[TowerTalk] Lightning, surge protection

[mcduffie at actcom.net]

On Fri, 07 Nov 2003 07:15:39 -0500, Pete Smith wrote:

> Our local power company offers a surge suppressor for the whole house that 
> is installed in a cylindrical housing between the meter and the 
> house.  They lease it to you for about $3.50 as month, and I figured at 
> that rate I'll be long gone by the time it comes up tom the cost of a 
> suppressor installed at the panel (including the electrician's 
> wages).  Worth checking to see if your power company offers the same deal.

I haven't been monitoring this thread, so I don't know if this has
been brought up before or not.  You can buy whole house protectors
at your local electrical supply for $35.  It is a three wire device
that goes across the whole line, 120-0-120, and clamps around 175V.
I've used these since the early 70s.  One brand is Joslyn (Z2 175
0A).  The 4-wire 208 3-phase version, for those who have a real
bunker amp, is Z3 175 0A.

They now have a visual indicator to let you know when it is time to
replace it because it has absorbed its quota.  Back in the old days,
the GE version cost $12.50 before the marketing department decided
they were worth several times that.

Gary

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