](#): > > (Are they this bad when men make purchases alone? I felt kinda like it might have been a gender thing…) Yes, they are. I had a salesman turn away and mumble something insulting at a store after I refused the extended warranty. I resisted the urge to buy the warranty just to see if they would honor it after I beat him unconscious with the TV. The store went under soon after. I don’t know why… I don’t understand the price of cables. I wanted a USB extension cable for my car and laptop to avoid the possibility of snapping a memory stick when it’s sticking out (been there, paid dearly for that). It was over $30. I went to the dollar store and bought them for… a dollar You done good. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/22 "2009-01-15T02:29:16Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > [Monster PowerCenter](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp;jsessionid=TAACDIF0NO0LBKC4D3MVAGA?skuId=8812083&type=product&id=1206749374164). Do not buy anything from Monster, ever. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/23 "2009-01-15T02:51:07Z")
I did install an uninterruptable power supply for my rear projection LCD TV, but only to prevent the set’s turning off then back on during power interruptions. Figured it would keep the bulb from having so many start cycles. It also contains a power conditioning circuit. But if I had a TV that didn’t use a $200 bulb I’d not have bothered. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/24 "2009-01-15T04:18:52Z")
Penny Arcade summed the whole thing up pretty well in [this strip](http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/11/25/), I think. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/25 "2009-01-15T07:14:02Z")
We have bad power up here on the mountain. Lots of surges, brown outs and lightning strikes. When we know in advance that really bad stuff is coming, we unplug. Had a big hot lightning strike just outside and the massive EMF pulse still got some delicate stuff even though it was unplugged. For surges, I have 2 protectors, a cheap one at the plug and then a good one, like “Triplite” before the battery back up. Just as yanking the plug on a computer is not real good for them, it does no good for the $2000 LCD TV’s either. So I keep a big powerful Batter back up running the power to my equipment, computers, cell phone amplifiers, Expensive TV’s, ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/26 "2009-01-15T07:35:39Z")
Because I am slow::::: We have bad power up here on the mountain. Lots of surges, brown outs and lightning strikes. When we know in advance that really bad stuff is coming, we unplug. Had a big hot lightning strike just outside and the massive EMF pulse still got some delicate stuff even though it was unplugged. For surges, I have 2 protectors, a cheap one at the plug and then a good one, like “Triplite” before the battery back up. Just as yanking the plug on a computer is not real good for them, it does no good for the $2000 LCD TV’s either. So I keep a big powerful Batter back up running the power to my equipment, computers, cell phone amplifiers, expensive TV’s, and answering machine. When the power goes walkabout, we can finish the program, the message board, still use the walk round phones, etc. And no, two surge protectors do not cancel each other out nor make the UPS act wonky. For the average surge , the cheap (less than $10) ones catch them just fine and are cheap to replace. When we get a monster lightning strike, so far the big high dollar ones catch the rest of it. A lot cheaper than replacing the equipment. It is like insurance… I chuckle when the neighbors cry about their fried or broken equipment caused by sudden power interruptions and surges from the system … “Buy the guys on the message boards said that stuff was not needed and the cheapest stuff was just as good…” I say; " Well, yeah, they said that but are they here paying for your ruined equipment?" Mine is not broken… Just because “Monster” is not so worth much does not mean that protection and common sense is not needed. I have 6 battery back-ups on my stuff here in the house and in the garage . I have only paid for two of them. The rest were from people who said that nothing ever went wrong so they did not need them. Bawahahahah My main back-up fro my computer will carry my desktop, the modem/router and the answering machine for 3.5 hours for sure, the power came back on so I don’t know for sure how long it will go. The one for the LCD TV will run for over an hour. Hummm, now that I think about it, all my stuff is covered for over an hour . Nice smooth power from a funky co-op electric company out in the boonies… Works for me. If you don’t know what to get or not get before you went into Worst Buy, you did not do your home work and deserve to get hoodwinked… And as always… YMMV ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/27 "2009-01-15T07:38:24Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Oh good! I guess. I mean, better it be that they do it to everyone than because I have boobs. > > Yay! 😃 Yay! Yourself. Why didn’t you say you had boobs earlier? _How’re you doin?_ On a more serious note, yes, they do this to everyone. > [@GusNSpot](#): > > We have bad power up here on the mountain. Lots of surges, brown outs and lightning strikes. > > When we know in advance that really bad stuff is coming, we unplug. Had a big hot lightning strike just outside and the massive EMF pulse still got some delicate stuff even though it was unplugged. > > For surges, I have 2 protectors, a cheap one at the plug and then a good one, like “Triplite” before the battery back up. Just as yanking the plug on a computer is not real good for them, it does no good for the $2000 LCD TV’s either. So I keep a big powerful Batter back up running the power to my equipment, computers, cell phone amplifiers, Expensive TV’s, Gus is right. If you are constantly replacing light bulbs and having outages, it can’t hurt to have a surge protector. If your house isn’t properly grounded, a lightning strike will kill the TV. But if you live in a major metropolitan area or burb with a house built within the past 40 years, this is not going to be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/28 "2009-01-15T08:06:08Z")
I especially like this “feature”: \*Blue LED digital meter displays voltage In case, you know, you forgot what country you were in and weren’t quite sure if it’s safe to plug in your TV. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/29 "2009-01-15T09:41:13Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Gus is right. If you are constantly replacing light bulbs and having outages, it can’t hurt to have a surge protector. If your house isn’t properly grounded, a lightning strike will kill the TV. But if you live in a major metropolitan area or burb with a house built within the past 40 years, this is not going to be a problem. I’ve had equipment fried by the power company when they were doing maintenance on the local power distribution system. It was stuff that was not plugged into a surge protector. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/30 "2009-01-15T13:10:40Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Yay! Yourself. Why didn’t you say you had boobs earlier? _How’re you doin?_ On a more serious note, yes, they do this to everyone. > > Gus is right. If you are constantly replacing light bulbs and having outages, it can’t hurt to have a surge protector. If your house isn’t properly grounded, a lightning strike will kill the TV. But if you live in a major metropolitan area or burb with a house built within the past 40 years, this is not going to be a problem. 😃 I live in Chicago, the city proper. While there’s some iffiness to the electricity in the back of the apartment, it’s because the dining room, office, kids room and half the kitchen is wired to one circuit. It’s one of those “don’t turn on the toaster oven while the microwave is on” kitchens. But the front room with the tv isn’t part of that mess. We’ve been here three years with no outages that I can remember; my mom in the suburbs loses power more often than I do here. I think maybe upgrading to a $30-40 newer surge protector is in order just for peace of mind, but it’s not going to be anything from Monster or Best Buy, for sure! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/31 "2009-01-15T13:40:06Z")
> [@Electronic\_Chaos](#): > > I especially like this “feature”: > > \*Blue LED digital meter displays voltage > > In case, you know, you forgot what country you were in and weren’t quite sure if it’s safe to plug in your TV. For what it is worth, that voltage display is hopefully there to show if you are taking voltage dips or even running high. We once had a pair of power supplies burn out on the same work computers and at least one inkjet. I found a surge protection station that showed voltage. It showed that at times the voltage was dropping to 100v or less IRC. We got maintenance to fix the circuit and stopped having problems. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/32 "2009-01-15T13:44:37Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > When we bought a dryer at BB (they were the only ones in town carrying the one that matched our last-years’-model washer), the salesman warned that if we didn’t get a new dryer vent hose, the new dryer probably wouldn’t work (I think he said that they would refuse to install it without a new hose, which I was fine with, and I’m perfectly capable of installing a dryer), and implied quite strongly that our house would burn down. Literally. Dryer won’t work = BS Replacing dryer vent hose on a regular basis = good idea. Lint filled dryer hoses are a major source of house fires. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/33 "2009-01-15T13:48:21Z")
> [@NicePete](#): > > Dryer won’t work = BS > > Replacing dryer vent hose on a regular basis = good idea. Lint filled dryer hoses are a major source of house fires. Why not just clean them? I do yearly. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/34 "2009-01-15T14:50:08Z")
When I saw them selling [these](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8537425&type=product&id=1188558601273) at Best Buy I just laughed myself silly. The sales people must just roll their eyes thinking “Good god, they really expect me to push those?” ---
**Author:** ![masterofnone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@masterofnone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/masterofnone)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/35 "2009-01-15T16:30:16Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > I thought that “rated for X joules” was a measure of the lifespan of the surge protector, not its effectiveness. No? > > That being said, how do I know if my surge protector is nearing the end of its lifespan, anyhow? Should I just replace it periodically to be sure, even if it still appears to be working? How often? After a little googling, I’m more confused than ever. It seems a low clamping voltage is more important than how many joules it will absorb. Hopefully someone that knows more than can explain it. Still, I would not trust a $12 surge protector to be anything more than a power strip. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/36 "2009-01-15T16:32:32Z")
You paid $40 for shipping on $20 worth of cables? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/37 "2009-01-15T16:51:33Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > You paid $40 for shipping on $20 worth of cables? :eek: Yep, and I still came out ahead of even driving to the local Target and paying $30 each for the cables there. Sometimes value isn’t just in the bottom dollar, but getting what you want, when you want it. I could have gone for cheaper shipping, but whatwith the snow in Chicago right now, lower priority mailing is a dodgy prospect right now. The Kid’s 16th birthday party is on Saturday, and having the whole new system shiny and ready to show off is a sort of birthday gift to him (even though the system isn’t **his** , _per se_). And hey, guess what? Turns out we had an HD cablebox all along! None of us noticed, but heck if it doesn’t say it right on the front of the box, and we’re getting HD channels now. That’s kinda cool - we’re gonna be all set in time for _Battlestar Galactica_, baby! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/38 "2009-01-15T17:47:02Z")
> [@NicePete](#): > > Dryer won’t work = BS > > Replacing dryer vent hose on a regular basis = good idea. Lint filled dryer hoses are a major source of house fires. I was aware of that, naturally, but one would assume that I, as the resident of the house, would have a better idea than the salesman how badly the hose needed replacement. And trying to link the hose sale to the dryer sale was a non sequitur. ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/39 "2009-01-15T19:31:29Z")
The ONLY cables that need be scrutinized are speaker cables…The thicker the better…less resistance. I do audio and there **is** a difference in cheap and expensive… but not TOO freaking expensive like gold plated…pretty doesn’t mean good quality. :rolleyes: I usually buy a roll of good wire/cord and tips then make my own. With all these new connections, we are kinda at the mercy of the people that have the machinery to mold the connectors. Digital signals either work or not…Monster cables are a SCAM. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310/40 "2009-01-15T19:54:20Z")
Everybody always focuses on spikes, higher voltage. Why? Don’t have kids, critters, clumsy friends and neighbors that knock, pull plugs from walls? Never have a fuse blow or breaker trip? Never had equipment ruined from improper shut down? Never got tired of the hassle of rebooting a Win 95 or 98 system after a power crash? Saving systems from power lose is almost important as saving it from power spikes, my experience and opinion. Having time to shut down properly or not having to reboot for every temporary power interruption much less the potential damage from same has not or does not ever enter you decision making? I can’t afford new stuff each year so I have to take care of what I have. I wonder sometimes, you can get 7200 RPM 40 GIG hard drives for practically free yet not many people have one or three nor do they clone their “C” drive on a regular basis but oh how they scream when the HD failure eats all their stuff… I d not understand people who just dare Murphy and Karma to slap them up side the head on a regular basis… _::: wanders off mumbling to my self… ::::_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-this-overpriced-hoojeewatsit-to-clean-my-electricity-for-a-lcd-televsion/481310.md?page=3)