Lightening strikes

[karambos]

Can anyone tell me how to protect my gear against lightening striking the house? thx
karambos

[juppu]

If you live in a city there's probably a lightning-thingie on your roof (I don't know the name of the thing, but it's basically a stick that's higher than anything else and if a lightning strikes, it goes through that stick).

The other thing you can do is buy a surge-protected powerbar. Good buy at about £15, protects your gear against peaks in the mains current, caused by lightnings and fridges, cookers, water heaters and other household devices.

Or, if you're mega-careful (which you should, of course) buy the surge-protected powerbar and a residual circuit braker for each appliance. They're more expensive, but protects your even more expensive equipment from damage.

Juppu

[karambos]

thanks for the prompt reply.

I'll get onto it straight away

[jecahn]

Yeah, and the other way to protect your equipment is to turn it off and unplug it when it looks like lightening.

[Robert D]

I have all my stuff plugged into surge suppressor equipped power strips that came with a $20,000 equipment replacement guarantee. I hope I never have to find out how they would wiggle their way out of paying, but I feel a little better knowing that they probably find the easiest way not to pay is to build in good protection.
Cheers, RD

[jecahn]

Hey now, you are an optimistic one, aren't ya? I've actually seen those guarantees and in the back of my mind I think, "I should contrive someway to hook a machine up to it and give it a good wack just to see how serious they are about that warranty.

[This message has been edited by jecahn (edited 06-21-2002).]

[juppu]

Yeah, I think mine has some kind of a guarantee as well, but I wouldn't trust it (They probably have written the good old "Acts of God" clause in there, and it includes no guarantee against lightnings... http://www.audioforums.com/forums/biggrin.gif ).

However, it's safer and supposedly (this info isn't from the manufacturer) the quality of your mains becomes a bit better (with no sudden peaks etc.). I'm still going to buy a few circuit brakers - when I have the extra cash.

You can't be too careful.

Juppu

[Sip]

I lost my whole computer system to a lightning strike, and I had a surge protector.

[bigBadWolf]

I read an article in Audio Technology magazine a few months ago - strangely enough when there was an electrical storm heading my way - which claimed that the biggest risk from lightning strike is NOT mains electricity, but the telephone wire connection to the modem.

[Sip]

My telephone line was protected and man, the lightning blew a hole right through my chipset.

Maybe we should take out an extra rider on our insurance policy.

[juppu]

Sorry to hear that, Sip...

A good practise is to always unplug your gear when it's not being used, if it's possible. And always unplug your modem when it's not in use. And don't work during thunderstorms...

Can't be too careful.

Juppu