Dave- I can’t disagree with anything your wrote. I have always pulled power to my main system in the case of severe (or even not so severe) electrical storms. We are now in Austin, which probably doesn’t get as much electrical storm activity as Houston, but when we do get such storms, they are pretty intense. As to the MOV devices, I’m inclined to agree. Certainly the cheap power strips and some of the other products you mention are questionable.
What’s interesting is that the surge protection within my industrial/commercial style isolation transformer (10kVa from Controlled Power) which sits outside in a Nema weatherproof cabinet at 400 lbs is in part MOV based, with a warning light that indicates the need for replacement. Ditto, the whole house unit that is side mounted to the main service panel for the house. I have had for some years one of those ZeroSurge units that doesn’t use any MOV (I’m sure I mentioned this above) and that’s what I keep my vintage QUAD ESLs plugged into.
I guess my starting point is to be pretty skeptical about how much any of these devices can protect against a close strike, but I use them, nonetheless, as well as point of use boxes, like those made by Tripplite, for computers and appliance type electronics, e.g., the printer, the paper shredder, as well as my record cleaning equipment.
The current code now requires Arc-Fault type breakers. Those were installed at the service (sub) panel fed by the isolation transformer for my dedicated lines. I was concerned about false triggers, but they have worked fine. The cable point is a good one. I should look at my cable modem/router, which only provides Internet service-- no "TV signals" as such-- we stream video and have otherwise ’cut the cord.’
I think we come out in the same place, no?
I’m relatively new to Texas, but really love it here, despite the heat.
What’s interesting is that the surge protection within my industrial/commercial style isolation transformer (10kVa from Controlled Power) which sits outside in a Nema weatherproof cabinet at 400 lbs is in part MOV based, with a warning light that indicates the need for replacement. Ditto, the whole house unit that is side mounted to the main service panel for the house. I have had for some years one of those ZeroSurge units that doesn’t use any MOV (I’m sure I mentioned this above) and that’s what I keep my vintage QUAD ESLs plugged into.
I guess my starting point is to be pretty skeptical about how much any of these devices can protect against a close strike, but I use them, nonetheless, as well as point of use boxes, like those made by Tripplite, for computers and appliance type electronics, e.g., the printer, the paper shredder, as well as my record cleaning equipment.
The current code now requires Arc-Fault type breakers. Those were installed at the service (sub) panel fed by the isolation transformer for my dedicated lines. I was concerned about false triggers, but they have worked fine. The cable point is a good one. I should look at my cable modem/router, which only provides Internet service-- no "TV signals" as such-- we stream video and have otherwise ’cut the cord.’
I think we come out in the same place, no?
I’m relatively new to Texas, but really love it here, despite the heat.