DIY Install Whole House Surge Protection for Siemens Breaker Panels, QSA1515SPD, QSA2020SPD

DIY tutorial for how to install whole house surge protection for Siemens breaker panels that take QSA breakers. If you look at the breakers in your panel and you see a catalog number starting with "QSA" or the front of your breakers says "Type QP", this tutorial is for you!
This tutorial is specific for Siemens breakers and specifically the QSA1515SPD, QSA2020SPD Whole House Surge Protectors with Circuit Breakers.

[@Richardo82983]

My mother's house just got an upgraded panel with one of these breakers. I was so impressed at what it can do and I want one for my own home. Thanks for showing how easy and straightforward this design is to install

[@sierrarotorcraftclub]

Your video is the first one out of many that actually showed me how to install my AFCI. All the other videos showed connecting the load black wire in one slot and the load white wire in a different slot in the AFCI for that branch. The Siemens that I ordered didn't have all those slots to connect the black and white wires. But you video showed me that the load white wires stay connected to the common neutral bar. Now that makes since. Thanks so much again for this video.

[@jimanddiana4103]

Well done. Very helpful video, thanks!

[@Mike-fn7rx]

Good job. You might want to invest in a torque screwdriver so you can tighten everything to spec without having to worry about how tight you’re going. I check the panel once a year with mine. Great tool to have. Again, good job on the install and video. 😊

[@le0nida525]

Thank you! Sweet and short

[@deckgun31]

Very nicely done. I’ve been watching several of these installation videos. This one covers the device that I will be purchasing for my Siemens panel. This device matches my needs and does not require additional device purchases or installations. Questions: when the device trips, does it kill power downstream? Does it have an audible notification in the event of a device fault? Should I keep a spare SPD handy, just in case?

[@ProfessionalFixologist]

The breakers will trip per normal if there's over-current on the lines connected. However in the event there's a voltage surge, it won't trip off the breakers, just temporarily short the current to ground. As long as the green lights are lit the protection is working, nothing audible. Check the lights every few months and after lightning storms. A spare is a good idea if the electronics you're protecting are of particular value, however it might be fine for 10+ years with no issues, and only takes a few days to get a new one on Amazon if you need it.

[@jimwind374]

Excellent video! Do you know if this can be installed in place of a 20 amp double pole breaker, like for a water heater?

[@ProfessionalFixologist]

As far as I know, there are only two single pole 15A or 20A versions.

[@drorr3431]

We recently had a multiple surge/across several devices in our house. The problem was a result of a broken Neutral wire coming from the Utility (outside the house due to severe storm). The Utility guys did reconnect that wire. My Square D - QO Panel didn't have a whole house surge protector. I want to install a Type 2 Surge protector (QO2175SB). Am very handy and am a retire EE Eng. No need to warn me of hazards.... My question is: 1) if I connect the grounding wire of the Surge protector to the NEUTRAL bus in the panel and a similar incident happens, where would the shunting go!? Should I connect it to the Panel Ground instead (it would shunt it to the ground of the house via the existing copper wire tied to the water main in my case) ? 2)note that I am not sure if my Neutral and my panel ground are tied together!?!? - how could I find out? Thank you!

[@ProfessionalFixologist]

Good questions. EE myself. 1. You should connect the surge protector to the neutral bus. This is because the devices you want to protect are connected between the hot and neutral, not normally connected to ground; therefore you want the surge protector to control the voltage on neutral in a surge event. However this is a moot point in a main panel as: 2: If your panels are per code today (going back to probably 1950s, perhaps even earlier), your main breaker panel will have the neutral and ground bars connected together. However, sub panels have the ground and neutral separated (many youtube videos available on this topic if you're curious why). If you open up your main panel, you should see the ground and neutral connected together (can be just through the body of the breaker panel or aluminum connection part of the breaker panel or a thick copper wire connecting both).

[@drorr3431]

My Panel is connected to the grid through a Generac Transfer Panel (located just near that inside the basement) which in turn is connected to an outside stand by 17KW Generator. So in this case, is my Square D QO panel considered to be a "Sub-Panel" or is it still a "Main Panel"?

[@drorr3431]

My Square D Panel is relatively new (installed in the last few years when the Outside Generator installation took place). @@ProfessionalFixologist

[@ProfessionalFixologist]

@@drorr3431, Unfortunately I'm not familiar with generator transfer panels.

[@drorr3431]

Thank you !@@ProfessionalFixologist

[@manos.1042]

I just installed one of these breakers for the first time and i just proctected the bedrooms receptacles only. What do you suggest me to protrect instead?

[@ProfessionalFixologist]

These breakers will provide protection for the whole house or all circuits connected to the same breaker panel as they are in, not just the two circuits wired to them. For sensitive electronics like TVs, Computers, etc, I recommend also using plug-in surge protectors.

[@kurpal8904]

How much does this usually cost?

[@ProfessionalFixologist]

It's quite affordable. These units are about $85 at the time of posting: www.amazon.com/dp/B0052MGWEY?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-reorder-t1_k0_1_10&amp=&crid=2OH540QEWOL7J&amp=&sprefix=qsa1515spd