[TowerTalk] RE: [PVRC] Question re: Whole House Surge Protection

[Bill Hider (N3RR)]

Eric,

Go to my website and check out the Joslyn unit I had an electrician install
in 1996.
I've never been "hit-hurting a piece of gear" (knock on wood) since it's
been installed.  I did have a couple hits in the 11 years I was here before
1996.

In fact, I keep all of my ham and other electronics gear plugged in to AC,
all antennas connected all the time and never have had a hit in the house.
(Once, I disconnected a rotor control ground wire and took a hit on a zener
diode in the unit, but I violated my own rules - NEVER DISCONNECT ANYTHING -
Keep it connected to the ground grid.

I do have UPS units on each of my 5 networked computers in the house - all
PCs are powered on all the time.
I also have a UPS on the packet node transmitters and PC.

Anyway, the Joslyn unit energizes with every power hit I take here - and we
have MANY MANY hits, low/hign voltage hits, lightning hits that drop out the
power momentarily and some for a few minutes/hours.  The power here is
always going up/down here.  Never took any "hit" to anything in the house
with the Joslyn unit installed. Again, I leave everything connected: IC-781,
IC-4KL, IC-PW1, antennas, rotors, AC power, phone lines.  I do have a SPG at
the house, towers, and a ground grid outside the house.

All this is described in my website.  www.erols.com/n3rr

73,

Bill, N3RR

-----Original Message-----
From: pvrc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:pvrc-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Eric Rosenberg
Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 4:13 PM
To: rfi at contesting.com; towertalk at contesting.com; pvrc at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [PVRC] Question re: Whole House Surge Protection


My neighborhood was zapped on July 4th. An indirect hit caused a
powerline surge at our house that nailed my Omni-6+ and other devices
(wireless phone, answering machine, home alarm control panel, computer).
 Oddly, while our hit came trhough the AC line, my neighbor was hit
through his cable connection (our TVs were not hit).

Many have suggested we install a whole-house surge protector.  The local
power company (Pepco) will sell me one through their subsidiary, Pepco
Energy Services), but will not install it.

My question:  since I'll have to pay for the device and installation, is
one better than another?

Pepco Energy Services sells the EFI Electronics Titan 40W40W
(www.efinet.comm)

Polyphaser (www.polyphaser.com) and Joslyn
(http://www.jesc.com/joslynsurge/products/index.html) have products, too,
as do others.

Can anyone recommend one over the other?

I really don't want to do through this again!

Thanks in advance,

Eric W3DQ
Washington, DC
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