On Jun 5, 9:45 pm, "Skeleton Man" <inva... RemoveThis @guestwho.com> wrote:
> Can anyone reccomend a good product (preferably a power bar or simmilar) to
> protect computer equipment against a lightning strike ? I'm looking for
> something with a connected equipment warranty.. (ie. if my PC goes up in
> smoke while connected to their product, they pay for the replacement)
>
> While I'm at it.. is there any way you can insure just your PC and
> associated equipment ?
Many posts violate what is well known about surge protection. For
example, one assumed concrete might stop lightning. Hardly. Concrete
is considered a better conductor.
It is routine to suffer direct lightning strikes without failure.
But some have assumed:
> Not much will stop a lightning strike ...
Correct. Effective protection means not even trying to stop
lightning. Effective protection is as Ben Franklin demonstrated in
1752. Did he block lightning from finding a conductive path through
wooden church steeples? (Notice that wood is also a conductor.) Of
course not. Franklin gave lightning a better and non-destructive path
to earth.
1) Lightning seeks earth ground. 2) Effective protection is about
conducting lightning to earth so that it does not find a destructive
path via DSL modem or computer - or church steeple.
Your telco connects to overhead wires everywhere in town. Its
computer may be threatened by hundreds of surges during each
thunderstorm. So what does your telco do where damage is never
acceptable?
Did those other posters forget to mention your telco installs a same
protector where phone line enters your building? Some claim that
protection is not possible or recommend a plug-in solution. Not one
post even mentions the effective protector installed by your telco ...
for free.
Sometimes protection does not work because the connection to
earthing is insufficient or missing. As with Franklin's experiment,
the lightning rod is not protection. Protection is the earthing.
Lightning rod or surge protection - are only as effective as their
earthing.
Meanwhile what is the most common source of modem damage? First an
electrical path is created from cloud, to AC electric, through modem,
out via phone line protector to earth ground. Then current flows
through everything in that path. Then something fails in that path.
How does your telco protect its computer connected everywhere to
overhead wires? Every wire in every cable connects to earth where it
enters the building. You must do same to protect your electronics.
Exampled is the 'whole house' protector installed by telco on phone
lines. But have you done same to AC electric? Every AC electric
wire either connects to earth ground directly or must make that
connection - 'less than 10 feet' - via a 'whole house' protector.
Responsible manufacturers such as GE, Intermatic, Leviton, Cutler-
Hammer, Siemens, and Square D make these protectors. How do you know
other plug-in protectors are not effective? 1) No dedicated wire for
that 'less than 10 foot' earthing connection. 2) Manufacturer avoids
all discussion about earthing.
Another claimed a protector needs a three prong wall receptacle.
Yes. Third prong is required for human safety. But third prong does
not provide earthing for protection. Among the long list of reasons
includes 'many times more than 10 foot' connection.
Every wire that enters a building must be earthed. That means cable
TV and satellite dish also must make a short earthing connection to
the same earthing electrode. Notice no protector even required.
Earthing is necessary for protection. Surges are not stopped. Surges
are earthed. Better earthing means better protection. The protector
is only as effective as its earthing.
'Whole house' protector can be purchases even in Lowes and Home
Depot - some for less than $50. And, of course, that earthing to
breaker box must meet and exceed post 1990 National Electrical Code so
as to make that 'less than 10 foot' earthing connection.
>> Stay informed about: Lightning protection 
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