[Elecraft] [OT} Whole House Surge Protection

Fri Feb 1 12:59:00 EST 2013

We used to discuss this topic at work.  Someone brought out the fact that a power strip or some other device with a surge protector built in should cover everything on that particular leg.  It's a parallel circuit.   (I'm not defending this).

Also, it was brought out that MOV surge protectors are for a very short duration spike, of which lightning is not.  Many have a fuse in series with the MOV for that reason.  While this may come across as negative, surge protectors have their place.

Back, circa late 70's- 80's, a momentary open on the power caused a high voltage spike on the AC.  It took out hundreds, or more, TV's and Ham Radio electronics in that neighborhood.  I built a box with an AC relay that locks up through it's own contacts. I have two outlet boxes attached to it.  I have a momentary button to bring the relay up, and one to release it.  If a 'hit' should occur on the power the relay will release and open the AC circuit to my equipment. Should the AC restore with high voltage, my equipment plugged into it will not be connected. I have a UPS to feed my K3 power supply so I can shut the K3 down normally.

Rich, n0ce

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Don Wilhelm 
  To: Erik Basilier 
  Cc: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net 
  Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2013 6:26 PM
  Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [OT} Whole House Surge Protection

  I cannot comment on your particular 'high-leg' entry system  - mine is 
  plain vanilla 240 volt single phase with neutral.

  I can only speak from my experience.  I have an entry panel surge 
  protection device in my power entrance panel.  I also use local surge 
  protectors (Tripplite) at the ham station, and the computers have UPSs 
  that offer surge protection.  All the hamshack runs off the same AC 
  receptacle.

  We had a close lightning event last summer and there were no incidences 
  of damage on the AC side, although all the GFCI breakers tripped.

  The wired Ethernet devices were not so fortunate, I lost a router, 2 8 
  port switches, an access point, a NAS storage device, and 4 computers 
  after that event, that did not mention the Ethernet connected network 
  printer that lost its Ethernet capability, but still worked with a USB 
  connection - all apparently due to the surge coming in over the Ethernet 
  cables.  Fortunately, no data was lost, the devices did not work due to 
  damaged network ports.

  So the AC protection did work, but the unprotected Ethernet devices did 
  not survive.

  The 'whole house' protection did work.

  73,
  Don W3FPR

  On 1/31/2013 6:42 PM, Erik Basilier wrote:
  > I am aware that the surge protected power strips I use are poor protection,
  > because the shack uses more than one circuit from the panel, and I also have
  > one power strip chained from another. The solution, I understand, is whole
  > house surge protection located at the service entrance. I am currently very
  > busy building a room addition to the house. This includes electrical
  > installation work, and I had the idea of getting whole house surge
  > protection installed at the same time.
  >
  >   
  >
  > Busy as I was, I didn't take enough time to make sure to buy the correct
  > unit. My house has a kind of 3-phase system called "Split Phase High Leg
  > Delta". This system adds a 3rd phase to the residential wiring that normally
  > doesn't have it. The purpose in my case is for a 3-phase air conditioner.
  > With this system, the 3rd leg coming into the panel has a higher voltage,
  > 208 V, relative to the neutral. Not taking this into account I bought a
  > protector Leviton 51120-3  that is designed for regular 3-phase wiring,
  > which has only 120 V between each phase and neutral. I believe if I hooked
  > it up to all 3 phases coming into the panel, it would fry the protector.
  >
  >   
  >
  > I have now identified another protector 32412-DS3 from Leviton that I
  > believe is right for my application. It costs about $600 vs. only $225 for
  > the one I bought. There is another difference. The one I bought includes a
  > warranty not only for the device but also for a high dollar amount worth of
  > electronics such as ham gear. The unit I should have bought has a warranty
  > only for the device itself and not for connected electronics.
  >
  >   
  >
  > My questions for the group: Do you have whole house surge protection
  > installed, especially with a high leg electrical system? If so, what
  > particular device did you install? Is there any manufacturer out there that
  > offers a protector for high leg installations with a warranty that covers
  > connected electronics? Maybe at a price better than $600? I plan to put the
  > unit I bought up for sale and hope to get $150 (never hooked up, still in
  > shrinkwrap). However, another possibility comes to mind. The electrical
  > service panel where I intend to install the new protector actually feeds
  > another older panel inside the house that runs the older wiring, including
  > most of the shack. Would it make sense to install the unit at the old panel
  > instead of selling it? The benefit would be added protecton for ham
  > equipment, but I see two reasons not to do it. First, this 3-phase protector
  > would be wired up to only 2 phases at the old panel, and that means it would
  > not be installed per the instructions, so that warranty of connected
  > equipment  would be voided. Second, my linear and a few smaller ham devices
  > are fed from a newer circuit from the main panel, bypassing the old panel. I
  > concluded earlier that this situation will make the protection in the power
  > strips useless. I also believe it would make a protector located at the old
  > panel useless. So I am pretty sure I should sell the protector I bought. It
  > is too late to return it to the vendor.
  >
  >   
  >

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