Lightning protection

Hi guys,

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 ? Insurance on the house itself (even just contents)
isn't possible right now, but I'd like to have some safeguard.. also, can
you insure against data loss ? (besides making a backup)

Chris

In message "Skeleton Man"
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)

Not much will stop a lightning strike, but insurance is possible.

While I'm at it.. is there any way you can insure just your PC and
associated equipment ? Insurance on the house itself (even just contents)
isn't possible right now, but I'd like to have some safeguard.. also, can
you insure against data loss ? (besides making a backup)

In general, just pick up house insurance with low limit, this will do
the trick, just watch your exclusions.

As far as data loss, generally this is extremely expensive, you're much
better off learning to do a backup. It is cheaper to pay for off-site
backup services then to pay for insurance.

--
If quitters never win, and winners never quit,
what fool came up with, "Quit while you're ahead"?

Skeleton Man wrote:
Hi guys,

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 ? Insurance on the house itself (even just contents)
isn't possible right now, but I'd like to have some safeguard.. also, can
you insure against data loss ? (besides making a backup)

Chris



I think some of the Isobars have insurance. Insurance is only valid
if the unit is plugged directly into the wall. (And the wall would
need a three pronged plug, as the safety ground has to be present
for it to work.) I'd want to find an account of someone actually
collecting on the insurance, as proof there really is effective
insurance.

http://www.tripplite.com/products/su...ors/isobar.cfm

Some have provision to run the telephone line through there,
which is handy if the computer uses a dial up modem. I don't
know what the best strategy is, if you are using ADSL or cable
modem. You could try running the phone line through it, for
ADSL, but I don't know if that affects the ADSL signal or
not.

Paul

"Skeleton Man" wrote:
Hi guys,

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)

Belkin does, as do others. The way Belkin words their guarantee, is that
they will pay for any equipment damaged by a surge, but only if *every*
connection to the PC goes through their protection product. In other words,
the power line, and if you are connected to the phone or cable line, those
too have to pass through the protection device.

Jon

Nothing will stop a lightening strike. You cannot just insure your PC. You
cannot insure against data loss (make a backup.)

--
---------------------
DaveW
"Skeleton Man" wrote in message
. ..
Hi guys,

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 ? Insurance on the house itself (even just contents)
isn't possible right now, but I'd like to have some safeguard.. also, can
you insure against data loss ? (besides making a backup)

Chris

In message "DaveW"
wrote:

Nothing will stop a lightening strike.

Either concrete or rubber will, although you do need a pretty good
thickness.

You cannot just insure your PC.

Incorrect. Even residential property insurance can be contents only,
and can be purchased in small enough increments that it will only cover
your PC.

Some surge protectors also include coverage, although you'll want to
read the terms closely.

You cannot insure against data loss (make a backup.)

Definitely incorrect (although this one will cost ya)

--
If quitters never win, and winners never quit,
what fool came up with, "Quit while you're ahead"?

My home computers, modem, router, and television are all on
APC battery backup UPS
units. DSL sometimes works with the units
although my ISP says don't use a surge protector on the aDSL line.
The phone line from the wall jack to the modem is about six inches. I
have underground utilities which help. I've only lost one modem in
six years here in South Carolina, USA.

Vester wrote:

although my ISP says don't use a surge protector on the aDSL line.
The phone line from the wall jack to the modem is about six inches.
I have underground utilities which help. I've only lost one modem
in six years here in South Carolina, USA.

I've been using the same modem for at least 8 years, sometimes
protected, sometimes not. Never had a problem. US-Robotics.

--
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http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/423
http://www.aaxnet.com/editor/edit043.html
http://kadaitcha.cx/vista/dogsbreakfast/index.html
cbfalconer at maineline dot net



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On Jun 5, 9:45 pm, "Skeleton Man" 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.

w_tom wrote:
On Jun 5, 9:45 pm, "Skeleton Man" 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 ?

The best information on surges and surge protection I have seen is at:
http://omegaps.com/Lightning%20Guide...ion_May051.pdf
- the title is "How to protect your house and its contents from
lightning: IEEE guide for surge protection of equipment connected to AC
power and communication circuits" published by the IEEE in 2005 (the
IEEE is the dominant organization of electrical and electronic engineers
in the US).
And also:
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/p.../surgesfnl.pdf
- this is the "NIST recommended practice guide: Surges Happen!: how to
protect the appliances in your home" published by the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (the US government agency formerly
called the National Bureau of Standards) in 2001

The IEEE guide requires some (not much) technical background. The NIST
guide is aimed at the unwashed masses.



Did those other posters forget to mention your telco installs a same
protector where phone line enters your building?

To get maximum benefit from telco, CATV, ... entry protectors they have
to be connected in a “single point ground” system - phone, CATV, ...
protector connected with a short wire to the power system earthing wire
at the power service. The problem created by not having a “single point
ground” are illustrated in the NIST guide starting pdf page 40.


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.

Nonsense.
The IEEE guide (starting pdf page 40) explains that plug-in suppressors
work by CLAMPING the voltage on all wires (power and signal) to the
common ground at the suppressor. They do not work primarily by earthing.
The IEEE guide explains earthing occurs elsewhere.

Both the IEEE and NIST guides say plug-in suppressors are effective.

Note that all interconnected equipment needs to be connected to the
same plug-in suppressor, or interconnecting wires needs to go through
the suppressor. External connections, like phone, CATV, ... also need to
go through the suppressor. Connecting all wiring through the suppressor
prevents damaging voltages between power and signal wires. These
multiport suppressors are described in both the IEEE and NIST guides. As
John said, if a suppressor has a connected equipment warrantee, it
likely requires all circuits go through the suppressor. Not connecting
all wires through compromises the protection.

Suppressor ratings range from junk to very high.

With high ratings a suppressor is likely to protect from anything but a
very near hit. High ratings are why manufacturers can have connected
equipment warranties on some suppressors.

I have a couple of Belkin units, but here are other good brands.


'Whole house' protector can be purchases even in Lowes and Home
Depot - some for less than $50.

w_ has never provided a link to a $50 suppressor. Or provided the specs
for one.


--
bud--