[TowerTalk] Re: [RFI] Question re: Whole House Surge Protection

[Pete Smith]

At 08:32 PM 7/21/2004, Tom Rauch wrote:
>While I not saying surge protection should be ignored,  how
>you connect things provides nearly all of the energy
>diversion. If you don't follow proper lead routing and
>grounding, there isn't a suppressor in the world that will
>protect your gear.


The trouble is that almost none of us have the right combination of 
technical knowledge and material circumstances to achieve what you 
describe.  In my case, for example, my shack has to be on the second floor, 
and my house is 100-150 years old (in parts), with wiring of every vintage 
after rod and tube.  I am skeptical that what you advocate is even feasible 
in my case, and wouldn't have a clue how to accomplish it

Given this, and my liberal arts approach to electronics, surge suppression 
appeared to me to be the most practical way to go, along with disconnecting 
all conductors from my tower to the house, at the house entry panel (also 
on the second floor).  So far, our computer network appears to be the weak 
point in this arrangement; only in-the-house equipment connected to it 
suffered in my major strike last summer, and a recent induced voltage event 
didn't do any damage except for frying the network protection part of one 
TrippLite TL810NET multiple device surge suppressor.

I'm contemplating going to a wireless network, simply to eliminate the 
fairly long runs of network cable between our computers, the hub and the 
cable modem; alternatively, can anyone recommend a good, cost-effective 
RG-45 surge suppressor that I can use to replace the TrippLite's network 
protection without having to replace the whole unit?


73, Pete N4ZR
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