[Boatanchors] Re: Lightning

[Steve Uhrig]

On 22 Sep 2004 at 4:00, Jim Wilhite W5JO, who eschews obfuscation, wrote:

Hi Jim,

> I wonder if any of you use surge suppression on your house electrical
> supply lines.  If so, what brand and model do you use? 

> I have checked with the local electric service supplier, but they want
> to charge a monthly fee for their equipment.  I wish to purchase on
> outright.  

I commend your desire to be PROactive rather than REactive.

You've opened the door to an involved discussion of power and antenna 
surge and lightning protection.

Please see my article and photos on the matter here:

http://www.swssec.com/white_paper.html

first article listed, on grounding.

On the commercial side, we've had to do this all over the world, in 
deserts and jungles, on military commo packages. If you don't take any 
shortcuts, you pretty much can thumb your nose at power or weather 
problems.

The basics are: you need to grab surges quickly enough with the proper 
protector which will break down quickly yet handle the power of the surge

and

be able to dissipate that surge you've snagged quickly enough into earth.

If you're talking simple 50 or 6 cycle mains surges, it's fairly 
straightforward. 

If you're talking lightning, it gets more involved.

Please read the article and see if that helps any.

I use nothing but Polyphaser www.polyphaser.com. They have a protector to 
be installed at the main panel, and it's excellent if you follow 
instructions. Better to buy than rent. Polyphaser will be better quality 
than what the power company provides, or Home Depot provides.

Read the instructions. You need to keep leads as short as possible. There 
is a maximum length specified. You need to protect both phases, so you 
need a double pole breaker like you'd have for any other 220 volt device. 

Longer leads than specified introduce too much inductance for the device 
to function properly.

Polyphaser's site is educational.

Their products are available directly from them at full retail, or 
through the larger two way distributors like Tessco, or a friendly two 
way commercial dealer. I can help if you can't find any other source.

With a full slate of Polyphaser stuff installed here on phone lines, all 
antennas and power, we've never lost anything. We've had molten copper 
blasted into the wood siding up to the protector from lightning hitting 
phone lines, but the equipment on the protected side wasn't damaged and 
Polyphaser replaces damaged protectors under warranty.

Will be glad to answer questions.

Regards ... Steve WA3SWS


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Steve Uhrig, SWS Security, Maryland (USA)
Mfrs of electronic surveillance equip
mailto:Steve at swssec.com  website http://www.swssec.com
tel +1+410-879-4035, fax +1+410-836-1190
"In God we trust, all others we monitor"
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