Do you "unplug" your spa during bad thunderstorms?

[Chas]

Thanks.

[wmccall]

I would think that as many times as you kick off a breaker because of a lightning storm, there will be that many times you not home when it occurs.  That said, I do a lot of home computer repairs and the odds are against lightning damage, but when your the one in that 10 thousand it hurts.   I do like the look of this model that Chas posted.  So many people use surge supressors on thier computers not realzing they work great,  once.

Chas have you used one of these yet? I couldn't find that exact model om their site and I wonder if surge currents from pump start ups might cause it problems.

[doodoo]

I do like the look of this model that Chas posted.  So many people use surge supressors on thier computers not realzing they work great,  once.

I was under the impression that these surge suppressors were good forever. Do you mean that they fry when hit and then they don't work, or would they continue to work and you would never know it if they got hit  

[Chas]

I have used the Power strip types for years, and had many of them die protecting my 'puters , keyboard gear on stage and high-end stereo gear at home.

BrickWall makes the best table-top units, IMO - they are proud not to have MOVs inside - sort of the  Rolls Royce of Surge protection. Go to their site, but be careful: you'll think you are at a certain site in Colorado, but this time they seem to know what they are talking about!

But the Leviton device I pictured is UL listed under two distinct classifications, the UL 1449 tvvs standard and the older one - can't remember the number. And they work.

BUT - the Leviton device uses MOV technology, so if it eats a really big surge for you, it usually dies in the effort. MOV is 'Metal Oxide Varistor,' and it costs pennies to make - you simply put the MOV across the power lines, or from hot to neutral. Little surges tend to add up, and the MOV units can fail after years of small surges as well. To make the products work better and last longer, Leviton puts MOVs in layers - or cascade circuits - so there are 'layers of protection.'

That's one reason they are inexpensive, and it's also why they come with LED on the front (some of their models have an allowance for a remote indicator) to let you know if the protection has ended. When that happens, you are unprotected until you replace the module - or heart of the unit.

HotSpring has incorporated MOVs into it's control boxes for the last couple of decades. The newest ones are soldered onto the control board. They work great for smaller surges, and do tend to lengthen the life expectancy of the control systems. But as far as a really big surge: It is sort of a 'last line of defense' design, because the power cord on the 110 units has one inside (hopefully that one will blow first in a big surge), and all units are supposed to be protected by circuit breakers, of course.

[Chas]

I was under the impression that these surge suppressors were good forever. Do you mean that they fry when hit and then they don't work, or would they continue to work and you would never know it if they got hit  

Most fail-safe: that means that they will keep the power flowing, but no longer offer protection from surges if they fail. The MOV types can actually smoke if the MOVs pop. There are devices called "Surge Counters," or maybe is was "Spike Counters," which tell you how many jolts your stuff has absorbed. People who own expensive specialty equipment often install these after their UPS/Power conditioner/Surge suppressor systems let them down the first time.

As an electrician, or in conjunction with my subs, I have been involved in some of these upgrades, as the computer vendors and equipment vendors were carrying in tens of thousands of dollars of new equipment, and people were crying over lost work.

I can remember my first surge protection device: Radio Shack, one outlet, about $9, maybe less. It had a neon light in it, and I used it for years, but I have no idea if it worked at all.

The work I would lose on my computer now drives my decision on the price I'm willing to pay for surge protection.

[wmccall]

I was under the impression that these surge suppressors were good forever. Do you mean that they fry when hit and then they don't work, or would they continue to work and you would never know it if they got hit  

Ok, keep in mind my degree in electronics was earned in 1979     Most of the surge suppressors you buy for computers (no UPS systems)  use Metal oxide Varistors (MOVS)  to shunt the surges to safety and they basically jump in front of the bullet the way Kevin Costner did for Whitney Houston.     Some of the newer models have indicators to let you know if they have taken such a hit. The cheaper ones don't.  I use UPS systems on mine so they are isolated from power fluctuations.   Don't forget the modem line.   I just had a user who had all her power going through a suppressor but lightning got to her computer through the phone line in the modem.

[Chas]

 Don't forget the modem line.   I just had a user who had all her power going through a suppressor but lightning got to her computer through the phone line in the modem.

Good point!

There is some info about ground loops and other ways that power can get into your computer at the BrickWall site.