I know many of you think surge protection is a bunch of hype but the father of a good friend just found out a few days ago that surge protection is a must have. Lightning apparently zapped their house and took out every single appliance, TVs, radios, computers and a nice big Wurlitzer organ all in one shot totaling over $20K in damages.
That was just enough to make me get off my ass and double check that all of our most expensive gear, like my computer, printers, big screen TV, DVRs, etc. were all plugged into the proper place on the UPS/Surge protector since the rainy season is starting in California.
For those of you that still have doubts about surge protection, and the odds that lightning will never hit your house, let me tell you about an old buddy of mine from Kansas City. He had a computer that got hit by lightning on the power line, fried the box. He went out and got a new computer and a surge protector for the electrical line. Then about a year later lightning hit the phone line and blew his computer apart when it came in via the modem. Again, he replaced the computer and this time put a surge protector on his phone line as well. Unfortunately, God didn't want him to have a computer and the 3rd time lightning shot in through the window and blew the computer off his desk. Last time I checked they don't make surge protectors for windows.
Anyway, if you don't have a surge protector for your electrical, phone and cable it's time to install one and move the computer away from the window so lightning can't easily blast it off your desk just to show you who's boss.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Surge Protection - Get it before it's TOO LATE!
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3 comments:
We've got an interest in a computer shop and when storm season hits our income goes up as one after another computer owner comes in with a box that got fried in a power surge.
Our partner in the shop even urges people to buy a surge protector but most ignore him and keep on coming back year after year.
Laptops seem to be most at risk - a mild surge that even a PC can withstand can cook a laptop in the blink of an eye.
As a rule of thumb,any sign of lightning and my computer goes off.
I am prepared to wait the torturest few hours without internet :)
Hi Bill. Sorry I haven't been around for a while. I hope you've been well.
I once watched as a stapler got welded to an Eagle microphone when the antenna of a CB radio it was connected to got hit by lighting.
When I renovated my condo one of my priorities was a panel-mounted surge protector. The purchase and installation cost was far less than replacing just one television!
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