Lightning Protection - What Do YOU Use?
 

In a recent conversation with fellow SWLers, we noted that each of us
used a different (or nonexistent) solution to lightning protection.

You can also see this attitude in antenna discussions...very little
discussion on proper grounding and lightning disappation.

So the question... what do YOU use for lightning protection to prevent
you and your radios from being turned into melted blobs of charred
tissue and plastic? Examples of proven designs with their accompanying
stories would be of particular interest.

TMT

I unplug the radio when thunderstorms are projected.

Lightning? What's that?



"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
ps.com...
In a recent conversation with fellow SWLers, we noted that each of us
used a different (or nonexistent) solution to lightning protection.

You can also see this attitude in antenna discussions...very little
discussion on proper grounding and lightning disappation.

So the question... what do YOU use for lightning protection to prevent
you and your radios from being turned into melted blobs of charred
tissue and plastic? Examples of proven designs with their accompanying
stories would be of particular interest.

TMT

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
ps.com...
In a recent conversation with fellow SWLers, we noted that each of us
used a different (or nonexistent) solution to lightning protection.

You can also see this attitude in antenna discussions...very little
discussion on proper grounding and lightning disappation.

So the question... what do YOU use for lightning protection to prevent
you and your radios from being turned into melted blobs of charred
tissue and plastic? Examples of proven designs with their accompanying
stories would be of particular interest.

Unlikely that anything will survive a direct lightning strike without some
damage.


TMT

Brian Hill wrote:


Theres no such thing as lightning protection. A so called lightning
protector will gaurd against static charges that can build up on your ant.
from electrical storms but nothing can protect your radio from a close or
dirrect lightning strike to your ant. The only way to prevent damage is to
unhook the ant. I always unhook my ant. when I'm done.


--
73 and good DX. B.H.
Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianhill/500.htm


I don't want to start a pising contest, but you might want
to visit a local TV or radio station. They take lightning
hits all the time and very seldom have anythingmore then a
sec or 2 of off air to show for it.

Polyphaser(http://www.polyphaser.com/ppc_ptd_home.aspx)
makes some very efective portectin gear that works.
Butyou have to ave a very good ground and well thought
out aproach to your wiring.

I have survived 2 direct hits. First time melted several feet from
my 108" whip and the last time vaporised my ~70' long wire, and
blew holes in the coax.

It ain't cheap but neither is a new house.

Terry

wrote in message
ups.com...

Brian Hill wrote:


Theres no such thing as lightning protection. A so called lightning
protector will gaurd against static charges that can build up on your
ant.
from electrical storms but nothing can protect your radio from a close or
dirrect lightning strike to your ant. The only way to prevent damage is
to
unhook the ant. I always unhook my ant. when I'm done.


--
73 and good DX. B.H.
Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianhill/500.htm


I don't want to start a pising contest, but you might want
to visit a local TV or radio station. They take lightning
hits all the time and very seldom have anythingmore then a
sec or 2 of off air to show for it.

And I'm sure it's very industrial and expensive gear.


Polyphaser(http://www.polyphaser.com/ppc_ptd_home.aspx)
makes some very efective portectin gear that works.
Butyou have to ave a very good ground and well thought
out aproach to your wiring.

I have survived 2 direct hits. First time melted several feet from
my 108" whip and the last time vaporised my ~70' long wire, and
blew holes in the coax.

It ain't cheap but neither is a new house.

Terry

wrote in message
I don't want to start a pising contest, but you might want
to visit a local TV or radio station. They take lightning
hits all the time and very seldom have anythingmore then a
sec or 2 of off air to show for it.

Polyphaser(http://www.polyphaser.com/ppc_ptd_home.aspx)
makes some very efective portectin gear that works.
Butyou have to ave a very good ground and well thought
out aproach to your wiring.

I have survived 2 direct hits. First time melted several feet from
my 108" whip and the last time vaporised my ~70' long wire, and
blew holes in the coax.

It ain't cheap but neither is a new house.

Terry


Yes but the average Joe isn't going to want to spend a bazillion dollars and
countless hours doing what it takes to install an effective system. I'm
just giving practical cost saving advice to the average / casual SW listener
and anybody that is going to jump into a major system like your talking
about would surely be an advanced hobbyist and have done his/her homework
and not be asking the question in such basic terms.


--
73 and good DX. B.H.
Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianhill/500.htm

Your telco has overhead wires everywhere in town. Do they
disconnect during T-storms to protect that $multi-million
computer? Of course not. Protection for each switching
station has been standard and well proven effective since
before WWII - even before transistors existed. It is routine
to suffer direct strikes and not suffer damage.

The secret is a most critical component of the protection
system - the single point earth ground. Each incoming wire
connects to earthing either via a direct (and short) wire, or
via a surge protector. A surge protector is not protection.
Effective protector connects destructive transients to earth
ground. Protection is defined by single point earth ground -
quality of and distance connected to.

Notice how a properly installed CATV enters the building.
First it drops down to single point earthing, makes a less
than 10 foot connection, and only then rises back up to enter
the building. Wire to and wire from that earthing point must
be separated. Protection is as Ben Franklin demonstrated in
1752. Lightning is not stopped, blocked, or absorbed - as
those who promote ineffective plug-in protectors would claim.
Earth before lightning can enter a building to overwhelm
protection already inside all electronic appliances.

Same applies to that radio antenna. First make a short
connection to earth ground between receiver and antenna.
Another poster properly cited Polyphaser: a benchmark in
protection. Read their tech notes. Does Polyphaser promote
their products? No. Polyphaser is about effective
protection. They discuss earthing ... extensively. The
protector is only as effective as its earth ground.

Even that wall receptacle safety ground is not earth
ground. This for electrical reasons posted elsewhere.
Another good source are discussions in
rec.radio.amateur.antenna such as "Why a Short Lightning
Ground" - especially posts from Richard Harrison and Jack
Painter at:
http://tinyurl.com/ao36t

Anyone who says lightning protection is not possible must
explain why effective and properly earthed protection works
every year in virtually every town. They must explain why
electronics atop the Empire State Building and WTC would
suffer 25 and 40 direct strikes every year without damage.
Those who claim lightning protection is not possible failed to
first learn a science well proven over 60 years ago.

BTW, every incoming utility wire is just another antenna
connected to everything inside a building. The most common
source of destructive transients is AC electric - wires
highest on poles and utility that typically provides no
secondary protection. You must install the secondary
protection - ie the 'whole house' protector. Every incoming
wire requires either a direct connection to building's earth
ground OR makes that short connection via a 'whole house'
protector.

Protection so effective and so inexpensive as to even be
installed, for free, by the telco on your incoming phone
line. Protection is defined by and is only as effective as
the single point earth ground. Ineffective plug-in
protectors, instead, avoid all mention about earthing (since
they are promoting profits and not an effective product).

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
In a recent conversation with fellow SWLers, we noted that each of us
used a different (or nonexistent) solution to lightning protection.

You can also see this attitude in antenna discussions...very little
discussion on proper grounding and lightning disappation.

So the question... what do YOU use for lightning protection to prevent
you and your radios from being turned into melted blobs of charred
tissue and plastic? Examples of proven designs with their accompanying
stories would be of particular interest.

TMT

"w_tom" wrote in message
...
Your telco has overhead wires everywhere in town. Do they
disconnect during T-storms to protect that $multi-million
computer? Of course not. Protection for each switching
station has been standard and well proven effective since
before WWII - even before transistors existed. It is routine
to suffer direct strikes and not suffer damage.

The secret is a most critical component of the protection
system - the single point earth ground. Each incoming wire
connects to earthing either via a direct (and short) wire, or
via a surge protector. A surge protector is not protection.
Effective protector connects destructive transients to earth
ground. Protection is defined by single point earth ground -
quality of and distance connected to.

Notice how a properly installed CATV enters the building.
First it drops down to single point earthing, makes a less
than 10 foot connection, and only then rises back up to enter
the building. Wire to and wire from that earthing point must
be separated. Protection is as Ben Franklin demonstrated in
1752. Lightning is not stopped, blocked, or absorbed - as
those who promote ineffective plug-in protectors would claim.
Earth before lightning can enter a building to overwhelm
protection already inside all electronic appliances.

Same applies to that radio antenna. First make a short
connection to earth ground between receiver and antenna.
Another poster properly cited Polyphaser: a benchmark in
protection. Read their tech notes. Does Polyphaser promote
their products? No. Polyphaser is about effective
protection. They discuss earthing ... extensively. The
protector is only as effective as its earth ground.

Even that wall receptacle safety ground is not earth
ground. This for electrical reasons posted elsewhere.
Another good source are discussions in
rec.radio.amateur.antenna such as "Why a Short Lightning
Ground" - especially posts from Richard Harrison and Jack
Painter at:
http://tinyurl.com/ao36t

Anyone who says lightning protection is not possible must
explain why effective and properly earthed protection works
every year in virtually every town. They must explain why
electronics atop the Empire State Building and WTC would
suffer 25 and 40 direct strikes every year without damage.

There certainly isn't a short connection to ground in those cases.


Those who claim lightning protection is not possible failed to
first learn a science well proven over 60 years ago.

BTW, every incoming utility wire is just another antenna
connected to everything inside a building. The most common
source of destructive transients is AC electric - wires
highest on poles and utility that typically provides no
secondary protection. You must install the secondary
protection - ie the 'whole house' protector. Every incoming
wire requires either a direct connection to building's earth
ground OR makes that short connection via a 'whole house'
protector.

Protection so effective and so inexpensive as to even be
installed, for free, by the telco on your incoming phone
line. Protection is defined by and is only as effective as
the single point earth ground. Ineffective plug-in
protectors, instead, avoid all mention about earthing (since
they are promoting profits and not an effective product).

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
In a recent conversation with fellow SWLers, we noted that each of us
used a different (or nonexistent) solution to lightning protection.

You can also see this attitude in antenna discussions...very little
discussion on proper grounding and lightning disappation.

So the question... what do YOU use for lightning protection to prevent
you and your radios from being turned into melted blobs of charred
tissue and plastic? Examples of proven designs with their accompanying
stories would be of particular interest.

TMT

Short connection to earth exists atop skyscrapers.
Demonstrated by professional research even on the Empire State
Building in the 1930s. Electrical concepts that are beyond
the scope of this discussion. Protection, proven effective
even before WWII, is about earthing. Even that coax wire from
Dish must drop down to a single point earth ground before
entering the building.

How to identify ineffective protectors: 1) No dedicated
connection to earth ground and 2) manufacturer routinely
avoids all mention of earthing. Since rules demonstrate why
protectors sold in Kmart, Sears, Staples, Radio Shack,
Walmart, Office Max, etc are ineffective (as well as
overpriced). Earthing having been long proven as essential to
effective protection as demonstrated by Polyphaser (cited
previously in a post from r2000swler) and in previous
discussions including industry professional at
http://tinyurl.com/ao36t

FDR wrote:
"w_tom" wrote in message
...
Anyone who says lightning protection is not possible must
explain why effective and properly earthed protection works
every year in virtually every town. They must explain why
electronics atop the Empire State Building and WTC would
suffer 25 and 40 direct strikes every year without damage.

There certainly isn't a short connection to ground in those cases.