On Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 02:42:36PM -0500, Eben King wrote:
> On Sep 24, 2009 03:12:39 PM, slug@nks.net wrote:
>
> > On Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 11:44:27AM -0500, Eben King wrote:
> > >
> > > 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.
>
> I wouldn't trust lightning not to produce transients with a rise time
> so short that the voltage can rise to dangerous levels before a surge
> suppressor in the next room can put the kibosh on it. But I have no
> numbers to back my wild-eyed assertion.
As I recall, that's another spec on surge suppressors-- clamping time or
somesuch. But if you're getting a lightning surge in one room, you might
as well write off the rest of the rooms. Plus, because of the voltages
involved, lightning doesn't actually need what you'd normally consider a
conductive path. I think surge suppressors are really for handling
"normal" voltage problems.
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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