On Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 11:44:27AM -0500, Eben King wrote:
<snip>
>
> Well, it's plugged into UPS -> power strip. There's another surge
> suppressor/switchable power strip daisy-chained off there, so maybe at the
> end of the chain would have been better, considering the weather around
> here.
Regarding this, Ed Centanni once told me something I should have known
already, having been an electrician for years. The innards of surge
suppressing circuitry are connected across all the conductors, and
essentially connected in parallel to the power system in your house. As
such, they technically protect devices anywhere in the house, not just
the devices plugged into them. This is actually just elementary
electricity theory.
That's the theory. As a practical matter, the closer a device is to the
surge suppressor, the more it can take advantage of the surge
suppressor's ability to clamp incoming voltage (spikes). I use surge
strips and UPSes on everything, myself. Of course, in the event of a
direct strike, no surge suppressor in the world will dissipate millions
of volts. That's why I encourage power companies to locate as many tall,
grounded power poles around my house as possible. ;-}
Paul
-- Paul M. Foster ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This list is provided as an unmoderated internet service by Networked Knowledge Systems (NKS). Views and opinions expressed in messages posted are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NKS or any of its employees.
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