Network Lightning / Surge Protection

[Mac]

I live in Central Florida, lightning capital of the US. I installed a CAT-5 network in my home about 9 years ago and during the interim, I have had three separate instances where I have had to replace switches, NICs and JetDirect cards (HP Laser Jet) due to lightning surges. I believe the last one came in through by cable company (also my broadband provider). I believe the cable company has properly grounded their gear now but as the summer thunderstorms start up, I am getting nervous again.

Because switches, NICs, etc are fairly inexpensive to replace, I have until now viewed this as an unavoidable nuisance in living in Florida. However, I am rethinking that since I just retired out the HP laser (15 year old LaserJet 4, great machine) with an all-in-one Brother multifunction laser printer. Whereas I could always pick up a replacement used HP JetDirect card for maybe $20, it doesn't appear that the Brother has that type of modularity / flexibility. My gut feeling is that if the built in networking fries on the Brother, the expense and difficulty of repairing may be prohibitive.

Can someone suggest an inexpensive but effective surge protection device / strategy to stop this madness?

One option I have considered is to purchase wireless adaptors (I do have an older wireless router that I use for laptops) for all the devices (3 PC's and the printer) but have been hesitant due to concerns over speed and reliability.

Ideas? Thanks!

 

[dphantom]

All sensitive equipment should be plugged into a high quality surge arrest. APC or Tripp Lite are very good. But even then, lightning can still cause damage.

If you have already done that, then you may want to check the grounding of your house.

 

[heymrdj]

Are your switches properly grounded? Including the little grounding screw on alot of high quality switches?

 

[Modelworks]

If all your networking is indoor then there are only a couple places to get surges.
AC wiring
Cable tv/modem connection
Phone line


You can plug the items into a surge strip for routine protection. Try to get one that has a light of some kind that lets you know when the protection is no longer working. Surge strips can get used up and you wouldn't know it otherwise.
Look carefully at the cable connection to the home. Are all the cables tight ? Are there any sharp bends in the ground wire coming from the ground block to the homes ground ? If the cable company did not use an arrestor, most don't because it cost extra, you can add one yourself for just a few bucks.
http://www.yourbroadbandstore....php?pid=250430&r=CPC01

Phone line I like to use a protector outside vs inside. That will try to help the situation at the source.
http://www.l-com.com/item.aspx?id=23102

 

[westom]

Originally posted by: Mac
Because switches, NICs, etc are fairly inexpensive to replace, I have until now viewed this as an unavoidable nuisance in living in Florida. However, I am rethinking that since I just retired out the HP laser (15 year old LaserJet 4, great machine) with an all-in-one Brother multifunction laser printer.

You started with invalid assumptions. If surge enters on cable, then where is the outgoing path to earth? A most common source of phone line modem damage was AC mains. However, because it was connected to a phone line and since so many view surges like waves on a beach; then the myth continues. Many foolishly assumed telephone modems were damaged by surges on phone lines - when damage was typically from AC mains.

If no path to earth, then no electricity - no surge current. Modem was damaged only after surge current was flowing in everything in a path from AC mains, through computer, through modem, and to phone line earth ground. Notice a critical fact. Surge current was flowing through everything before something failed. To fail, the surge must have both an incoming and outgoing path. Chances are a surge was outgoing on cable. But too many want to think of surges like waves on a beach. That promotes grossly overpriced and ineffective protectors.

Surge damage can be expected if any incoming wire is not earthed before entering the building. Cable is earthed (if the connection is short - ie less than 10 feet). Other wires should be earthed via a 'whole house' protector. Also no sharp wire bends, all connected to the same earthing electrode, etc. If not. Or if different utilities connect to different earth grounds, then a surge current can still use a path destructively through your electronics.

Protection means surge energy must be dissipated harmlessly in earth; is not permitted inside the building. Therefore only more responsible companies provide, for example, a 'whole house' protector for AC mains. Siemens, Kieson, Leviton, Intermatic, Square D, and General Electric are but a few. A Cutler-Hammer solution sells in Lowes for less than $50. Not on that list are APC, Belkin, Tripplite, or Monster Cable.

Latter protectors have no dedicated connection to earth - no 'less than 10 foot' connection. Even its manufacturer specs do not claim to provide that protection. View those numbers yourself. A protector that claims to stop what three miles of sky could not also does not claims protection in numeric specs. If the 'whole house' proetctor is not installed, then overpriced and ineffective plug-in protectors can even connect a surge to earth, destructively, through nearby electronics.

Are surges a nuisance? Bell South does not suspend telephone service for four days while the CO (switching) computer is replaced. A CO can suffer 100 surges during each thunderstorm and must never have damage. Why? They waste no money on plug-in protectors AND properly earth less expensive 'whole house' protectors. Again, every wire in every cable is earthed either directly (like your TV cable) or makes that short connection via a 'whole house' protector.

Routine is to have direct lightning strikes and no damage even to the protector. Effective protection means nobody even knew a surge existed. Protection that has been routine and effective for over 100 years.

The myth is popular: a protector will somehow stop or absorb what three miles of sky could not. Effective protectors simply connect surge energy harmlessly to earth. A surge that does not enter a building does not overwhelm protetion that exists inside every appliance. That eartning must meet and exceed post 1990 National Electrical Code requirements. Safety ground in any receptacle is irrelevant. But that earthing must also be short (ie 'less than 10 feet'), no sharp wire bends, no splices, all grounds to single point earthing, wire not inside metallic conduit, ground wire separated from other wires, etc.

Again, the point. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. Effective protection does not stop or absorb what three miles of sky could not. Effective protection means energy gets absorbed harmlessly in earth; does not enter the building; does not flow through (an incoming and outgoing path) any household appliances. Good reason why telcos don't waste money on protectors such as APC, Tripplite, etc - and therefore have no damage.

Your solution starts by upgrading earthing and its connections as defined above. Connectiong cable ground short using only wire. Connecting AC mains and the telco 'provided for free' protector to the same ground - as described. No protector stops what three miles of sky could not. But then the effective solution well proven for the past 100 years was always about harmlessly earthing surge energy - not let surges need a path to earth destructively inside the house.