The Importance of Surge Protectors

jryan · Post by **jryan** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 7:18 pm

You know, I've never fully realized the importance of surge protectors until today.

I was sitting at home, and I got a call from my aunt (who just got home from Sudbury) to tell me that she needed my help because of a thunderstorm that we had last night. Now, I'm a little confused at this, and then she goes on to explain that there was a lightning strike at the house, which did ALOT of damage . It fried three phones, one phone jack, surged through my cousin's GameCube, shocked him, blew the router, severly damaged the ADSL Modem and fried her motherboard.

Now, my cousin also had his computer running, but he fortunately had an industrial-strength surge protector for it, while my aunt was using a mere power bar. She's now looking at replacing three phones at a cost of about $40 CDN, if she has to replace the ADSL modem and not pay for repairs to it, it'll cost her $350 CDN, the new motherboard is going to be around $100 (Assuming none of the other internal components are damaged), and the router, well, she's just letting that one go.

Just goes to illustrate the importance of having a SURGE PROTECTOR as opposed to an ordinary POWER BAR ...

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Chris Vogel · Post by **Chris Vogel** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 7:33 pm

I need to get a surge protector.

I have never that happen to me, but it could.

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Wren · Post by **Wren** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 10:24 pm

Sometimes a surge protector won't protect you from a direct hit. I always unplug at the first sign of a storm.

jryan, if your aunt has home owner's insurance, she may have some coverage to help with replacements.

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jryan · Post by **jryan** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 10:28 pm

She's actually checking with the insurance in the morning, but thanks for the suggestion.

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Wren · Post by **Wren** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 10:40 pm

Lightning scares the heck out of me, it will actually ring my phone!

My sister just took 3 separate hits, got her stove, tv and microwave. She wondered why the people across the street had lightning rods on top of their house. Guess she knows now!

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wldkos · Post by **wldkos** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 12:34 am

heheh, I have an industrial strength battery backup/surge protector.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Mon Aug 04, 2003 2:29 pm

Wow it's nice to know that the powerbar alone does something, most of the time. I kept wondering if I should unplug or not. I have UPS so I usually just shut down the computer and turn off the PSU switch and then turn off the power bar (speakers etc.).

We never had anything damaged by lightning here though. I'm thinking it's probably because we are so close to a main transformer, so the physically wireing stops there in the coil, but lightning can probably still magneticly travel on the other coil to keep going, not sure. We're just lucky I think.

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Tim53819 · Post by **Tim53819** » Mon Aug 04, 2003 2:41 pm

I would not mind if this pos got burned...just a prompt for my dad to buy a new one...

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Mon Aug 04, 2003 3:00 pm

lol cut the grounding pin of the surge protector and wait for the next storm. Should help

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jryan · Post by **jryan** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 7:02 pm

...Wow it's nice to know that the powerbar alone does something,

Red. you have to make sure it's Surge Protector and not just a plain powerbar for it to do something, because there is a difference. If only all powerbars were Surge Protectors, then I wouldn't be stuck repairing equipment right now.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 12:25 am

Yeah that's what I meant to say. Power bars would not do much, but some do have a breaker, but still, it's not as good as a surge protector.

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jryan · Post by **jryan** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 12:43 am

Actually, even though they have a breaker, it really does nothing. The surge went right through and didn't even trip the breaker.... kinda odd when you think about it, but the power bar is 100% ok compared to her equipment right now.

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Red Squirrel · Post by **Red Squirrel** » Wed Aug 06, 2003 12:49 am

That is weird. You'd think the power bar would of took a hit too, like at least flip the breaker but that it would be too late. Lightning can work in weird ways sometimes.

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