Decision Lantern

Energy and power calculator

Whole-house surge planner

Reviewed Skip to the planner

Households adding service-entrance surge protection. The decision this page isolates is narrow on purpose: translate panel amps into a surge class. Load and runtime are separate constraints. A watt number alone is not a complete answer.

This page produces an explainable category or size so options can be compared without a product ranking. The calculator does not rank Siemens, Eaton, and Schneider Electric. It produces an explainable class so Siemens FS140, Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA, and Square D HEPD80 can be compared as examples of that class.

The working method is: Convert the inputs into a published planning class using the method on this page, then compare official product pages that match that class. Planning notes are grounded in Schneider Electric. This page does not quote a price or rank a brand.

How to use this calculator

Households adding service-entrance surge protection. Translate panel amps into a surge class. If you can answer service amps, this page can produce a class you can shop against.

What this page will not do

  1. Enter the planning inputs

    Choose a surge class by recording service amps. Use real measurements or counts, not a rounded marketing number.

  2. Keep optional extras off until they are real

    This tool has no optional add-ons. If a number is uncertain, calculate a range and keep the more conservative class.

  3. Read the planning class

    Calculate class and treat the headline as a class, not a product name. Matching examples below follow type2, Growth, Starter, 80ka, and Advanced.

  4. Compare official pages, then verify

    Open the official page for each example in that class. Confirm current specifications, dimensions, and terms. Decision Lantern does not quote a live price or complete an install review.

Planning classes on this page

type2
Example: Siemens FS140, Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA
Growth
Example: Siemens FS140
Starter
Example: Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA
80ka
Example: Square D HEPD80
Advanced
Example: Square D HEPD80

Choose a surge class

Planning class

Type2

Compare options with at least:

  • Compare official product pages in this class
  • Specifications can change and must be verified

Example products for Whole-house surge planner

Real products that fit this planning category. Specs come from the manufacturer’s product page. These are examples, not rankings. Product names that go to Amazon are associate links. Decision Lantern may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Compare the official examples

The table below is a side-by-side of the official examples on this page. Columns are published facts—maker, planning class, and notes taken from the official page—not scores. Siemens FS140, Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA, and Square D HEPD80 are included so you can see how classes differ, then open the official page for the current specification.

Published facts for the example products on this page. Not a ranking.
ExampleMakerPlanning classesPublished notesOfficial page
Siemens FS140Siemenstype2, GrowthType 2; PanelSiemens FS140 official page
Eaton CHSPT2ULTRAEatontype2, StarterType 2; UL 1449Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA official page
Square D HEPD80Schneider Electric80ka, Advanced80 kA; PanelSquare D HEPD80 official page

Which example fits which class

Siemens FS140

Siemens

Siemens FS140 from Siemens is an example in the type2 and Growth class. Published notes on the official page include Type 2 and Panel. Keep it in the shortlist when your result lands in that class, then confirm the current specification before you buy.

Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA

Eaton

Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA from Eaton is an example in the type2 and Starter class. Published notes on the official page include Type 2 and UL 1449. Keep it in the shortlist when your result lands in that class, then confirm the current specification before you buy.

Square D HEPD80

Schneider Electric

Square D HEPD80 from Schneider Electric is an example in the 80ka and Advanced class. Published notes on the official page include 80 kA and Panel. Keep it in the shortlist when your result lands in that class, then confirm the current specification before you buy.

What to verify before you buy

How this estimate works

Convert the inputs into a published planning class using the method on this page, then compare official product pages that match that class.

Know the limits

  • This page does not quote a price or rank a brand.
  • Manufacturer specifications and program terms can change and must be verified on official pages.
  • The result is a planning category, not a safety, medical, legal, or install guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

How does the whole-house surge planner work?

It converts service amps into a planning class using a published rule. Convert the inputs into a published planning class using the method on this page, then compare official product pages that match that class. The headline is a class such as type2, Growth, Starter, 80ka, and Advanced, not a vendor ranking.

Is Siemens FS140 better than Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA?

This page does not rank Siemens FS140, Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA, and Square D HEPD80. Siemens FS140 and Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA are listed because they are real products with official pages that map to different or overlapping classes. The useful question is which class matches your inputs.

Can I treat the result as a buying recommendation?

This page does not quote a price or rank a brand. Use the class to decide what to read next, then verify fit, terms, and installation requirements on the official page and with a qualified installer when the product needs one.

Do the product links earn Decision Lantern a commission?

Not on the current preview. Links go to official manufacturer or service pages. If compensated links are added later, the disclosure on this page will say so in plain language.

What should I verify after I get a class?

Confirm the current specification, dimensions or plan limits, and any program terms on the official page. Manufacturer specifications and program terms can change and must be verified on official pages. The next editorial review for this page is due 2026-11-14.

Why these 3 examples?

They are real energy and power options with an affiliate program on file and an official product page. Siemens, Eaton, and Schneider Electric appear because each one can represent at least one planning class on this page, not because Decision Lantern tested or endorsed them.

Sources

  1. APC UPS Selector, Schneider Electric. Retrieved .

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