Quote:
Originally Posted by Lightning
Be warry of the term "whole house surge protection". You may be protected from INDIRECT lightning with the SECO surge protection device on the electric meter but there is always the chance that some voltage will get through that will be enough to fry your electronics. You need secondary point-of-use protection on anythig you value like computers, TVs, microwave, refrig, tele ans machine, garage door operators, etc.
|
You have completely missed the point of any protector. No protector stops any surges. What does better than a protector on cable TV? A wire. Instead of a protector, a wire does the same job better. Best protection for cable TV is an existing wire - not a protector. All phone lines already have a ‘whole house’ protector installed for free. Apparently those ‘point of use’ recommendations come without even knowing what already exists. What is required even by code and Federal regulations.
An AC mains surge approaches that SECO protector. Now a surge makes a decision. Does it go less than ten feet to earth via ground rods? Or does it go much farther inside, blow through protection already inside appliances, and then obtain earth via those appliances? Instead, a surge goes harmlessly to earth by an easier path. Via the SECO protector IF "the quality of and connection to that earthing" is superior.
It sound like paullynnchetti's electrician understands this. An 18,000 amp protector is grossly undersized. 'Whole house' protectors start at 50,000 amps so that direct lightning strikes go to earth outside the building. Their electrician installed a 72,000 amp protector. And probably upgraded earthing. Because earthing (not any protector) defines protection.
You are assuming protectors stop a surge. A myth used to promote 'point of use' protectors. Protectors never stop surges. Never. Either a surge is connected to better earthing. Or a 'point of use' protector can even connect a surge to earth destructively via nearby appliances. Protection is always about the path to earth. Once that surge is inside, then nothing will stop a destructive hunt for earth ground.