Surge protectors and power conditioners - Good idea or bad?

oldhvymec

First of all lightning is sent directly to the closest and biggest ground.

Not so. That's not how lightning works. Most lightning never even makes it to the ground.

Folks that use to get hit with lightning were hit because of antenna sticking up all over the place. THAT is what normally wipes out electrical gear NOT lightning hitting the power pole.. THAT'S right it goes into the ground rod ...

A proper home grounding system does not offer absolute protection against lightning strike damage. Not even close.

I didn't say it did, I said the purpose of a grounding rod is for outside strikes or OVER Voltage from anywhere ONLY. I didn't say there is not a problem if your house gets a lightning strike..

I'm not UNDER mining what it can do. I saying what the purpose of the ground rod is, not what it may fall short of... LOL I was born and lived in Texas and Alabama until I was 12, my family is from there.. I know what lightning CAN do..

Wind too, I've seen the 8 -10 head of cattle porcupined because of HAY and not being able to get them in a glen or safety. Whole side of a barn just riddled with straw sticking out of it.. Pretty common actually..

Funny you speak of how lightning WORKS. Your the first.. No body really knows HOW DIFFERENT lightning types work.. My vocabulary may be incorrect, There is more than one type of lightning and depending on the region, soil content, and moisture level, determine where it's gonna go, if it does shows up... Could be pyroclastic in nature, Dust storms make lightning, I've actually seen it..

Less than 30 year ago they thought it always discharged by hitting the ground (or a ground).  In reality, it actually comes from the ground and MEETS above the soil plain with the discharge coming from above.

Tell me all about lightning... It does strike twice... In the same place and person for that matter... Has a mind of it's own.. :-)

This comes up so often I wrote a blog about it.


https://inatinear.blogspot.com/2019/04/power-management-for-frugal-audiophiles.html

It is wise to have a whole house surge protector. Power conditioners are a big variable and their effectiveness depends upon the incoming power supply and the type of conditioner  being used. If you can borrow one or two and try them to se if they work in your system.

@lwin ,
+1, 
If you own a home or have a good landlord, installing a whole house surge protector is money well spent.
Bob