APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T (Z98010214399)

The APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T is a seven-outlet surge protector manufactured by APC (American Power Conversion) in 1998 as part of the company's consumer-oriented SurgeArrest Personal product family.

Designed to protect personal computers, peripherals, modems, and other household electronics, the PER7T combines AC surge suppression, telephone-line protection, site-wiring diagnostics, and seven grounded outlets within a compact desktop enclosure.

The documented example is particularly significant because it was manufactured during the production period later affected by the APC SurgeArrest Recall (2013). This unit was submitted through APC's recall program in 2021, providing an unusual opportunity to examine a recalled surge protector with documented participation in the replacement process.

As the first SurgeArrest Personal product preserved by the OldSurge Archive, the PER7T expands documentation beyond APC's better-known SurgeArrest Professional family and helps illustrate how APC differentiated consumer and professional surge-protection products during the late 1990s.

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  Overall view of the documented APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T specimen.

Overview

The APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T was marketed as a consumer surge protector intended for home and small-office use during the personal-computing era. The design combines seven grounded outlets with integrated telephone-line protection, APC's Protection Working and Site Wiring Fault indicators, and a six-foot power cord for flexible installation.

Although positioned below the company's SurgeArrest Professional product line, teardown examination revealed that the PER7T shares significant design heritage with contemporary Professional-series products. Both families utilize similar enclosure architecture, identical UL listings, comparable protection ratings, and suppression circuitry developed during the same period.

Internal examination further revealed that APC maintained separate electrical designs for the Personal and Professional product lines despite their outward similarities. The documented PER7T utilizes a dedicated telephone-protection board and a unique surge-suppression board design not presently documented in the archive's Professional-series examples.

The artifact is also historically significant due to its connection with APC's 2013 SurgeArrest recall. The unit remained in service for more than two decades before being submitted through APC's recall program, providing a rare documented example of a recalled surge protector with known recall history.

Together, these characteristics make the PER7T an important reference point for understanding APC's late-1990s consumer surge-protection products and their relationship to the broader SurgeArrest family.

Historical Context

During the 1990s APC marketed multiple SurgeArrest product families aimed at different segments of the surge-protection market. The SurgeArrest Professional series targeted business and power users seeking premium protection, while the SurgeArrest Personal series was marketed toward home users and small offices requiring protection for personal computers, peripherals, modems, fax machines, and related electronics.

By the late 1990s personal computers, dial-up Internet access, and networked home offices had become increasingly common. Products such as the PER7T addressed the growing need for affordable protection not only for AC power connections, but also for telephone lines used by modems and communications equipment.

The documented example was manufactured in 1998 during the production period later affected by APC's 2013 SurgeArrest recall. As a result, the artifact represents APC's recall-era surge-protection design and provides a useful point of comparison with both earlier and later SurgeArrest products.

Although marketed as part of the Personal family, the PER7T shares substantial design heritage with contemporary APC SurgeArrest Professional products. The documented examples utilize closely related enclosure architecture, identical UL listings, similar diagnostic indicators, and comparable surge-protection ratings. Internal examination, however, revealed that APC maintained separate suppression-board designs for the two product families despite their outward similarities.

The PER7T therefore occupies an important position within APC's product history, illustrating how the company adapted a common surge-protection platform to serve different market segments during the personal-computing era.

Documented Example

• OldSurge ID: OS-0029
• Manufacturer: APC (American Power Conversion)
• Product Family: SurgeArrest Personal
• Model: PER7T
• Serial Number: Z98010214399
• Manufacturing Date: 1998
• Recall Status: Included in APC SurgeArrest Recall (2013)

Specifications

The APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T combines seven grounded outlets, telephone-line protection, diagnostic site-wiring indicators, and APC's SurgeArrest surge-suppression technology within a compact enclosure shared with other APC seven-outlet surge-protector designs of the late 1990s. The model is particularly notable because it belongs to APC's consumer-oriented Personal product family while retaining many characteristics observed on contemporary Professional-series products.

• Manufacturer: APC (American Power Conversion)
• Product Family: APC SurgeArrest Personal
• Model: PER7T
• Device Type: Surge Protector
• Country of Origin: China

• Outlets: 7 grounded outlets
• Protection: AC power-line surge suppression, telephone-line protection

• Length: Approximately 10.25 in (26.0 cm)
• Width: Approximately 4.25 in (10.8 cm)
• Height: Approximately 1.75 in (4.4 cm)

• Weight: 1 lb 10.7 oz (757 g)

• Plug Type: NEMA 5-15P
• Plug Style: Straight-Blade

• Power Cord:
  • Length: Approximately 6 ft (1.83 m)
  • Type: SJT
  • Conductors: 3
  • Wire Size: 14 AWG
  • Flame Rating: FT2
  • Temperature Rating: 75°C (UL), 60°C (CSA)
  • Manufacturer: HRSA
  • UL File Number: E69167
  • CSA File Number: LL52902

• Surge Protector UL File Number: E111219
• UL 1363 Power Tap
• UL 1449 TVSS

• TVSS Ratings:
  • Line-to-Neutral (L-N): 330V
  • Line-to-Ground (L-G): 330V
  • Neutral-to-Ground (N-G): 330V

Notable Characteristics

• First documented APC SurgeArrest Personal-series artifact preserved by the archive.
• Recall-era specimen manufactured in 1998.
• Integrated telephone-line protection.
• Dedicated Protection Working and Site Wiring Fault indicators.
• HRSA-manufactured six-foot power cord.
• Documented participation in APC's recall-replacement program.
• Molded regulatory-information panel rather than a large adhesive label.
• Two keyhole-style wall-mounting slots.
• Seven-screw enclosure construction.
• Identical UL file number (E111219) to the archive's 1998 APC PRO7 specimen.
• Telephone-line protection integrated into the enclosure end cap.

Weight

The documented APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T weighs approximately 1 lb 10.7 oz (757 g).

The weight places the PER7T between the archive's earliest and latest APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 examples. The archive's 1998 PRO7 specimen weighs approximately 1 lb 15.9 oz (903 g), while the 2006 and 2017 PRO7 examples each weigh approximately 1 lb 9.6 oz (726 g).

The lower weight relative to the contemporary 1998 PRO7 may reflect differences in telephone-protection circuitry, filtering components, internal bus-bar construction, or overall surge-suppression architecture. Additional comparison will be possible following teardown examination.

Despite incorporating seven grounded outlets, telephone-line protection, diagnostic indicators, and a six-foot power cord, the PER7T remains noticeably lighter than APC's professional-oriented PRO7 product of the same period.

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  APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T on a digital scale showing a weight of approximately 1 lb 10.7 oz (757 g).

Physical Characteristics

The APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T utilizes a beige molded enclosure measuring approximately 10.25 inches (26.0 cm) long, 4.25 inches (10.8 cm) wide, and 1.75 inches (4.4 cm) tall.

The upper surface incorporates seven grounded receptacles arranged in a single row together with APC's "Protection Working" and "Site Wiring Fault" indicators. A black rocker power switch is positioned near the cord-entry end of the enclosure.

Unlike the APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 family, the Personal-series enclosure utilizes a broader footprint and a flatter overall profile.

The documented example incorporates a six-foot power cord manufactured by HRSA and the underside incorporates two keyhole-style mounting slots intended for wall or furniture mounting.

The enclosure closely resembles the APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 family documented elsewhere within the archive. Overall dimensions, indicator placement, outlet arrangement, and general enclosure architecture appear substantially similar despite the different product-family branding.

Telephone-line protection is provided through modular input and output jacks located at one end of the enclosure. Examination of the connectors indicates that only the center pair of contacts is populated, suggesting support for a single analog telephone line rather than multi-line service.

A molded marking reading "R9802" is present on the underside of the enclosure. The significance of this marking has not yet been determined and may represent a tooling identifier, mold revision, or manufacturing code.

The underside closely resembles contemporary APC SurgeArrest Professional products. Features include molded regulatory information, a serial-number label, two keyhole-style wall-mounting slots, and a UL hologram certification label.

Unlike later APC SurgeArrest products documented by the archive that utilize large adhesive regulatory labels, the PER7T incorporates most electrical ratings and certification information directly into the enclosure tooling through molded lettering.

The underside incorporates molded electrical and regulatory information together with a separate serial-number label. Unlike later APC products that rely extensively on adhesive regulatory labels, much of the PER7T's certification and rating information is permanently molded into the enclosure.

A holographic UL listing label remains present on the documented example. The label identifies the device as a listed Power Tap and transient-voltage surge suppressor (TVSS).

Several deep scratches are present on the underside of the enclosure, particularly near the recessed serial-number area. The damage appears cosmetic and is consistent with long-term use or storage.

The documented example utilizes a molded straight-blade NEMA 5-15P attachment plug connected to an approximately six-foot power cord.

Unlike the archive's documented 1998 APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 specimen, which utilizes a right-angle attachment plug, the PER7T utilizes a conventional straight-blade plug design.

Moderate wear is visible on the grounding pin, consistent with repeated insertion and removal during service life.

Photographs

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  Overall view of the documented APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T specimen.
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  SurgeArrest Personal branding with Protection Working and Site Wiring Fault indicators.
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  Power-switch area showing indicator layout and receptacle detail.
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  Side profile showing the rectangular receptacle section and curved upper housing.
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  Opposite side profile showing the smooth enclosure design and switch housing.
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  Telephone-line protection ports with input and output connections.
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  Underside overview showing molded regulatory information, mounting provisions, serial-number label, and attached power cord.
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  Molded regulatory-information panel showing electrical ratings, UL listings, and TVSS voltage ratings.
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  Model and serial-number label identifying the documented PER7T specimen.
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  Cord-entry underside detail showing the serial-number label, mounting provisions, and UL hologram label.
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  UL hologram label identifying the device as a listed Power Tap and TVSS.
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  Attached six-foot power cord and molded straight-blade attachment plug.
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  Close-up of the attachment plug showing molded identification markings and grounding-pin wear.
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  Power-cord markings showing HRSA manufacturer identification, UL file number E69167, and SJT 14 AWG construction.
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  Additional power-cord markings showing CSA file number LL52902, FT2 flame rating, and conductor specifications.

Date Codes

Disassembly revealed no molded date-code wheels in either enclosure half. This contrasts with later APC SurgeArrest Professional products documented by the archive, including the 1999 PRO7, which incorporate internal molded date-code wheels for manufacturing traceability.

The absence of date wheels suggests that APC introduced this manufacturing-traceability feature after production of the documented 1998 PER7T specimen.

• Date-code detail.
  Date-code detail.

Condition Upon Acquisition

The documented example was acquired in used condition and exhibited cosmetic wear consistent with long-term residential or office use.

The enclosure remained structurally intact and displayed moderate surface wear, minor scuffs, and localized discoloration. Several scratches and abrasion marks were present on both the upper and lower enclosure surfaces, including several deep scratches on the underside near the recessed serial-number area.

A transfer mark consistent with contact from an electrical plug or similar object was observed on the receptacle face near the third outlet from the left.

The attached power cord, plug, rocker switch, indicator lenses, telephone-protection ports, and receptacles appeared complete and undamaged upon initial examination.

Unlike several other recalled APC SurgeArrest examples documented by the archive, no evidence of heat-related discoloration, melted plastic, plug-body separation, or electrical damage was observed.

The unit was cleaned prior to detailed photography, testing, and internal examination.

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  APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T as acquired prior to cleaning and documentation.

Functional Testing

The documented example was tested for basic electrical operation, switch functionality, indicator operation, and outlet wiring integrity.

When connected to utility power and switched ON, the green Protection Working indicator illuminated normally. The red Site Wiring Fault indicator remained unlit during testing, indicating that no wiring fault was detected at the test receptacle.

The rocker switch successfully controlled power to all protected outlets and operated normally throughout testing.

Testing with a receptacle tester confirmed correct hot, neutral, and ground connections at the protected outlets. No open grounds, open neutrals, reversed polarity conditions, or other wiring faults were detected.

The documented example passed all functional testing performed during documentation and remained fully operational at the time of examination.

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  Connected to utility power with the rocker switch in the OFF position.
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  Protection Working indicator illuminated during functional testing.
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  Outlet tester indicating correct wiring and grounding.

Teardown

The APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T enclosure is secured using seven Phillips-head screws and can be opened non-destructively.

Removal of the upper housing revealed an internal design considerably more sophisticated than many consumer surge protectors of the period. The unit incorporates dedicated circuit boards for surge suppression and telephone-line protection together with a full-length stamped-metal outlet-contact assembly.

Electrical distribution is accomplished through a substantial brass outlet-contact assembly extending the length of the enclosure and serving all seven receptacles. Separate circuit boards are mounted within the enclosure to provide AC surge suppression and telephone-line protection functions.

Unlike the archive's recently documented COXOC CO-001S, which relies upon a single MOV connected directly across the incoming AC supply, the PER7T utilizes a dedicated suppression assembly and significantly greater component density.

The documented example utilizes an HRSA-manufactured SJT 14/3 power cord carrying UL file number E69167 and CSA file number LL52902. Internal wiring appears orderly and utilizes dedicated grounding conductors together with mechanical strain relief at the cord-entry point.

The upper housing incorporates molded outlet barriers, receptacle-positioning features, structural reinforcement ribs, and mounting provisions for the internal outlet-contact assembly.

Construction quality appears comparable to contemporaneous APC SurgeArrest Professional products documented by the archive, suggesting that both product families shared common mechanical-design philosophies despite differing electronic implementations.

Further examination of the suppression and telephone-protection assemblies identified additional component markings and circuit-board revisions discussed below.

Unlike later APC PRO7 examples documented by the archive, the PER7T enclosure does not incorporate molded date-code wheels in either enclosure half.

No date wheels were observed on the upper or lower housing during disassembly. Consequently, the serial number presently provides the primary basis for manufacturing-date identification.

The absence of molded date wheels suggests that APC had not yet adopted the manufacturing-traceability methods seen on later documented PRO7 specimens.

Inspection of the underside of the main circuit board identified APC part number:

640-0323C
REV 6

The board designation differs from the 640-0321-series suppression boards documented in the archive's APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 family, indicating that the Personal-series models utilized a distinct circuit-board design despite sharing much of the same enclosure architecture.

The main surge-suppression board appears physically smaller and less complex than the suppression assemblies documented in contemporary APC SurgeArrest Professional products. Further examination of the component side will be required to determine whether this reflects reduced filtering, fewer suppression components, or other design differences between the Personal and Professional product families.

The PER7T incorporates a dedicated telephone-line protection circuit board positioned separately from the main surge-suppression assembly.

The board connects the incoming and outgoing modular telephone connectors through a protection network consisting of fuses, diodes, resistors, and surge-suppression components.

Inspection confirmed that only the center pair of contacts is connected through the protection circuitry. The remaining conductor positions within the modular connectors are not populated, indicating that the design was intended to protect a single analog telephone line.

Board markings identified the telephone-protection assembly as:

014060

Additional component-level examination may provide further insight into APC's telephone-protection design practices during the late 1990s.

The telephone-protection assembly carries the marking "014060", potentially identifying the PCB design revision or internal APC part number.

Inspection identified the main surge-suppression circuit board as:

AMERICAN POWER CONVERSION
640-0323C
REV 6
© 1996

The documented APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T therefore utilizes a suppression-board design carrying the same 1996 copyright year as the archive's 1998 APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 specimen.

A large ZNR V20201U metal-oxide varistor (MOV) provides primary surge suppression. A second MOV is mounted alongside the primary suppression component, indicating a multi-MOV surge-suppression design. The suppression assembly incorporates multiple passive components including resistors, capacitors, indicator circuitry, and at least two MOV surge-suppression devices.

The primary surge-suppression component is a zinc-oxide metal-oxide varistor (MOV) marked:

ZNR
V20201U

A second MOV is mounted adjacent to the primary device, forming part of the unit's surge-suppression network.

Despite the shared copyright year, the board design differs substantially from the 640-0321C REV 7 suppression board documented in the archive's 1998 PRO7 example. The differing board numbers indicate that APC developed separate suppression-board families for the Personal and Professional product lines while maintaining broadly similar electrical-protection specifications.

Although physically smaller than the suppression board utilized in the archive's 1998 APC PRO7 specimen, the PER7T board nonetheless incorporates a dedicated surge-suppression network rather than the highly simplified designs observed in some competing consumer products.

The design therefore occupies an intermediate position between APC's Professional-series surge protectors and the minimalist single-MOV designs documented elsewhere in the archive.

The Protection Working and Site Wiring Fault indicators are mounted remotely from the circuit board and connect through dedicated lead wires. Associated resistors, diodes, and supporting circuitry are incorporated directly onto the suppression board.

The arrangement allows the indicators to be positioned within the enclosure independently of the suppression circuitry while simplifying assembly.

Internal construction is orderly and robust. Wiring is neatly routed, insulated conductors are secured away from outlet-contact assemblies, and the suppression board is mounted on dedicated supports molded into the enclosure.

The overall construction quality is consistent with other APC surge-protection products documented by the archive.

Inspection revealed that the APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T is substantially more sophisticated than many contemporary consumer surge protectors.

The design combines a dedicated AC surge-suppression board, an independent telephone-line protection board, a full-length brass outlet-contact assembly, integrated site-wiring diagnostics, and multiple surge-suppression components.

Although the PER7T shares much of its enclosure architecture with the archive's 1998 APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7, the two products utilize different suppression-board families. The documented PER7T incorporates board 640-0323C REV 6 carrying a 1996 APC copyright marking, while the documented PRO7 utilizes board 640-0321C REV 7.

The findings demonstrate that APC maintained separate electrical designs for its Personal and Professional product families while sharing common mechanical architecture and certification data.

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  PER7T opened following removal of the seven enclosure screws.
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  Upper housing interior showing outlet barriers, receptacle guides, and structural reinforcement features.
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  Cord-entry section showing the main circuit board, switch assembly, and power-cord termination.
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  Cord-entry portion of the upper housing showing internal supports and switch-mounting provisions.
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  Telephone-line protection circuit board removed for examination.
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  Plastic housing underneath the phone protection board.
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  Telephone-line protection circuitry including fuses, diodes, resistors, and surge-suppression components.
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  Main surge-suppression circuit board showing APC part number 640-0323C REV 6.
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  Main suppression-board detail showing MOV surge-suppression components and APC copyright markings.
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  Underside of the suppression board showing trace layout and revision markings.
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  Enclosure area beneath the main suppression board showing mounting supports and wiring provisions.
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  Indicator-circuit detail showing LED connections, resistors, MOVs, and associated components.

Comparison Notes

Compared with the archive's 1998 APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 specimen, the PER7T utilizes a nearly identical enclosure architecture while adding integrated telephone-line protection and Personal-series branding.

The documented PRO7 utilizes a Bon-Eagle-manufactured power cord, whereas the documented PER7T utilizes an HRSA-manufactured cord assembly. This difference indicates that APC sourced cord assemblies from multiple suppliers during the same general production period.

Further comparison of the internal construction may reveal whether the Personal and Professional product families shared suppression circuitry or diverged internally despite their similar external appearance.

The documented PER7T carries UL file number E111219, identical to contemporary APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 examples preserved by the archive. This suggests that both product families were evaluated under the same APC UL listing despite differing model designations and feature sets.

The documented PER7T carries TVSS suppression ratings of 330 volts for line-to-neutral, line-to-ground, and neutral-to-ground protection paths. These ratings match those documented on the archive's 1998 APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 specimen.

Regulatory and electrical information is molded directly into the enclosure rather than applied using adhesive labels. This approach permanently preserves rating and certification information and mirrors the construction methods observed on other APC products from the recall-era production period.

Later APC SurgeArrest products documented by the archive increasingly relied upon adhesive labels for regulatory and rating information.

The documented PER7T shares the same UL file number (E111219), TVSS ratings (330V across all protection modes), general enclosure architecture, wall-mounting provisions, and seven-screw construction observed on the archive's 1998 APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 specimen. The similarities suggest that APC's Personal and Professional product families shared significant engineering commonality despite their different market positioning.

The documented PER7T differs from the archive's 1998 APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 in several visible respects. While both products share a nearly identical enclosure architecture, the PER7T incorporates telephone-line protection, utilizes an HRSA-manufactured power cord, and employs a straight-blade attachment plug rather than the right-angle plug used on the contemporary PRO7.

Despite sharing a nearly identical enclosure architecture with the archive's 1998 APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 specimen, the PER7T utilizes a different suppression-board family.

The documented PRO7 incorporates suppression board 640-0321C REV 7, while the PER7T utilizes board 640-0323C REV 6. The differing board numbers suggest that APC developed separate electrical designs for its Professional and Personal product lines despite substantial external similarities.

Unlike the archive's contemporaneous PRO7 specimen, the PER7T incorporates a separate telephone-protection subsystem consisting of an independent circuit board and dedicated protection components. The additional circuitry reflects the model's intended role as a combined AC and telephone-line surge protector.

The documented 1998 PER7T shares significant design heritage with the archive's 1998 APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7. Both products utilize seven-outlet enclosures, carry UL file number E111219, employ 330-volt TVSS ratings, and incorporate suppression boards carrying ©1996 APC copyright markings.

Despite these similarities, the products utilize different suppression-board families. The Professional-series PRO7 incorporates board 640-0321C REV 7, while the Personal-series PER7T utilizes board 640-0323C REV 6. The PER7T additionally incorporates a dedicated telephone-line protection board not present in the documented PRO7 example.

The findings indicate that APC maintained separate electrical designs for its Personal and Professional series while sharing common enclosure architecture and protection specifications.

The documented APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T and APC SurgeArrest Professional PRO7 were manufactured during the same year and share a remarkably similar enclosure architecture, identical UL file number (E111219), identical 330-volt TVSS ratings, and suppression boards carrying 1996 APC copyright markings.

Despite those similarities, the PER7T weighs approximately 757 g compared with 903 g for the archive's 1998 PRO7 specimen. Internal examination revealed that the products utilize different suppression-board families, with the PER7T incorporating board 640-0323C REV 6 and the PRO7 utilizing board 640-0321C REV 7.

The PER7T additionally incorporates an independent telephone-line protection board protecting the center pair of a single analog telephone line. The findings indicate that APC shared enclosure tooling and design elements between product families while maintaining distinct electrical designs targeted at different segments of the surge-protection market.

Recall Information

The APC SurgeArrest Personal PER7T was included in APC's 2013 SurgeArrest recall affecting approximately 15 million APC 7-Series and 8-Series surge protectors manufactured between 1993 and 2002.

According to APC and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), affected units could overheat, smoke, melt, and pose a fire hazard. The recall included multiple SurgeArrest product families, including the Personal, Professional, Performance, and Network series.

The documented example carries serial number Z98010214399 and was manufactured in 1998, placing it within the affected recall period.

Documentation accompanying the artifact indicates that the unit was submitted to APC's recall program in June 2021. A replacement APC SurgeArrest surge protector manufactured in 2021 was reportedly received through the recall process and remains preserved alongside the recalled specimen.

As a result, this artifact represents a rare documented example of a recalled APC SurgeArrest product with a known recall-participation history.

• APC SurgeArrest Recall (2013)

Historical References

Historical advertisements, archived manufacturer literature, patents, magazine references, archived web captures, and period specifications.

Historical reference.

Historical reference.

Notes

• Additional observations.
• Manufacturing details.
• Interesting findings.

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