Utilitech Treadmill Surge Protector 0090996 Review

The Utilitech Single Outlet Surge Protector for Treadmill, model 0090996 is a 1-outlet device. It can absorb 900 joules of treadmill-destroying surge power. Plus, it comes with a $100,000 connected equipment warranty (plenty to cover even the most expensive treadmills). It’s a light-weight and rugged surge suppressor. It offers a sense of security too. How? Plug your treadmill into this surge protector. Then, you know that power surges will likely not reach it. It protects you treadmill from nearby lightning strikes and motors switching on and off on the same circuit.

Picture of the Utilitech treadmill surge protector, front view, plugged in and operating. — Utilitech treadmill surge protector, front view, plugged in and operating.

Benefits, Pros, Features, and Advantages of the Utilitech 0090996 Single Outlet Treadmill Surge Protector

Low Cost

This protector less than $8 per copy. So it’s great for those pinch-situations, when you need protection in a hurry. Or, use it anywhere you wish to protect a single major appliance like a treadmill.

Add Protection to Power Strips

But you can use this with non-surge power strips to protect computers, routers, modems, and external hard drives; all of which plug into the same power strip. You’d just plug this surge guard device directly into the wall, and then plug the power strip into it. It’s an economical way to add surge suppression to cheaper outlet strips that do not otherwise provide it. Note however that when employed in this way, no inter-device interference protection occurs. Noise-generating devices attached to the same power strip will still potentially interfere with each other. To solve this problem, if you have it, use a device isolating sort of power strip.

The Utilitech Treadmill Surge Protector has a Connected Equipment Warranty

The $100,000 connected equipment warranty enhances peace of mind. Indeed, a device may fail while plugged into the Utilitech surge protector. And, if the defect happens due to a power surge, then they’ll replace it. There are some limitations of course.

Power ON Lamp

This single outlet surge protector sports a red LED pilot light to show that the protective circuitry is working. It’s quite bright enough.

Loud Failure Alarm

The 0090996 also sounds an alarm signal, should its circuitry stop guarding against voltage spikes. Thus, it tells you when it’s time to replace this unit.

Plus, you can put the unit out of sight, since the alarm will sound if a problem occurs. You can put it behind furniture where you cannot see its light. Yet, you will still know of problems by the beep alarm. The protector sounds this when it nears the end of its life.

Add Cheap Surge Protection to Any Treadmill or Other Appliance

Even rugged appliances like treadmills nowadays have sensitive electronics. So it’s a good idea to surge-protect everything you have. The Utilitech surge protector makes this proposition quite doable.

AC Noise Filter

This unit includes a 40 DB EMI / RFI filter for frequencies between 100 Khz. to 30 Mhz. This is nice for ham radio operators, who use frequencies in this range. Yet they want to keep that signal out of other nearby stuff.

900 Joules of Surge Protection

Diverts up to 900 joules of surge energy, preventing that much surge power from reaching the protected equipment.

The Utilitech Treadmill Surge Protector Stops Many Types of Power Surges

The surges can come from…

Lightning.
Arcing inside other appliances.
Static electricity.
Dirty switch contacts.
Rapid ON OFF motor switching nearby.

This suppressor diverts all of these. So it doesn’t care about their origins.

Plugs Right Into an AC Wall Outlet

Has no power cord; looks like a wall-wart transformer, as it plugs into any standard household AC plug.

Needs No Mounting

Requires no mounting to the wall or onto the host outlet. You just plug it in.

Works with Treadmills and Other Appliances

Can supply up to 15-amps of AC. We used these on TVs, dryers, refrigerators, and freezers, that draw anywhere from 0.5 to ten amps. No problems.

Picture of the Utilitech single outlet surge suppressor 0090996 side back view. — Single outlet Utilitech surge suppressor 0090996 side back view.

Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, and Limitations of the Utilitech 0090996 Treadmill Single Outlet Surge Protector

Too Little Protection

This unit only absorbs 900 joules. But the surge guards thought “the best” by leading experts, can absorb 3000 joules or more.

But for as little as this Utilitech surge protector costs, this relatively-low energy-absorption amount is probably no big deal. Why not? Because when this unit fails, you can buy another at a cheap price.

We have yet to reach this capacity that we know of, on any of the units we have here.

Sort of Big

This device can block the other outlet depending on how you plug it in. So, to reduce strain on the plug prongs, plug this into the bottom outlet and face it down. The label should be right side up. That way, the bulk part can hang below the outlet. This way, it does not block the other outlet.

No Circuit Breaker

Does not include a circuit breaker. But hey. What do you expect for a sub-ten dollar spike suppressor?

Not Much Shielding

Built in a hard plastic case; not metal. So it may allow some EMI / RFI to get into the protected equipment.

Can Burn Out, Dramatically

Some customers have reported that certain failures within this power protector can be rather violent and charring. They report that the alarm may not sound during said failures. Also, they say that the LED lamp keeps glowing even when the unit shows highly visible signs of burnout. It is in situations like this, that we’d like to see thick metal (rather than plastic) cases.

Our Rating for this Utilitech Treadmill Surge Protector

Given the high degree of practicality of this surge protector, we recommend it. Use it on all your delicate electronics, like treadmills. This device indeed meets its specifications. Plus, it is affordable and small. Further, the equipment warranty is a cheap but reassuring presence in any exercise space.

Though its a small device, the 0090996, also offers RFI filtering. It’s a great value therefore. Thus, we rate this Utilitech treadmill surge protector at 95 out of 100. Get one!

Where To Buy The Utilitech 0090996 Single Outlet Surge Protector

Look for this cheap but useful treadmill surge protector in bigger grocery and electronics stores. It comes in a plastic package with a white, blue, and red label. The Surge Tap surge protector itself is white. Plus, it sports the Utilitech logo in red letters just beneath its three-prong outlet.

Picture of the Utilitech 0090996 single outlet surge protector for treadmills, original package, front view. — Utilitech 0090996 single outlet surge protector for treadmills, original package, front view.

References for Utilitech 0090996 Single Outlet Surge Protector

Revision History

2019-07-23: Added key word targeting for ‘Utilitech Treadmill Surge Protector’, removed ad code, and added more tags and links.
2017-02-19: Originally published.