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#11
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Lem wrote:
Are surge protectors on the main power supply actually needed in the UK? here in the UK we have few overhead mains power lines and have a relatively steady mains power supply when compared to many other countries (including the US). However there seem to be very many surge protector products advertised for sale in the UK (Argos, Maplins, etc). I am quite sure it is not bad practice to use a surge protector but in fact I have never known anyone who has has a problem from a surge coming in through the power supply. So personally I don't bother using a surge protector on my PC. Am I being too complacent? Probably. In my experience mains surges do not tend to cause problems, either your trip switch or the general robustness of most devices rules them out. However..... modems are different. If the strike hits a telephone pole then the resulting surge down the phone line can easily take out a modem, and if you're unlucky your mobo as well. Usually though your modem will act as a very expensive fuse. Buy a surge protection device that also protects modems and you should be okay. IMHO Belkin are the best, but others may have a different view. Look at it this way. A couple of years ago we had a massive storm in our area - apparently there were 30,000 odd lightening strikes over the county. (according to the electricity people). Over a two week period, I replaced several dozen modems for people who "suddenly couldn't get online". My supplier ran out of stock! Even the local PCWorld ran out (someone from there even phoned my business to see if we had any modems left in stock that they could buy!!). You can save £30 or so and take the risk - its up to you in the end. -- Email addy is a spam trap - Spam will go to a spammer Please post in the group to reply. |
#12
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"John McGaw" wrote in message .. . "Lem" wrote in message ... Are surge protectors on the main power supply actually needed in the UK? here in the UK we have few overhead mains power lines and have a relatively steady mains power supply when compared to many other countries (including the US). However there seem to be very many surge protector products advertised for sale in the UK (Argos, Maplins, etc). I am quite sure it is not bad practice to use a surge protector but in fact I have never known anyone who has has a problem from a surge coming in through the power supply. So personally I don't bother using a surge protector on my PC. Am I being too complacent? Yes. I have seen damage caused by a current surge and a friend of mine has had a machine totalled by a surge following a nearby lightning strike that shot up his phone line, in through the modem and spaltted his mobo to hell and gone. I also read the results of a survey a couple or three years ago that claimed 78% of all data loss in the UK was caused by unprotected machines suffering power surges. I have always used a protector and never had a problem. If a computer is plugged into a domestic ring main, it is subject to all sorts of fluctuations, from kettles, central heating, wall mounted dildos etc etc. It isn't as common as newbies screwing the mobo directly to the case baseplate (I have actually seen that too) but it is worth avoiding for a tenner at the local computer fair for a 6 gang protector. Strange lad. -- I do not consider it an insult, but rather a compliment to be called an agnostic. I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure -- that is all that agnosticism means. Clarence Darrow |
#13
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"Stormsinger" wrote in message news Lem wrote: Are surge protectors on the main power supply actually needed in the UK? here in the UK we have few overhead mains power lines and have a relatively steady mains power supply when compared to many other countries (including the US). However there seem to be very many surge protector products advertised for sale in the UK (Argos, Maplins, etc). I am quite sure it is not bad practice to use a surge protector but in fact I have never known anyone who has has a problem from a surge coming in through the power supply. So personally I don't bother using a surge protector on my PC. Am I being too complacent? Probably. In my experience mains surges do not tend to cause problems, either your trip switch or the general robustness of most devices rules them out. However..... modems are different. If the strike hits a telephone pole then the resulting surge down the phone line can easily take out a modem, and if you're unlucky your mobo as well. Usually though your modem will act as a very expensive fuse. Buy a surge protection device that also protects modems and you should be okay. IMHO Belkin are the best, but others may have a different view. Look at it this way. A couple of years ago we had a massive storm in our area - apparently there were 30,000 odd lightening strikes over the county. (according to the electricity people). Over a two week period, I replaced several dozen modems for people who "suddenly couldn't get online". My supplier ran out of stock! Even the local PCWorld ran out (someone from there even phoned my business to see if we had any modems left in stock that they could buy!!). You can save £30 or so and take the risk - its up to you in the end. -- Email addy is a spam trap - Spam will go to a spammer Please post in the group to reply. I had a house electrical check a few weeks back from the local council, 2 guys, well one guy and his chimp, while doing it i said i do not want any testing or surges as i run a large lan, although pre powerd down, they said it was a good job i told them as at the end its normal to do something and shove a surge? of some kind around the system. They said, and i knew before hand even tho switched off at the wall but still plugged in it could have blown the lot, how true this is i dont know Never had a surge pretector in years, always thought about it but never got round to it, ok the LAN i have is cheap old junk, but the data should i lose it would be a proble |
#14
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"Johannes H Andersen" wrote in message news:40ED9651.397F529D@sizefitterlikneasfuongtuint gsjadfasejk.com... half_pint wrote: How about using a plug with the correct sized fuse in it? No, a fuse takes time to burn. In the meantime the spike will do its work. I still think it would prevent damage to your computer. A lightening conductor myght be a better bet. whats the point in saving your computer if you house is burnt out and gutted? I guess you can log on and tell folks about it :O) Probably a lot cheaper? Probably a waste of money. If you're cheapskate, you can make one up from an old 50nF high voltage capacitor. Anyway, they don't eat any bread and last a lifetime. You probably have a greater chance of deing struck by lightnening. Depens where you stand :-) |
#15
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Lem wrote in :
[SNIP informative stuff I'm sure] I just dont understand this bit.. plug-in protectors cost tens of times more money per protected appliance. "tens of times" more than what?? -- Lordy |
#16
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"John McGaw" wrote in message .. . Do you live in an area where lightning is frequent? A lightning strike that is merely _near_ to an underground utility circuit can induce damaging voltages into them meaning that your power mains, telephone, and cable TV are all possible carriers. Admittedly there is no place in the UK that I've heard of that experiences the sort of storms that ravage parts of the USA, Flordia comes immediately to mind, but if you ever do have even one event then a small investment in protection would be invaluable. My house (in England) was struck by lightening - great big sodding hole in the roof, and of course it was raining (doh!). My computer and everything attached to it was safe as I had a surge protector incly telephone sockets. Unfortunatelky I didn't have surge protectors on my 2 widescreen TV that each had a DVD player attached to and my stereo so they all got fried..........literally there was black scorth marks!! They say lightening doesn't strike twice, but I have everything on surge protectors now - Worth every penny imho |
#17
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Lem wrote: [...] See this posting to a second thread started with the same posting as this one. It says the following. ====== QUOTE ======= The problem with this quote is that people might think it's too complicated and simply give up. But protection is a matter of degree. Clearly if it is a lab with expensive scientific equipment, they would have more full proof protection, but my assertion is that simple protection is better than no protection. A 50nF high voltage capacitor across the appliance can kill many spikes and possibly increase the life of a PSU, in many cases such protection is already included. Then you can go on with more elaborate surge protectors for more and more rare incidents. All these incidents are possible with associated probabilities. In any case, a decent surge protector is a once only investment, so why making a fuss about it? |
#18
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Assumed is that lightning confronted everything inside the
house equally. Just not true. Based upon your description, the circuit from cloud to earth borne charges found a good path via those TVs. Therefore only TVs suffered a direct lightning strike incoming and outgoing. Incoming and outgoing are essential requirements for surge damage. If the computer only had an incoming path and no outgoing path, then lightning currents did not pass through nor damage computers. That complete electrical path to earth ground is the essential requirement for surge damage. Clearly other household appliances did not make that same "complete electrical circuit" connection; therefore were not damaged. No adjacent protector that will stop, block, or absorb the transient. An effective protection must shunt (divert, connect, short circuit) the direct strike to earth so that the direct strike does not find a better path via TVs. In your case, that solution was a lightning rod (and not plug-in protectors that cost tens of times more money per protected appliance). But again, first identify why lightning took that path to earth ground through TVs and not through computers to learn why damage occurs. First lightning passes through everything in a circuit from cloud to earth. Only then does something inside the TVs get damaged - even though other parts also carries the electrical transient. Concepts such as 'whole house' protectors and lightning rods are long ago proven to be superior protection. Why? They (unlike the ineffective plug-in protector) make a superior connection to earth ground so that lightning does not find earthing via TVs or computer. AK wrote: My house (in England) was struck by lightening - great big sodding hole in the roof, and of course it was raining (doh!). My computer and everything attached to it was safe as I had a surge protector incly telephone sockets. Unfortunatelky I didn't have surge protectors on my 2 widescreen TV that each had a DVD player attached to and my stereo so they all got fried..........literally there was black scorth marks!! They say lightening doesn't strike twice, but I have everything on surge protectors now - Worth every penny imho |
#19
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AK wrote:
My house (in England) was struck by lightening - great big sodding hole in the roof, and of course it was raining (doh!). My computer and everything attached to it was safe as I had a surge protector incly telephone sockets. Unfortunatelky I didn't have surge protectors on my 2 widescreen TV that each had a DVD player attached to and my stereo so they all got fried..........literally there was black scorth marks!! Hint: could you possibly have had the TVs connected to some wiring on the roof? |
#20
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half_pint wrote:
How about using a plug with the correct sized fuse in it? The proper fuse is always a good idea but fuses do not protect from power line faults. They blow after your 'protected' device is fried and pulling too much current as a result of it. Probably a lot cheaper? Probably a waste of money. You probably have a greater chance of deing struck by lightnening. |
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