[Elecraft] Surge Protection

[Don Wilhelm]

Bill,

I can second that.  I have a utility entrance surge protector 
installed.  I also have a Tripp-Lite surge protector as 'extra' 
protection for everything in the hamshack.   We had a close electrical 
strike last summer.  Nothing died as a result of being connected to the 
AC mains, but it somehow jumped onto the wired Ethernet home network.  I 
lost 4 computers, a NAS file server, two switches, the router, and an 
access point.  It tripped all the GFCI receptacles in the outbuilding 
(which does not have a surge protection but has separately metered power 
feed).  Only one GFCI breaker/receptacle in the house was tripped, so 
something worked.

Yes, all antennas are grounded and the radios are connected to a dummy 
load when the antenna switching system is powered down, so no radio damage.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/14/2013 4:05 PM, William Levy wrote:
> 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.
>
>