KMixson said:
I had a computer back in 1996 that was fried by a lightning strike that was plugged into a surge suppressor and was not even turned on at the time. The surge suppressor company told me that they are good for small surges from the electric company, not lightning strikes.
Direct strikes without damage even to the protector are normal. But if you bought protectors with names such as APC, Belkin, Panamax, Tripplite, and Monster Cable, then your protectors do not even claim protection in their numeric specs. Protection is always about where energy dissipates. Always. How do those hundreds of joules inside a protector makes 'hundreds of thousands of joules' surges just disappear? They don't. So their numeric specs do not even claim protection. They sell become hearsay routinely replaces reason. Because junk science is alive and well.
Protection is always about where energy dissipates. Either the 'whole house' protector makes that short (ie 'less than 10 foot') connection to earth. Or you have no protection – as the damaged computer demonstrates. Either energy harmlessly dissipates in earth. Or energy is inside hunting for earth destructively via appliances. Powered on or off. It is still a destructive path to earth. Those are your choices.
Either spend about $1 per protected appliance for the effective (and earthed) solution . Or you spend $25 or $150 for power strip protectors that do not even claim surge protection. Your choice.
A lightning strike to utility wires down the street is a direct strike to household appliances. An effective protector earths direct lightning strikes and remains functional. Effective protection means nobody even knew a surge existed. Means energy is not inside a house. In every case, a protector is only as effective as its earth ground. Power strip protectors are not earthed. Do not even claim protection in numeric specifications.
Minimally sized ‘whole house’ protector starts at 50,000 amps. A Cutler-Hammer solution sells in Lowes and Home Depot for less than $50. Only more responsible companies provide these effective solutions. A $7 protector circuit sells under Belkin and Monster Cable names for $40 and $150. Power strip protectors are profit centers; not surge protection.
KMixon discusses damage because a plug-in protector did exactly what all plug-in protectors claim to accomplish. It has no connection to earth.
Only more responsible companies sell ‘whole house’ protectors. Names that any ‘guy’ would know: Siemens, Square D, General Electric, Intermatic, and Leviton are but a few. The effective Cutler-Hammer solution sells in Loews and Home Depot for less than $50.
Direct lightning strikes are 20,000 amps. A protector must conduct even direct lightning strikes harmlessly to earth. The protector not damaged. So effective ‘whole house’ protectors start at 50,000 amps. A direct lightning strike to utility wires down the street is either a direct lightning strike to household appliances; OR is made completely irrelevant by earthing that only a ‘whole house’ protector connects to.
Surges seek earth ground. Either energy is harmlessly earthed. Or that energy is inside a building hunting for earth destructively via appliances. Once inside, nothing can stop the hunt. Protection is always about where energy dissipates. Always. The informed homeowner installs only one ‘whole house’ protector. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground - as your damaged computer demonstrated.
