Recent content by bud--

An AVERAGE lighting strike is 20kA. As I related previously, from an investigation from an expert in the field, the largest SURGE that has any reasonable probability of occurring at a house is 10kA per hot service wire (based on a 100kA near lightning strike). Service panel protectors are...

If you mean a direct lightning strike to the house you need lightning rods. A service panel protector with decent ratings can survive a very near very strong lightning strike to power wires. Excellent information on surges and surge protection is at...

All the myths I have seen about plug-in protectors come from westom. He consistently ignores what is in both surge guides say and what the author of the NIST surge guide has found in investigations of surge protection. Which ignores that the surge expert from the NIST found only 35 joules...

I am using a major brand plug-in protector that cost $25 with ratings of 590J and 30,000A per MOV, 1770J and 90,000A total. Provide a source for a 30,000A/590J MOV for $0.10. (The 30,000A is not possible even on power service wires. It just goes along with the high joule rating.) The...

The NIST surge guide suggests most equipment damage is from high voltage between power and signal wires. Why does westom ignore what manufacturers say? Some manufacturers even have protected equipment warranties. Repeating from the NIST surge guide: "Q - Will a surge protector installed at...

Westom did not answer the question: Where is the record of numerous fires from UL listed protectors made since 1998? Of course that is not what the NIST surge guide says. Immediately following westom's quote is a list of surge protectors that can be used. #6 is "Plug-in...The easiest of...

Excellent information on surges and surge protection is at: http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_lhm/IEEE_Guide.pdf - "How to protect your house and its contents from lightning: IEEE guide for surge protection of equipment connected to AC power and communication circuits" published by the IEEE in...

My "list" seems to only get longer. Two additional rods to measure the resistance of a rod does not suggest 3 rods should be used to earth a system. (There is now a clamp-on meter that can measure resistance to earth.) If using ground rods as an earthing electrode the current NEC actually...

As westom knows, the thermal fuse is not fast enough and will not open during a surge. It opens after the surge when a failing MOV starts to conduct on normal voltage. Martzloff, the author of the NIST surge guide, has written "in fact, the major cause of [surge protector] failures is a...

For most new construction the NEC requires a "concrete encased electrode", commonly called a Ufer ground. As I wrote in my first post, even with a very good earthing system a strong surge will lift the building "ground" far above 'absolute' earth potential Much of the protection is that all...

The best information on surges and surge protection I have seen is at: http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_lhm/IEEE_Guide.pdf - "How to protect your house and its contents from lightning: IEEE guide for surge protection of equipment connected to AC power and communication circuits" published by...