Does anyone know if these types of conditioners will protect against a massive surge caused by a storm or a power line transformer failing? It is my understanding that a lightning surge will blow right through a conditioner or surge protector and hit whatever is plugged into it, whether it is on or off.
I believe from living in the upper NE. end of FL.`s "Lightning Alley" for over 50 years that starting with a very good low resistance ground and "high quality" protection devices, starting at the power meter & every other wire(cable, sat., TV ant.,land line, etc.) that enters the dwelling + one installed at the load center(circuit breaker panel), with protectors at each outlet that equipment is plugged into and any cables feeding all TV`s signal..
This method has worked perfectly for me since I was struck by lightning in the summer of 1997..
All my electronic devices that were plugged into protectors had no failures, and some are still in use.
Even when lightning struck and killed a 75 ft. pine tree 25 ft. from my house in 2002, there was no damage to any electrical device in my house, of which there are many and remain plugged in and some run 24/7/365 for decades.
There is an very informative IEEE paper titled "how to lightning proof your house" that can be found on the web.
I operate 10`s of thousands $ worth of HT electronics during the most intense thunder storms with no concern about damage.
But I have implemented all the IEEE guidelines to the letter..
IMHO/E It can be done successfully, but it has to be done absolutely correct, with zero omissions of the procedures.
But this is what I do, and for you to do so, do at your own risk.
Good luck, OKB