Has anyone installed Surge Protection at AC panel?

i have a levington device wired directly to my main panel through a 30 amp 2 pole breaker. you can see one at smarthome.com link to

http://www.smarthome.com/4860.html

like bob, i unplug (my hydra) during wacky weather and when i leave town, and when i have wacky friends over.

unpluging is the only truly secure method to avoid damage from ligtning.

sounds like a safe-sex ad.

This is not as easy a DIY as it seems. First, you have to determine the appropriate method of protection (Line 1 to Neutral, L2 to N, L1 to G, L2 to G or L1 to L2). Then you have to know the available short circuit (symmetrical) current available (most devices are limited to 25,000 amps) and there has to be a breaker space available for the device itself UL listed for one or two wires per terminal.

I'm not sure I understand your question: do you want the entire service protected or just the 50-amp dedicated (sub?)panel? If you want the service entrance protected, there is no need to protect the subpanel. If you want just the subpanel protected then this panel has to have an equipment ground bar with a grounding conductor back to your service panel.

I would retain a consulting engineer to anaylize what you have and to give you something to take to an electrician.

As far as whole house models available, I prefer the Square_D "SurgeBreaker Plus" model SDSB1175C.

I put in a 200amp unit for my whole house. It definitely works. I've never blown a power strip/fuse/surge protector since. The unit cost about $400 and took the electrician 1/2 day to install. It's worth it.

It still will not prevent spike within each circuit. You will still want a line conditioner for your system to clean up the little stuff.