[Elecraft] Surge Protection

[Mark Kopec]

Surge protectors do not help much. A UPS offers much better protection. Not
only does it protect equipment from voltage spikes, it assists with
blackouts and brownouts.

Many years ago when I lived in a third floor apartment there was a lightning
strike nearby. Most electric devices within my apartment were connected to
UPSes and had no damage. A digital clock and TV located in different rooms
were each connected to a surge protector. The clock was damaged beyond
repair. The TV acted strangely. It would not power on. At first I thought it
too was fried. I unplugged it for a minute to drain any stray charge. After
I plugged in the TV again it worked normally. Now I only use surge
protectors to extend an outlet from a UPS, as when connecting a small AC
adapter. 

During a storm you have to disconnect the antenna and possibly other things.
I spent my early life growing up in the Chicago area, which had powerful
summer thunderstorms. One night I was surprised to see flashes of light on
the coil of an uncovered antenna tuner! My gear was not damaged, but now I
had another problem: disconnecting the antenna while the storm is in
progress and not get injured. Fortunately, everything worked out.

Mark
W5KXX

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of William Levy
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2013 3:05 PM
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Surge Protection

Gents,

I do not think it is worthwhile to buy surge protection for individual
items.
I live in NW CO and we have thunderstorms all summer and for years I used
surge protectors individually until my electrician suggested I put surge
protectors on my electric panels coming into my house, shacks, barns, guest
houses, library etc. So each building out west now has a surge protector on
the electrical panel which hisses and clicks during thunderstorms and of
course we tend to unplug ham sets and tv's and hi fi's and wifi's and all
the rest of the stuff.

Nothing man makes can protect your electronics from a direct hit to your
antennas or house and by direct I mean within 100 feet. Try as you might
it's bigger than us. So unplug and ground all antennas all the time.

73, Bill N2WL
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