Off the air!
8 messages in this thread
Lightning hit our 'phone line just outside the house on July 26th. It wiped
out our phone system – plus my computer and all its accessories!
It has taken hours of work to get it all going again – plus about $2500
worth of new parts. This is the FIRST time since the disaster that I have
been able to get on to CIS!
Sorry if anyone was trying to get me during that sad time.
Regards to all……Hilary.
Wow – what a disaster. I'm still crying about a hard disk crash that wiped
up – oh, two dozen files – I'd like to keep. Glad to hear you're back
online – and I hoped you had a backup!
We thought you were just being rude 🙂
Do you have underground utilities?
–Paul Still on AutoPilot
Hilary,
Sorry to hear about your lightning strike. It's an item of concern to me
as well since I now live in the 2nd most active lightning area in the
country. I've got a reasonable amount of lightning protection, but there's
not much that can be done against a strike that close.
Glad to hear that you're up and running again, though.
David
There are surge protectors that may help against any lightning strike. The
product is called PANAMX and they are `power bars' that help against
surges, spikes and brown-outs (brouwn-outs can damage equipment as much as
a lightning strike…it just happens a little at a time).
When I worked retail a few years back, the PANAMAX company had a policy
that if correctly installed and used, if your equipment was damaged due to
the failure of the Panamax, they would replace all your damaged equipment
(upto a value of $2 million). I don't know if they guarantee still applies
but it may be worth checking out.
The have models with 2, 4 or 6 plugs, plus models with modem/fax jacks and
ones for use with TV/Stereo equipment.
Philip Laitar
Supervisor
Philip,
Yes, those guarantees are available on the better units. The Tripp-Lite
unit that I use has a similar guarantee. In general, these really
represent that the manufacturer has done a good enough job on the unit that
he's willing to absorb the cost of repair (or pay for the insurance policy
to do so) for the cases that the unit cannot absorb due to the intensity of
the strike. (and a bit of marketing – how many people do you know that can
plug $2 million worth of equipment in to a 6 outlet strip?) I'm not trying
to say that the units don't do a good job, but, with a close lightning
strike, it's just a question of a slightly longer time before the unit
blows.
Check out how many joules that your surge suppression device can absorb.
The better ones are around 300 joules, with the best ones being higher yet.
The cheap ones sometimes have ratings of 25 joules. Care to estimate the
energy contained in the average lightning strike? I have a lightning
arrestor installed on my panelboard, and use the Tripp-Lite Line
Stabilizer/Conditioner to feed surge suppressor outlet strips for my
system, due to the high lightning activity in the area where I live. I
also have additional protection on my telephone lines. I have no
illusions, though. If a strike hits close by, chances are I'm going to
lose equipment.
It's definitely worthwhile and recommended to take reasonable precautions,
but, if you want an absolute guarantee, it's just not available.
David
David,
According to the PANAMAX guarantee, if the unit failed the would replace
the damaged equipment.
Now of course no one will have a $2M system plugged in (can you imagine an
old Cray plugged into a powerbar) and it is really good marketing…but if
I am not home to unplug my system then it would be good to know I have
`insurance'.
Philip Laitar
Supervisor
Philip,
Actually, their guarantee is replace or repair (their option), and only if
the unit was installed and connected according to their instructions.
(Reasonable requirements, but a potential trap for those who don't read
and/or follow instructions properly.)
PANAMAX appears to have excellent quality equipment. Their power circuit
will handle 480 joules, making it among the best available. (Less on the
signal lines.) They also appear to do a bit of conditioning as well as
surge suppression, again a big plus.
It's definitely a good idea to have protection. (The phone company had to
replace the lightning arrestor on my phone line just yesterday.) The point
I was making is that there are some hits that can't be protected against in
terms of equipment damage.
David