surge protection for heating system

[val-692]

last week, houses in the road had a power cut one evening, although we hadn't at that stage...then, in bed near midnight, we were dozing, then heard a loud pop in the hall....got up and smelt a very strong electrical burning smell (we were also then without power), it was coming from the programmer, so i unplugged the heating system: it is plugged into an ordinary socket which previously supplied the immersion heater. The consumer unit is a Hager cartridge fuse type, located close to the programmer.
so, my question, without going to the expense of a new surge-protected CU, how can i protect the heating system from this happening again?
i realise i could get a surge unit fitted prior to the CU, but i am looking for a DIY solution.

 

[richy3333]

Not sure that there is a DIY solution. Either a new CU with SPD built in or a stand alone SPD before the existing board. Also modern protective devices found in a consumer unit will behave with a different character to you Hager cartridge fuses and give better protection to you household circuits..

 

[pc1966]

You can get surge-protected 13A plugs such as this:

https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/9518s-3a/plugtop-surge-protected-3a/dp/PL13931?st=surge%20protected%20plugs

But they do have limited energy absorption. As @richy3333 as said, a new CU will have far greater capacity for surges as well as "better" protection.

Better here is for quicker disconnection on medium energy faults (fuses are actually very good for high energy faults) as well as other aspects such as RCD protection against shock which literally can be a life saver.