[waves]

Steve.

Yoou gaave good information, with explanations and context.

Adding my own comments, going on my very basic knowledge of physics. I'm not an electrician either.

Originally Posted by Brokenfriend

If there is a terrible thunderstorm, a surge protector [...] should be sufficient.

Right. Without grounding, the potential effect of a lightning hit a lightning hit is a large surge.

With grounding, most of the charge transfers directly into the earth. You might still see a small surge which the surge protector can handle.... in the vast majority of cases.

unclipping the telephone wire from the wall behind the computer

Yeah, I've seen telephone equipment fried that had no power connection. Phone lines can carry a damaging level of charge during a hit.

I don't know if phone systems are grounded these days? If not, all equipment with a land-line connection is vulnerable -- unplug phone wire.

you never ever know exactly what lightening will do

Right. It is made of plasma arcs of random shape and size: the power impact is unpredictable.

Exceptionally, a hit could produce a surge big enough to "overpower" the surge protector. Very improbable, but possible.

waves

[Mari]

Waves and Steve,

I am going to deal with this another time.
I have not slept since forever averaging -- between 3 and 4 hours per night for the past 4 nights.

My computer is not connected via phone cord as we have wifi.
i.e. computers in our house do NOT have have phone cords.
and the phones are not connected to the cords ---- except maybe the main phone is connected. (???)


I have to check on the wireless situation on the televisions. One might be wired and the other not -- will check with hubby tomorrow.


I guess a phone cord is coming into our place somewhere -- but not to where I work.

We pay 10 dollars extra a month for extra "surge" protection -- a kind of surge protection . . . . but maybe not. . .. I am not sure what it is.
Maybe we were scammed.
http://www.fplenergyservices.com/res...geshield.shtml


I thought that most houses in the US are grounded -- somewhat lightning protected.

M

[Mari]

Before I went out of town, i did unplug my two computers, printer, and phone (the wireless phone has to be connected to electricity to charge and to work . . .
. . . .when lights go out, the phone goes out as well and we have to go to cell phones.).

I'm not sure why I did the unplugging, but it made some sense on some level and it was not an onerous talk.

Take care, both of you.
I deeply appreciate you, Waves and Steve.

Mari

[Brokenfriend]

Mari That's was a good idea. Unplugging electronic devices while gone prevents fires,and damages that could be caused by direct lightning strikes at this time of year. It's good to unplug any cord that goes to the outside while gone out of town.

I don't understand the auto power surge from that company. Do they install it to the house outside? How could they provide this kind of service?

Power surge devices may be able to stop so many surges,and then they need to be replaced every several years,unless a major lightning strike killed the surge protectors ability to protect anymore. I don't know the exact science on this. Some are cheap,and some are very expensive. I replaced one with a Wal-Mart surge protector a year in a half ago.

One thing happened that I never expected. My hair blow drier turned itself on somehow when I was out of the room. I come back into the room,and it had turned itself on,and was blowing hot air against a wall. It may have had a faulty switch. I sure don't know. I'm just glade that I came back into the room,and turned it off. I threw it away. It could have started a fire. Now I unplug a new blow drier after I use it. I also unplug portable heaters when I leave the house in the Winter.

It's just difficult to know,and understand what lightning is going to do to electronic devices. Several years ago,lightning struck one of my outside antennas that had white fiberglass around it. It blew up like a fire cracker. I heard it. It blew that antenna up,and there where pieces of fiberglass in this yard,and a neighbors yard. It was shredded like hay,but the lightning from the antenna cord(coax) coming into my house didn't make it inside. The coax was destroyed also,but the lightning went into the ground rods that are driven in the ground.

I'm sorry. I keep getting technical about this stuff because I've had so much experience with it,and have thought about it allot in the planning of my project. I'm not a expert. I am still learning things daily. BF

[Brokenfriend]

I read it over about the SurgeShield. It's installed at the electric meter outside. This is the first time I've heard about it. BF

[Brokenfriend]

The SurgeShield looks legitimate. BF

[Mari]

Steve,

That is wild and wacky about the blow dryer.

I am glad that you got rid of it.

That must have been spectacular about the lighten strike.
Did you see some of it?

Mari

[Brokenfriend]

I heard the lightning strike. It actually sounded like a stick of dynamite going off where the antennas position was. I went out there when I could,and started picking up the antennas fiberglass shell that was shredded in my yard,and my next door neighbors yard.

I though there goes my expensive antenna. I put another one up.

The blow drier thing was a wake up call. It's only plugged in when in use. BF

[Dmom3005]

Our weather is really changing all the time.

Rain, then thunder and lightening. Flash floods all over.
Tornadoes too. Ugh, I haven't lost my lights yet. Hoping
it doesn't happen.

Then we can have some sun, and then it starts to rain, just
enough to cool us off.

I am not minding this right now. Only because I have no air conditioning
here.


Donna

[bizi]

Donna, you don't have any air conditioning where you are staying?????
oh I am so sorry.
bizi