How do you know if a surge protector plug is still protecting?

[Deleted User]

A couple of nights ago we had a 5 minute power cut - as did all the neighbours I assume, as all the street lights went out as well.

After the power came back on - my flat TFT computer screen would not work. The problem was definitely that it had no power coming to it.

I change the fuse to a brand new one. No luck.

The power cable that supplies the power to the screen has a large heavy box along it - I took the whole cable with the box thing to PC World where they tested it in front of me and it was fine.

Which leaves the screen itself. The screen - a Samsumg Syncmaster is totally sealed so you cannot get at anything. 3 different computer shops (including PC World) say it is cheaper to replace it than pay for a repair (it's 2 years old and no extended warranty).

So I've bought a new screen!

As I had a surge protector plug in use before the power cut - how do I know if it still works?

Everything else is plugged in AFTER the surge plug and has power so presumably power gets through the surge plug in the first place.

Can anyone hazard a guess as to what has happened here - and how I can prevent it happening again?

kat21

chances are if the large box, *lol* transformer and fuse were alright then it might be that your monitor just needs to be re-set, tft monitors usually have a menu on them http://erms.samsungusa.com/customer/sea/jsp/faqs/faqs_view.jsp?PG_ID=1&AT_ID=5636&PROD_SUB_ID=28&PROD_ID=133
or you may have a setting in windows, please read the support page for your model and make, as you dont quote it here.
with regards to the surge protector, it may need to be checked especially if, it turns out that a mains power spike caused the problem, but like you say, the power is getting through alright check to see if it has a test button or fuse. my own surge protection socket from argos, has a green and amber light when a fault exists the green light fails.
with regards to the monitor, I can only think that it is a software problem since as you say pc world checked out the transformer and cable and all was fine so, no damage to the transformer which would almost certainly have got damaged if a sufficient mains spike went through it.
thats whats making me think of a setting on your tft monitor
kat21
do a search on google with your make and model number and put the fault that way you will see if others have had a simlar problem
kat21