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Author Topic: Lightning Protection Device(s) - Discussion  (Read 893 times)

z1ts

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Lightning Protection Device(s) - Discussion
« on: July 20, 2020, 08:44:08 AM »

my kit keeps getting destroyed every year with lightning strikes

Genuine question here @Weaver - isn't there some kind of protection that can be installed to earth out strikes? I'd have thought there would be some kind of 'box' available to prevent fry-ups!!

Sorry to hijack the OP's thread, but it's something I'm genuinely interested in!!

(PM me if you think more suitable)
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Alex Atkin UK

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Re: Lightning Protection Device(s) - Discussion
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2020, 09:42:10 AM »

Genuine question here @Weaver - isn't there some kind of protection that can be installed to earth out strikes? I'd have thought there would be some kind of 'box' available to prevent fry-ups!!

Sorry to hijack the OP's thread, but it's something I'm genuinely interested in!!

(PM me if you think more suitable)

This has been discussed before, I think the issue was as he has 4 lines it would work out FAR more expensive than just periodically replacing the modems.  Although that was on the condition they didn't get fried quite as often as they have lately.
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z1ts

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Re: Lightning Protection Device(s) - Discussion
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2020, 10:10:45 AM »

Interesting Alex.

Seeing as I have only 1 line, and if I wanted to install some kind of protection - what would I use?
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Weaver

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Re: Lightning Protection Device(s) - Discussion
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2020, 02:00:55 AM »

Please start another thread and I’d be delighted to talk about this; the results will be very disappointing though.
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z1ts

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Re: Lightning Protection Device(s) - Discussion
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2020, 09:05:44 AM »

my kit keeps getting destroyed every year with lighting strikes

Genuine question here @Weaver - isn't there some kind of protection that can be installed to earth out strikes? I'd have thought there would be some kind of 'box' available to prevent fry-ups!!

Sorry to hijack the OP's thread, but it's something I'm genuinely interested in!!

(PM me if you think more suitable)

Please start another thread and I’d be delighted to talk about this; the results will be very disappointing though.

@Weaver - as requested!

Looking to learn here ;)
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Weaver

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Re: Lightning Protection Device(s) - Discussion
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2020, 06:58:02 PM »

I tried an APC device which was rubbish because it stuffed the sync rate completely. Also thinking about it, that device didn’t have any connection to the mains earth, so it had nowhere to dump the unwanted energy too. I couldn’t believe it would work when it came to the time to test it.

I’m at the greatest possible risk because there is no air gap between my line and router, I have a very very long DSL line and I suffer from exceptionally wild weather at a fairly high location on the West Coast of Scotland. Most domestic users have an air gap because they have a wireless network and their PCs etc are all wireless only often now so the only thing that will be damaged will be the cheap domestic wireless modem-router.

My solution now, is :
  • spares on site - spare modems (lots), switch and router. when I say switch this is not my main LAN switch. It’s a VLAN mux/demux switch connected to my four modems.
  • insurance! serious specific cover as my router cost a fortune
  • lightning warning device - hardware. This has been very sensitive and has a fantastic range - confirmed by software below. One defect is that its alarm is not anywhere near loud enough. I’m as deaf as a post but my wife can’t hear it either even when we’re both right next to it. I sleep with it in view and we both should be able to hear it.
  • lightning strike warning app - software for iPad which shows a lightning strike map and rings an alarm. Sophisticated and highly reliable. Global coverage down to superb local resolution and very well designed. Our primary protection
  • switchover to 3G/4G when off the DSL network because of lightning risk - 3G NIC plugged into router via USB and 4G SIMs plugged into ipads
« Last Edit: July 23, 2020, 07:11:32 PM by Weaver »
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z1ts

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Re: Lightning Protection Device(s) - Discussion
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2020, 09:19:19 AM »

Very interesting @Weaver

The old adage strikes true again:- "prevention is better than cure" or in this case disconnect the DSL before the lightning strikes rather than trying to deal with it once it has!

Cheers for all that.
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burakkucat

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Re: Lightning Protection Device(s) - Discussion
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2020, 05:26:43 PM »

Earlier this afternoon these Type 18C Surge Protector devices came to my attention.

I see that there are three leads per device. However I have not performed any research on those devices. I leave that to others . . .  :D
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Weaver

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Re: Lightning Protection Device(s) - Discussion
« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2020, 06:45:51 PM »

The first test with these interesting devices would wound be to see how much sync speed you lose. Seeing whether they protect you or not is a whole other can of worms, of the ‘Mmmmh - ah,  :D  that’s good! This planet has a breathable atmosphere’ variety.
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