whocares
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3 edits | protection against electrical surge-(lightning)
Moderator,not sure which forum to ask in,plz move to correct forum if nec
hello all hope your having a good RELAXing weekend,
have curiosity question plz.
SITUATION
4-5+ yrs ago,FRIEND "L" reccomended that I purchased "surge protectors" to guard the TV & vcr,,(NOW DVD/VCR) so i bought 2 of them,(both with multiple plug ins) ok?
one has tv,dvd/vcr & directv box plugged into it
the 2nd one has this computer,printer,monitor plugged into it,
was told "both will protect again a lightning strike.made by RECOTON,
Question(s)
SO in reality,will a surge protector protect my items against lightning hit,?
i remember something the box it says,
the maxium energy dissapated befor the surge protectors become impaired.joulrs, what is that-Joules
120V=volts 720joules, what is that-Joules
phone line 80 "
videoline 1 190 "
videoline 2 190
total energy dissipated 1180 joules
=================================
MAXIUMN sPIKE cURRENT
120V AC LINE 54,000 AMPS
phone line 9,000 "
videoline 1 4.500 "
videoline 2 4,500 "
#2,is this ok or should i maybe try to upgrade to a gigher protection surge protector
thank you for the valuable information,and REMEMBER take some time out for YOU ok, "jazzy"
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IF YOU only look for the worst in life & people,
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dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
 ·Comcast
| Re: protection against poert surge-(lightning)
All the "Protectors" you buy and purchase are for line surges and spikes.
Lightning will usually fry even those!
Seeing as lightning is jumping 2-20 miles to create a strike, some little box on your line isn't going to slow it down too much. 
Best thing to do is when there is a storm, disconnect your valuable electronics from *ALL* connections.
Power, cable, DSL - all of them!
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22773138
join:2006-08-29
Texas
| reply to whocares
Re: protection against electrical surge-(lightning)
This would be a good place to learn about surge protectors. I hope this answers your question. Just google surge protectors if you need more information.
Item 4 covers lightning.
How Surge Protectors Work
by Tom Harris
»www.howstuffworks.com/surge-protector.htm
Inside This Article
1. Introduction to How Surge Protectors Work
2. The Process of Protection
3. Other Systems
4. Surge Sources
5. Protecting Your Equipment
6. Levels of Surge Protection
7. Picking the Right Surge Protector
8. Lots More Information
9. See all Security articles
When you put together a computer system, one piece of standard equipment you'll probably buy is a surge protector. Most designs serve one immediately obvious function -- they let you plug multiple components into one power outlet. With all of the different components that make up a computer system, this is definitely a useful device.
More with article. |
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whocares
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join:2003-07-26
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1 edit | reply to dadkins
Re: protection against poert surge-(lightning)
oh ok, THANK YOU dadkinsi've never unplugged everything, always though surge protectors would guard again 'burnout or "burnup", "Jazzy"
what is that-Joules |
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heels_fan
1.20.09 The start of Socialism
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join:2003-02-07
Columbia, TN
1 edit | reply to whocares
Re: protection against electrical surge-(lightning)
What is joule
Some surge protector manufacture, will give some type of insurance for using their protectors.
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If you do not think GOD is funny, take a trip to Wal-Mart and look at some of the people. |
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Jtmo
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join:2001-05-20
Novato, CA
·Comcast
| reply to whocares
It will protect against transient strikes. A direct strike will fry it, and jump the tiny gap. So, it will protect you 99.9% of the time. That time when it hits the lines on the house, your smokin'......
Years ago in lightning country, I pulled the plug, on everything. Fridge, TV, Radio.
Nowadays I have no lightning, but how would you unplug everything.
Fridge
Microwave
TV(s)
Computer(s)
Ipod
Phone
The list is almost endless. |
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Silentwolf
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| reply to whocares
Here's a thread about whole house surge protection. »Whole House Surge Protector?
It might be something worth looking into for yourself.
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Brad ~ Blog | Vanadiel Ranch | EFF |
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whocares
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join:2003-07-26
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1 edit | THANK YOU again DADKINS,Jtmo,Silentwolf,the ones i have are
plz note has 2 green/red lites, (all good protecting-bad replace) on them,so far i know they work against electric company (local power surge's)
Broadband network protection - 6^ ethernet cable included, EME/RFI noise filters; 2 coaxial connection protection
Perfect for computers, AV equipment, small appliances, cable, and ethernet devices
8^ power cord with 45° plug; recessed circuit break/switch inset to prevent accidental shut off; LED indicator
Rotating protective covers to keep outdust & dirt, protective thermoplastic case provided
$400,000 connected equipment guarantee and limited lifetime warranty
10 outlets for power adapters
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IF YOU only look for the worst in life & people,
THEN YOUR PROBALLY NEVER GOING TO SEE THE BEAUTY IN LIFE OR BEST IN PEOPLE
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signmeuptoo
Tune in to XM 120. BOO
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LOSTinSpace
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| reply to whocares
Silent Wolf beat me to it. When I did residential electrical work, I used to install Whole House Surge arresters. Delta is one company that makes them, they make two different types for house current, you use them together, one of them takes bigger charges, the other cleans up lower stuff.
You can get "noise" "spikes" "surges" and "sags" on any power line. If there are several people's homes feeding off of the same step down transformer on the street, noise and surges from your neighbors air-conditioners and all other things with motors and such can back splash damaging noise into your house wiring, even. Aircons are the worst, refrigerators and washing/drying machines too.
A pair of line cleaning arrestor/protectors will help greatly. However, I recommend doing a double job, installing two sets of them from two different vendors so you eliminate any chance of failure.
Now, these devices are "passive devices" meaning they don't "turn on or off" or consume any electricity. They just sit they sort of dead until something offending comes down the line.
Along with these devices it is advisable to have an electrician see if they should improve your house ground outside, say a better spike in the ground or a loop in the ground even better.
Once you have spent the money on those, THEN get a high end UPS for each devices that can protect you further. There might be some models that condition the power as well. I would ask the the electronics forum.
It amazes me how ignorant the public is about whole house surge protection, and how blase they are. As an electrician and fire captain's son, I have seen houses that were either severely damaged or totally burned down from surges from lightning AND other causes. I don't know if you know this or not, but even the big step down transformer of the power company can fail and cause such a thing in your house circuits, causing a home to catch fire.
Yes, breakers protect, but they do a limited job. The have a time delayed responsivity and can even "fuse" electrically if enough electricity runs through them, making them not only useless, but a new hazard.
Personally, I would like to see the NEC (National Electrical Code) mandate an absolute requirement that ALL new structures have such protection and laws that phase in everybody over time. It sure would help firefighters, lower insurance rates, and safe many lives and property. Lightbulbs will even last longer!
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Silentwolf
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| Are there any advantages/disadvantages of having the protector at the meter than at the breaker box or will it basically work the same (assuming the lines from the meter run to the surge protector box then into the breaker panel)?
This is something I've been interested in adding to our electrical system here at the house but I don't really have a say in it. 
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Brad ~ Blog | Vanadiel Ranch | EFF |
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ChiTang
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join:2002-08-23
Alhambra, CA | reply to whocares
Nothing can 100% guard against lightning strike. A lightning rod will give you more protection.
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whocares
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join:2003-07-26
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| reply to signmeuptoo
just recieved from Friend at local tv station weather
There isn't a surge protector on this planet that will protect against a direct lightning strike. A lightning strike would fry the protector and then continue on its merry way. A good surge protector protects against power surges that can run along the power lines. The cheapy ones that you can buy for only a few dollars are pretty limited in what they can.
If you want the best protection invest in a good UPS system.
DOES anyone know what is meant here?invest in a good UPS system
jazzy
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IF YOU only look for the worst in life & people,
THEN YOUR PROBALLY NEVER GOING TO SEE THE BEAUTY IN LIFE OR BEST IN PEOPLE
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Silentwolf
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1 edit | reply to whocares
Re: protection against electrical surge-(lightning)
A UPS is an Uninterruptible Power Supply which is basically a battery that powers the computer (while taking the wall power to keep it charged) so that when the power is out it will keep the machine on long enough to allow it to shutdown. You can check out »www.apc.com/ for a wide variety of UPS systems.
Check the Wikipedia article for more info on UPSes »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninterrup···r_supply
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Brad ~ Blog | Vanadiel Ranch | EFF |
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whocares
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4 edits | reply to signmeuptoo
said by signmeuptoo  :It amazes me how ignorant the public is about whole house surge protection, and how blase they are. As an electrician and fire captain's son, I have seen houses that were either severely damaged or totally burned down from surges from lightning AND other causes. I don't know if you know this or not, but even the big step down transformer of the power company can fail and cause such a thing in your house circuits, causing a home to catch fire. yea the only thing i know about electricity,it sure wakes me up when i reach for a door handle & feel that static..
but have been twice within last 2-3 yrs had power surge's,(when a transformer on block either blew up-once= or pole was hit by a DWI & caused black out then power surge & out ahain, everything was ok as far as my electronics,
copied & kept link & word padded computer.howstuffworks.com/surge···
guess i've been real lucky till now,but now when a storm close by will unplug everything. |
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Anonymous_
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1 edit | reply to whocares
belkin has the best Warranty = Lifetime
(FREE replacements also if it get's burned out from lightning or if replacement light is on )
»catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductP···d=329553
it protected my modem from lightning a few times
response time is less then 1ms
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none |
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22773138
join:2006-08-29
Texas | reply to whocares
I'm glad you liked my post and copied the link into your word pad.
How Surge Protectors Work
by Tom Harris
»www.howstuffworks.com/surge-protector.htm |
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whocares
Premium
join:2003-07-26
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| reply to whocares
Re: just recieved from Friend at local tv station weather
said by whocares :There isn't a surge protector on this planet that will protect against a direct lightning strike. A lightning strike would fry the protector and then continue on its merry way. A good surge protector protects against power surges that can run along the power lines. The cheapy ones that you can buy for only a few dollars are pretty limited in what they can. If you want the best protection invest in a good UPS system. DOES anyone know what is meant here?invest in a good UPS system jazzy just found out what is meant by
UPS,(no not the shipper)
============
UPS Systems plc
Independent distributor of a range
THANK YOU again dadkins,(MY FRIEND) Jtmo,Silentwolf, signmeuptoo,ChiTang
see WHY you guys are so great,YOU help me to learn & seek answers to some times some "dum,(I DON'T KNOW questions
--
IF YOU only look for the worst in life & people,
THEN YOUR PROBALLY NEVER GOING TO SEE THE BEAUTY IN LIFE OR BEST IN PEOPLE
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whocares
Premium
join:2003-07-26
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| reply to Anonymous_
Re: protection against electrical surge-(lightning)
said by Anonymous_ :belkin has the best Warranty = Lifetime (FREE replacements also if it get's burned out from lightning or if replacement light is on ) » catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductP···d=329553it protected my modem from lightning a few times response time is less then 1ms just recieved from Friend at local tv station weather
There isn't a surge protector on this planet that will protect against a direct lightning strike. A lightning strike would fry the protector and then continue on its merry way. A good surge protector protects against power surges that can run along the power lines. The cheapy ones that you can buy for only a few dollars are pretty limited in what they can.
--
IF YOU only look for the worst in life & people,
THEN YOUR PROBALLY NEVER GOING TO SEE THE BEAUTY IN LIFE OR BEST IN PEOPLE
|
|
Silentwolf
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Re: just recieved from Friend at local tv station weather
said by whocares :said by whocares :just found out what is meant by UPS,(no not the shipper) ============ UPS Systems plc
Independent distributor of a range That's incorrect. UPS is as I mentioned in my post above a piece of equipment that provides backup power so that the system can have time to shutdown. UPS Systems plc is a company that happens to offer UPS systems --
Brad ~ Blog | Vanadiel Ranch | EFF |
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whocares
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join:2003-07-26
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| oh ok, Silentwolf, Friend L has something like that on his system,& his computer plugged into it,where if power outtage,his computer is is STILL on,then gradually shuts down & off,
so better to use that then what i am presantly using right?
jazzy |
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