Square D QO250PSPD Review

Read time: 3 minutes Last Updated: 12/03/2019 Author: Justin Stewart

Square D by Schneider Electric QO250PSPD

$74.88

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Square D by Schneider Electric QO250PSPD

7/10

Quick plug-in connection method allows for efficient, DIY installation
Provides 50,000 amp of protection against internal and external surges
Individually fused MOVs provides enhanced surge suppression
Operates efficiently on mid-sized homes at up to 12,000 feet above sea level
Requires two adjacent mounting spaces for proper installation

Dimensions:

2.9 x 5.4 x 11.7 inches

Weight:

7.1 lbs.

Type:

1 or 2

Certifications:

UL, NEC, CSA

Maximum Surge Current Capacity (MSCC):

80,000 amps

Enclosure Type:

NEMA Type 1

Alarm or Indicator Light:

Yes

Warranty:

Yes 5-year

Our Review

Some folks are reticent to install whole home surge protection because they believe that it requires hiring an expensive professional electrician. However, recent innovations – as embodied in the Schneider Electric QO250PSPD – have allowed DIYers to install surge protection devices with great ease. This model in particular makes use of a plug-in connection method that makes it easy to set up a whole home surge protection system in a few hours flat.

Internally, though, the Schneider Electric QO250PSPD has a lot to offer its users. For example, this model is one of the only units in its class that uses individually fused MOVs. As a result, this model reliably exhibits top-tier surge suppression capabilities all the way up to its 50,000 amps threshold. When configured in L-L mode, the Schneider Electric QO250PSPD’s VPR of 900 volts even excels the same specification seen in models that cost twice as much.

Read more about our how our ratings broke down for the QO250PSPD below or checkout how it compares to other whole surge protectors.

Key Specification Ratings

Maximum Continuous Operating Voltage (MCOV) – 7.5/10

Why Did It Earn this Score? – Schneider Electric, the manufacturer of the QO250PSPD model, haven’t gone out of their way to provide an enhanced MCOV this time around. That being said, this model’s MCOVs of 150 volts (L-N mode) and 300 volts (L-L) meets the industry average for models of this size and price. Of note, though, the Schneider Electric QO250PSPD is routinely able to operate at their MCOV thresholds without heating up excessively, thus providing a longer effective lifespan overall.

Voltage Protective Rating (VPR) – 8.5/10

Why Did It Earn this Score? – Compared to other models in the same line as the Schneider Electric QO250PSPD, this model has managed to raise the bar ever so slightly. While this model’s L-N VPR on stands at 500 volts (the industry average for that mode of protection), the Schneider Electric QO250PSPD does exceed expectations slightly by providing a 900 volt VPR for its L-L mode. Accordingly, users of this model can expect it to provide a slightly higher-than-average amount of electricity into your system, even while it manages an ongoing surge event.

Mode of Protection – 7.0/10

Why Did It Earn this Score? – Though it only utilizes two modes of protection (L-N and L-L), the Schneider Electric QO250PSPD is by no means less capable of protecting homes into which it installed. However, folks who were looking to make use of either L-G or N-G modes will have to look elsewhere because this model simply does not provide that degree of operational flexibility.

The Final Verdict

All in all, the Schneider Electric QO250PSPD is a fully capable surge protection device that will protect most small and mid-sized homes without trouble. While some of its core specifications fail to rise above the industry average, this model still manages to meet its user’s expectations by utilizing individually fused MOVs internally and a resilient, “non-metallic” enclosure externally. The Schneider Electric QO250PSPD also represents a considerable bargain for all budget-conscious DIYers, based upon its price tag around $75 and a warranty period of 5 years.