What's the best way to protect your gear from lightning?

[westom]

I'm going to look into that lightning rod thing Denny..

Lightning seeks earth ground. Lightning can use an electrically conductive material (ie wood) to obtain earth. Or it can use appliances as a connection to earth. A lightning rod is about protecting the building. A 'whole house' protector is about protecting appliances.

Ben Franklin demonstrated the concept in 1752. 20,000 amps must connect to earth. So it used a conductive wooden church steeple to make that connection. But wood is not a very conductive material. So 20,000 amps also creates a high voltage. 20,000 amps times a high voltage is high energy. Steeple damaged.

Franklin simply connected 20,000 amps on a conductive (non-destructive) path to earth. A lightning rod does not do the protection. Earth ground rod and a connection to the lightning rod does protection. 20,000 amps through that conductive wire is near zero voltage. 20,000 amps times near zero voltage is near zero energy. Nothing damaged. Energy harmlessly absorbed in earth.

Do same for wires down the street that connect lightning to your appliances. That means one 'whole house' protector at the breaker box. And a low impedance (ie 'less than 10 foot') connection to single point earth ground. An effective 'whole house' protector starts at 50,000 amps. Costs about $1 per protected appliance. Then nobody knows a surge existed; was connected short to earth. Even the protector is undamaged.

Surges occur without warning. And when nobody is home, awake, or available. The only reliable protection means earthing hundreds of thousands of joules before it can enter a house. These are your only options. 1) Earth that energy harmlessly outside. Or 2) that energy is inside hunting for earth destructively via appliances. Do you unplug the dishwasher, stove, refrigerator, clocks, furnace, dimmer switches, and smoke detectors? Of course not. Disconnecting is futile.

Either energy dissipates harmlessly outside - the well proven 'whole house' solution. Or you have no effective protection. Informed consumers upgrade the earthing. That is critically important. Then use all appliances without concern even during thunderstorms.

Your telco disconnects phone service all over town when thunderstorms approach? Their $multi-million switching computer is connected to all other building via overhead wires. Suffers about 100 surges with each storm. How often is your town without phone service four days after a storm? Never? Because telcos all over the world earth 'whole house' protectors. The solution is that well proven and that effective.

Every wire inside every incoming cable must be earthed. Either directly (cable TV, satellite dish). Or via a 'whole house' protector (telephone, AC electric). Did you know cable TV and telephones already have that protection as required by codes and Federal regulations?

A direct lightning strike to wires down the street is a direct strike to every appliance. Damaged are appliances that make a better connection to earth. Damage that does not happen when energy is earthed BEFORE entering a building. A properly earthed 'whole house' protector protects all appliances just like a lightning rod protects the building. By connecting destructive surges harmlessly to earth.

Protection is always about where energy dissipates. A protector or lightning rod is only as effective as its earth ground.

 

[js1138]

Proof positive that surge protectors don't do much of anything...I saw 26 fried HT receivers/amps at the stereo tech's place today. Almost all were plugged into surge protectors or power units.

I have a stereo that was saved by a surge protector. Completely fried the inside of the protector.

My sister's computer was saved by an APC battery backup. Surge came in through the phone line, which was protected.

The UPS left a black mark on the desk where it was sitting.

I don't think anything will give you complete protection, but I know from experience that it can save the day in some cases.

But there are voltage spikes that aren't killers that are stopped by surge protectors. I think they prolong the life of components.

 

[tubeornotube]

So simple..

if you are saying you can't get at outlets or breaker panel(does no good to cut breaker anyway) then why don't you make the outlet accessible if you are so worried about lightning strikes..

A switched outlet will NOT work..Enough potential will build up in the electrical lines in your house and simply jump the contacts..
breaker is a switch,so it won't protect to throw the breaker.

No surge protector device can stop a direct hit,and often not even a local hit.

Grounding rods have to be installed correctly..You need a very very low resistance to the ground.Rods need to be copper clad and in relatively damp soil..Multiple rod grounding systems are recommended..Main requirement for grounding systems is very low resistance and ability to dissipate energy into the earth..More ground rods the better,but you need the space for it..need to be spaced at least a few feet apart.

So easiest solution is just to unplug everything.

tubeornotube

 

[westom]

Grounding rods have to be installed correctly..You need a very very low resistance to the ground.Rods need to be copper clad and in relatively damp soil..Multiple rod grounding systems are recommended...

So easiest solution is just to unplug everything.

Let me understand this. Ground rods must be installed as required by code. Required for human safety. As found in most every building. That ground must already exist.

Since what exists is "too hard", then one should instead do what is a least reliable solution.

Using your reasoning, the only effective protection is to never power a refrigerator, computer, TV, clock, or dimmer switch. Only that is more reliable than one 'whole house' protector.

If a home does not have that earthing, then human life has been put at unnecessary risk.

 

[westom]

I have a stereo that was saved by a surge protector. Completely fried the inside of the protector.

Observation without first learning the underlying technology is the classic example of junk science reasoning. A surge too tiny to overwhelm protection inside a stereo easily destroyed a grossly undersized protector. Undersized to increase profits and to get you to recommend it. And so you did using junk science.

Effective protectors must never fail. Effective protection means you did not even know a surge existed. Grossly undersizing a protector means those who never learned good science techniques - who assume only using observation - will recommend the scam.

Sometimes protector parts inside grossly undersized power strips do not disconnect fast enough. Then house fires result. This is seen often. For example, Norma on 27 Dec 2008 in "The Power Outage" describes the fire threat:
> Today, the cable company came to replace a wire. Well the cable man
> pulled a wire and somehow yanked loose their "ground" wire. The
> granddaughter on the computer yelled and ran because sparks and smoke
> were coming from the power surge strip.

Whitney88 got lucky. A fire created by his grossly undersized protector was put out when the adjacent aquarium broke. On 21 Mar 2011 entitled "My house caught on fire and my tank busted":
> A plug caught fire in my room (which was plugged into a surge protecter)
> it was caused by a power surge and caused my tank to burst.

How do you explain a surge 'incoming' on a phone line when all telephone lines already have a superior protector installed for free? Again, you made conclusions without first learning; by only assuming. The word 'incoming' careful presented to inspire thought before replying.

Plug-in protectors do not claim to protect from destructive surges. Read protector numbers (joules) for that UPS. Near zero. Just enough above zero to claim 100% protection in sales brochures, advertising, and other sources of urban myths. Where is this protection? And why does a surge enter on a wire that already has protection? It didn't. Was explained above. Please learn how surges work before making conclusions only from an observation.

No protector stops surges. None. Not one. Nada. That is again you making assumptions only from what advertising has told you what to believe.

Provided was effective protection so that nobody need disconnect during every thunderstorm. A solution that costs how many times less money? Costs about $1 per protected appliance. Is how protection has been done for over 100 years. And is essential for protecting power strip protectors.

You witnessed damage because effective protection was not connected. Only superior protection inside appliances protected each appliance. You saw what might have even created a house fire. You considered that acceptable?

 

[bluesky]

Always...Unplug your stereo system from the wall when not in use! Always.

Never play your stereo when lightning is happening or going to happen.

No connection...no problem.

 

[myu701]

It's all about the effects nearby lightning has on the electrical grid. If it strikes your house, your surge protectors and power conditioners won't do anything for you. Unplugging is the only sure way to avoid damage, period.


BUT... are you going to unplug your equipment any time there is a thunderstorm in the area? And what if you're not home and nobody is there to do it for you? A surge protector and power conditioner will help deal with nasty power spikes/surges that happen on the electrical grid. It's not fool proof, but better than nothing.

Unplugging gear anytime you're done playing it is a real pain... but something worth doing if it's gear you don't listen to all the time. Also, if you have a digital tuner with presets, get one that keeps memory at least a week or two if unplugged.

 

[DENNYDOG]

I would be wary of using ground rods to protect your equipment for lightning unless it's for antennas or you don't have the 3-prong grounding system.

If you have the 3-prong plug and then you don't need a ground rod for your equipment. If you have old equip with no 3rd prong then use a powerstrip. If you have an outside antenna on the roof with a metal mast then it needs to be grounded. All feedline needs to be grounded too.

Additionally, the rod will need to be bonded to the main electrical service ground rod. If you you don't bond all of the ground rods together then you will have a differences in voltage potential among your grounds, rendering your grounding system worthless.

Plus it's the code. Nothing is easy is it? :sigh:

The link was provided for protecting a house or other building from lightening strikes. Never said anything about directly connecting equipment to grounding rods.

 

[Zygmo]

C'mon guys. If we were all rich, and had the time, we could protect our houses with these numerous suggestions. For most of us, a complete bullet-proofing of our electrical system is not practical. And yes, wiring that is up to code is not absolutely safe from a very near, or direct lightning strike.

When you are home, and there is lightning near....unplug, especially your irreplaceable equipment. The simplest way is to put the hard to reach plugs in a surge protector, and put it's plug where it is easy to reach. And be sure to also unplug the net or phone cable from your computer. My surge protectors are also just switched off every night anyway, because some of my equipment keeps standby power on all the time. Just a waste of electricity.

 

[westom]

C'mon guys. If we were all rich, and had the time, we could protect our houses with these numerous suggestions.

If informed, a 'whole house' protector for about $1 per protected appliance does superior protection. Even a switch on power strips (protector or non-protector type) does not disconnect from lightning. Will its millimeter gap stop what three miles of sky could not? Many other surge conductors remain even when switched off. That and other facts were already posted; apparently ignored.

Do you also unplug the dishwasher, furnace, air conditioner, dimmer switches, digital clocks, and smoke detectors? Do you never sleep, never take a shower, and never leave home? All necessary if unplugging. Informed consumers spend about $1 per appliance to have protection even when the stray car causes a massive surge without warming. One simple solution does superior protection.

 

[tobyj17]

Basically the bottom line is.. unplug it if you don't want it crispy.. Which is what I'm gonna be doing from now on.. even if the plug is a PITA to get to.

 

[rifftrax]

I see very little actual information and data in this thread. Pretty much all anecdotal and speculative "evidence". <sigh>

I always look at threads like these expecting someone to hop on who can actually run down technical aspects in a detailed manner with some sort of actual "proof" (non-anecdotal) to back it up. I guess that's just not common anymore. Is no-one on this board an eletrical engineer? Seriously?

 

[DENNYDOG]

I see very little actual information and data in this thread. Pretty much all anecdotal and speculative "evidence". <sigh>

I always look at threads like these expecting someone to hop on who can actually run down technical aspects in a detailed manner with some sort of actual "proof" (non-anecdotal) to back it up. I guess that's just not common anymore. Is no-one on this board an eletrical engineer? Seriously?

Poo, poo.

 

[dshoaf]

Fair enough, Rifftrax. Let's see if I can help a bit on references, although I'm not a card-carrying, government-licensed EE these days. Let's start with an industry-level organization - plenty of hard facts and guidance here.

• Lightning Protection Institute - Yes, it exists!: http://www.lightning.org/
• - Their extensive document library: http://www.lightning.org/document-archive
• - Deep doo-doo on published standards for dealing with lightning: http://www.lightning.org/sites/www.lightning.org/files/documents/Chapter_on_LP_Feb._2009-Titled.pdf

One group of folks who have to deal with lightening issues and have lots of experience are the ham radio operators. Here's some guidance for their sorts of installations:

• http://www.nr6ca.org/lightning.html
• Polyphaser Corp tech note: http://home.comcast.net/~wx2nj/PEN1016.pdf
• More Polyphaser documentation: http://www.comm-omni.com/polyweb/hamradio1.htm
• The Amateur Radio Relay League's library on Lightning Protection: http://www.arrl.org/lightning-protection
• Underwriter's Laboratories on Why you need Lightning Protection (indirect link): http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=17999
• W.R. Block Associates, commercial radio installation consultants, on lightening with sizing and characteristics of lightening hits: http://www.wrblock.com/Papers/Amatuer_Radio/APARS_P02.htm. (Note: one of a series of
  PDFs but with strange Java failures. Still worth the read.)
  

I'd suggest we all grab a beer and read on......

In the above, for each reference in the ham radio docs to antennas, think Cable TV, phone lines and/or power company leads into your residence.

This was the crux of my earlier post: All wires leading into your residence are an opportunity for lightening events to enter it. The makers of surge protection devices want you to feel safe buying something that depends on residence grounding to be proper, sufficient and intact. Many times, this is not the case. The tradeoff is that you must spend lots of $$ to get the best protection. At some point tradeoffs must be made by the residence owner as to the risk they will take vs the cost of protection even with buying the stuff at Best Buy or similar stores.

Cheers,

David

 

[dogscanskate]

I love to read such articles. The need to learn the proper procedures to reduce risks may be worth it to some of us.

I checked my ground wiring yesterday and as I suspected it is connected to the water pipe as this may have been code back when the house was built in the 60's. The only thing is, the main water pipe is at the complete opposite of the electrical panel/entry. My ground wire runs a 40' diagonal across the basement. It may be efficient but I do have my doubts.

Thanks to some good advice, I will call a qualified electrician to install total home protection with grounding being as close to the electrical panel in order to reduce resistance. Does that make sense?

 

[westend]

I love to read such articles. The need to learn the proper procedures to reduce risks may be worth it to some of us.

I checked my ground wiring yesterday and as I suspected it is connected to the water pipe as this may have been code back when the house was built in the 60's. The only thing is, the main water pipe is at the complete opposite of the electrical panel/entry. My ground wire runs a 40' diagonal across the basement. It may be efficient but I do have my doubts.

Thanks to some good advice, I will call a qualified electrician to install total home protection with grounding being as close to the electrical panel in order to reduce resistance. Does that make sense?

Yes, it makes sense. I believe the current NEC requires an earth rod to be connected to your main panel board and the additional ground. I have not purchased the new NEC book and can't find my old one so can't quote directly. Maybe one of the many electricians that are members can chime in to verify this.

A few years back, tired of the line surges on the grid and after losing the tuner section on a fairly new TV, I looked into over-voltage, under-voltage and high energy DC (lightning) protective devices. In the end, none of it will totally protect from lightning and is fairly expensive to implement.

 

[Zygmo]

If informed, a 'whole house' protector for about $1 per protected appliance does superior protection. Even a switch on power strips (protector or non-protector type) does not disconnect from lightning. Will its millimeter gap stop what three miles of sky could not? Many other surge conductors remain even when switched off. That and other facts were already posted; apparently ignored.

Do you also unplug the dishwasher, furnace, air conditioner, dimmer switches, digital clocks, and smoke detectors? Do you never sleep, never take a shower, and never leave home? All necessary if unplugging. Informed consumers spend about $1 per appliance to have protection even when the stray car causes a massive surge without warming. One simple solution does superior protection.

No, I don't go around and unplug everything in the house, Westom. I do know, however, that no reasonably affordable and practical protector will save sensitive, and more or less irreplaceable stereo and computer equipment from close strikes. Dishwashers, air conditioners, furnaces, etc are considerably more robust and are usually not affected. (however, I did lose the control center of a new cook oven once.) Digital clocks and smoke detectors...let em go. Easily and cheaply replaced, though I have never had to. The oven and a TV are all I have ever lost to lightning strikes.

To give an example of what lightning can do....I know someone with a very expensive, nicely protected home whose chimney was struck. It took out all the electronics, and all the little decorative silver threads in the wall paper in his foyer were burnt black and laying on the tile floor.

The surest, cheapest and best insurance for our electronic equipment is a simple plug pull.

 

[Zygmo]

I see very little actual information and data in this thread. Pretty much all anecdotal and speculative "evidence". <sigh>

I always look at threads like these expecting someone to hop on who can actually run down technical aspects in a detailed manner with some sort of actual "proof" (non-anecdotal) to back it up. I guess that's just not common anymore. Is no-one on this board an eletrical engineer? Seriously?

How many electrical engineers does it take to unplug a stereo?

 

[myu701]

How many electrical engineers does it take to unplug a stereo?

One. But the issue is whether or not he'll do it in time.
:lmao:

 

[westom]

A few years back, tired of the line surges on the grid and after losing the tuner section on a fairly new TV, I looked into over-voltage, under-voltage and high energy DC (lightning) protective devices. In the end, none of it will totally protect from lightning and is fairly expensive to implement.

Again, somehow a magic box would do protection? None do. Protection is provided by earth ground. Any under-voltage, over-voltage, etc device does not do and does not claim to do hardware protection. Why were you even looking there for protection? Because advertising and urban myths have not yet been unlearned.

Defined was the only solution for protection. Why are you ignoring a well proven 100 year old concept because it is new? Even costs less money - about $1 per protected appliance. For less money than any other solution including unplugging. Protection means a short (ie 'less than 10 feet') to single point earth ground. Why? Technical facts are found in concepts including wire impedance.

View citations from dshoaf. Earthing is the item that must always exist in every protection layer. Because energy is harmlessly absorbed only in earth.

dogscanskate describes virtually no earthing. Whereas that connection to a cold water pipe was pre-1990 earthing only for ‘human safety’. It provides almost no protection for ‘transistor safety’. And insufficient for post-1990 human safety. Sufficient earthing performs conductivity and equipotential. That 40 foot wire does not. Even worse, the connection probably also has sharp bends. Therefore a better path to earth may be destructively via appliances.

Every wire inside every incoming cable must connect to earth. Telephone has two wires. Both must connect to earth via a telco ‘installed for free’ protector. AC electric has three wires. All three must connect low impedance (ie 'less than 10 foot') to earth. But again, I am only repeating what all should have understood.

Electricians typically do not understand this. Electricians are taught what must connect to what for human safety. Electricians need not learn electrical reasons for why connections must exist. Electricians are not taught how electricity works. They spend years learning what connections are defined by code. Surge protection is about connections that must also exceed that code.

For example, code permits a quarter inch bare copper wire that connects a breaker box to earth by going over a foundation. Compromises surge protection. That wire has too many sharp bends. Is bundled with other wires that converge on the breaker box. And that wire is too long. A quarter inch bare copper wire must go through the foundation and down to earth. The difference between meeting post 1990 code and exceeding it.

What is superior protection so that lightning does not even damage the protector? Spend less money on a shorter wire from breaker box to earth. Less money for superior protection. Spend only $1 per appliance on a protector because even the furnace, air conditioner, stove, and bathroom GFCIs must be protected. What most needs protection during a surge? Smoke detectors. Informed consumers earth one 'whole house' protector to have protection that actually works even from direct lightning strikes. Effective protection means direct lightning do not even damage a protector. But I am only repeating what should have been many posts ago.

Protection is always about where energy dissipates. Did I say always? The superior solution costs less money. If one does not say where energy dissipates and why, then he has not yet learned this stuff.

Bottom line: a protector is only as effective as the only item that must always exist in every protection layer. Wire impedance is one of so many reasons why a 40 foot connection to a water pipe means virtually no surge protection. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground.

At what point does anyone ask for how to identify effective protectors? Why do many still discuss a least reliable solution – unplugging?