EMP Shield Wired Home EMP & Lightning Protection | SP-120-240-W

EMP Shield Wired Home EMP Protection Mounts Beside Your Breaker Panel With Its Status Lights Right On The Front

The SP-120-240-W is EMP Shield's wired home unit for houses with 120/240V split-phase power. A licensed electrician mounts it next to the breaker panel and connects it through 20-amp breakers. From there, EMP Shield says it defends the home's wiring against the E1, E2 and E3 phases of an EMP, coronal mass ejections (CME), lightning strikes and power surges.

This is the version for surface-mount panels, where the unit can sit on the wall beside the panel and connect through rigid conduit. Its 12 AWG copper leads come preconnected from EMP Shield, and its two green lights face you whenever you walk past the panel.

EMP Shield Wired Home EMP Protection Features

Preconnected Copper Leads Save Wiring Steps

EMP Shield says the W version comes with preconnected 12 AWG copper wire. The label marks the color code, L1 black, L2 red, neutral white and ground green. Your electrician threads the leads through the conduit into the panel and lands them on the selected breakers and the neutral.

Front-Facing Lights Confirm It Is Working

Two green diagnostic lights, marked L1 and L2, sit on the face of the unit. EMP Shield says they come on once power is restored and show that the unit is in place and monitoring the incoming supply. EMP Shield also asks for a mounting spot with good visibility of these lights.

Up To 228,000 Amps Per Phase

EMP Shield lists the unit as capable of withstanding up to 228,000 amps per phase, with a nominal discharge current of 114kA. It covers three protection modes, line-to-line, line-to-neutral and line-to-ground.

Sub-Nanosecond Shunting With Fused Phases

According to EMP Shield, the unit starts shunting over-voltage in less than one nanosecond. Each phase has its own solid-state semiconductor circuitry and its own fuse, and EMP Shield lists IEEE C62.41-1991 category A and B combination wave suppression.

Lab Testing And Listing Claims From EMP Shield

EMP Shield says it tested its design at Keystone Compliance against MIL-STD-188-125-1, MIL-STD-461G, MIL-STD-464C and RS-105, with RS-105 run at 50 kV/m and 90 kV/m. Keystone Compliance itself does not endorse any product. EMP Shield also says the Department of Homeland Security lists its products in an EMP resilience report, and it calls this model UL 1449 Type 2 compliant.

NEMA 4 Box With An Integrated Conduit Port

Its NEMA 4 plastic housing has a single conduit entrance port for the leads. EMP Shield says the J-box style housing simplifies mounting in typical frame construction. The company is veteran-owned and makes its units in Kansas, USA.

Real-World Applications

Family Homes. Installed at the electrical panel, EMP Shield says the home model looks after the entire electrical system, major appliances and sensitive electronics alike, to help keep critical devices running.

Cabins, Rentals And Off-Grid Houses. EMP Shield lists all three among the places its home models are built for. The front lights make a status check quick during a visit.

Small Commercial Buildings. EMP Shield designed its branch-panel units to protect residential and small commercial buildings from high-voltage transients, so a shop or office on 120/240V split-phase service can use the same model.

Practical Comparison

Wired W Model Versus Concealed RL Model

The W model lives outside the panel and keeps its lights on its own face. The concealed SP-120-240-RL is secured inside the breaker box for flush panels and sends its lights to a small LED box on the exterior. If your panel is surface-mounted and you have wall space beside it, the W model is the simpler match.

Whole-Home Panel Unit Versus Plug-In Unit

A plug-in protector only helps the devices on the outlet it serves, and you need one in every room you care about. The wired unit is connected once at the breaker panel and watches the circuits that panel supplies, including appliances wired straight into the house.

Buyer Guidance

Picking The Mounting Spot

EMP Shield says to mount the unit as close as possible to the panel, keep connection leads short and allow at least one inch of clearance from the edge of the panel cover. On a surface-mount panel the unit may connect with rigid conduit to any conduit port. Leads should not be coiled or looped.

Who Should Install It

EMP Shield calls for a licensed electrician and an install that follows local electrical codes. The unit needs a disconnect such as 20-amp breakers or a 20-amp fused disconnect switch, and it works only with copper or copper-clad wire. EMP Shield estimates 10 to 15 minutes of electrician time.

This May Be A Good Fit If

• Your home runs on 120/240V split-phase power
• Your breaker panel is surface-mounted
• You want the status lights on the unit itself
• You prefer leads that come already attached
• You will hire a licensed electrician

Common Questions

Which Breakers Does It Connect To?

EMP Shield recommends 20-amp breakers placed as close as possible to each service entrance lug, and says they may be shared with branch circuit leads. The breakers add failure protection and give a disconnect for servicing. EMP Shield warns never to connect the leads directly to the service entrance lugs.

What If One Of The Lights Turns Off?

Have an electrician confirm whether that phase has power. EMP Shield says that if power is present and the light stays dark, the unit should be replaced or upgraded soon.

Does EMP Shield Suggest Pairing It With Anything?

Yes. EMP Shield highly recommends using the home model along with its Internet model to cover your internet connection.

How Does The Warranty Work?

EMP Shield's limited warranty runs 10 years and covers defects in materials and workmanship by repair or replacement. A unit destroyed by lightning can be replaced for $50 by sending the damaged unit to EMP Shield. EMP Shield's separate protection policy may pay up to $25,000 for damaged connected electronics if its conditions are met, such as installation by a licensed electrician and a claim filed within 30 days.

What's Included

• 1 x EMP Shield SP-120-240-W Wired Home Unit With Preconnected Leads

Protection You Can Check At A Glance

The EMP Shield Wired Home EMP Protection unit gives a surface-mount 120/240V panel EMP, CME, lightning and surge protection with its lights in plain sight. For help deciding between the wired and concealed models, reach out to the Outbound Power team and we will walk you through it.

EMP Shield SP-120-240-W Manual