I would anchor my kayak in some moving rapids at the end of the day.  Then sit there, facing upstream, watching raging water (and sometimes other boats) flow by while enjoying a beer.

One time, water had risen by a few feet (a dam release).  Suddenly I could no longer go up front to pull up that anchor.  The kayak would submarine.

I remember this next thought quite distinctly.  I have no idea how I am going to get out of this one.  Best part was waiting to learn how I did.  I had no doubt the problem would be solved.  And absolutely not a clue how it would.

That comes from years of addressing technical problems - especially electronics.  Having no idea how it was going to get fixed.  And yet knowing, without doubt, that I would solve it.

At the end is always this revelation.  Both obvious and simple.  I no longer ask, "Why did you not see it before?"  Because in life, simple and obvious solutions always follow what we never knew was possible.

Same applies to surge protection.  Most have never learned how protection really works.  Most only wait to be told how to think.  And therefore would still be anchored in those rapids.

Absolutely amazing how obvious and simple so many solution really are - once one learn how to break problems down into parts, learn why each problem must be understood long before a solution is even considered, and perspective.  Surge protection (as described) has always been that simple even 100 years ago.  Most difficult part is getting someone to learn how to solve a problem by first learning how to think through it.  Then one routinely sees both an insurmountable problem and an adventure - just waiting to see how that problem will be (without doubt) solved.

The most expensive protection devices do little to nothing.  Protection has always been about where hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly absorb.  That means a solution is never found in a magic box.  A protector is always and only as effective as its earth ground.  That is the '*of course*' moment.