Surge Protector question.

[Dane]

Landlord is not required to upgrade to three prong circuit due to grandfathering. But a code violation is three prong receptacles on two wire circuits (where the safety ground does not exist).  Code is quite blunt about this.  Either he must route new three circuit cables to those receptacles.  Or those receptacles must be protected by a GFCI with a label on each receptacle that does not actually connect its third prong to anything.

 

That light could have been reporting a stray sliver that was accidently making a ground. Or a ground like connection being made by some other appliance.  In short, the ground light can only report a defective ground; cannot report a good ground.  Same with a protector light.  It can only report a catastrophically failed protector; cannot report a good protector.

 

Only effective protection that works on both 1920 two wire and 2010 three wire circuits is the 'whole house' solution.  To protect appliances from a rare and typically destructive surge, that is your only and well proven option.  Even the electric company might rent one that is installed behind their meter.

 

Best protection at any appliance is already inside that appliance.  Lesser surges may be converted to rock solid DC electricity to safely power its semiconductors.  Destructive surges occur maybe once every seven years.  A number that can vary significantly even in the same town.  A number that is best learned from at least ten years of neighborhood history.

Is that code for the US?

[westom]

Is that code for the US?

 

Yes.  Code even states exact wording on the label if using a GFCI on a two wire circuit.  "No Equipment Ground".  That label is even provided with each GFCI in case you want to use three prong plugs on two wire circuits.

[Dane]

Yes.  Code even states exact wording on the label if using a GFCI on a two wire circuit.  "No Equipment Ground".  That label is even provided with each GFCI in case you want to use three prong plugs on two wire circuits.

Thanks I am going to mention this. 

[westom]

Thanks I am going to mention this. 

 

Do not forget your original objective.  Surge protection.  An electrician that might repair unsafe circuits can also install a surge protector that actually does protection.  Not just to protect your electronics.  To also protect the landlord's appliances, furnance, etc.

[Dane]

Do not forget your original objective.  Surge protection.  An electrician that might repair unsafe circuits can also install a surge protector that actually does protection.  Not just to protect your electronics.  To also protect the landlord's appliances, furnance, etc.

Very true.  

 

 

He had an electrification out to put in a new socket and switch in one room,  would they have told him about it?  They installed a socket that has a "test" and "reset" button on it.  

[westom]

He had an electrification out to put in a new socket and switch in one room,  would they have told him about it?  They installed a socket that has a "test" and "reset" button on it.  

 

That would be a GFCI or ground fault circuit interrupter.

[HawkMan]

Learn from an engineer who was doing this stuff even 40 years ago.  Who even repaired surge damged modems and other electronics by tracing a surge and replacing each damaged transistor and IC.  Or remain in denial with nasty accusations.

 

A lightning strike far down the street is no different that a lighting strike to utility wires far out in the country.  Lightning does not know the diference even between your modem and a muntiions dump.  A minor point that demonstrates why we had to know this stuff. And why damage from direct lightning strikes is made irrelevant when one learns about the most crtically important component in every protection system - single point earth ground.  Any inspection or informed discussion about modem damage and protection starts with that one component.

 

Surge protection means you know why lightning strikes can be just as likely to items in the valley rather than on mountaintops.  More relevant is geology and other neighborhood factors.  To l\ightning, it does not matter that utility wires stop at a fuse box.  Since lightning obviously considers AC wires inside the wall (or telephone wires) similar.

 

Did you know all phone lines have add surge protection installed for free long before even you and I existed?

 

Damage is typically on an outgoing port of a damged appliance (ie cable ot telephone connection).  Incoming path (ie AC electric) is often not damaged. But again, we did this stuff as engineers.  You have two choices.  Remain in denial.  Or learn from someone who has done this stuff so that direct lightning strikes cause no damage.

 

Modem damage is typical of a surge incoming on AC mains.  Inspect your telco 'installed for free' protector.  Since the most common reason these to fail is mistakes made by a homeowner to THE most important component in every protection system - single point earth ground.  A common reason all neighborhood modems damaged by lightning - a surge was incoming to all homes on AC electric.  Since all cable and phone lines already have (as required by code and other industry standards) best protection.  Protection that you knew and inspected IF experience had taught how surges do damage.

 

If you want protection, then define the component that actually makes direct lightning striked non-destructive. How is your single point earth ground installed and connected?

 

Did you know these are ancient phone lines and I don't live in the same country as you.

 

My phone line protector blew again the other day, and I decided to run the dsl line without a protector for a few days since it was weekend and stuff..

 

Result? Today there was a strike very near the house, probably on or next to the distribution central on the mountaintop right next to the house. There was a loud pop upstairs where I sat next to the computer. Why? The switch upstairs, dead, the switch on the media center and stuff downstairs dead, have checked the upstairs home theater switch yet. My black knight Asus router has a dead internet port, but otherwise seems ok, though, still useless now. The DSL modem flashes red. The modem was protected not just from the lightning protector in the fusebox, but also a grounded one in the brand new electric wiring where it was plugged in.

 

Also NO other low tolerance equipment was damaged. The only equipment that was damaged was directly connected to the unprotected phone line through the modem and router.

 

So thanks to me being an idiot and not having a protector on the phone line, I'm now out an expensive router, several switches and a modem(though i have a spare) which I may or may not get replaced from the provider.

 

So no,  not presume to know everything, cause you obvious don't, and you don't know anything about he wiring over here not power and certainly not phone.

 

Also, if it's always through the power line, how do you explain when old fashioned non powered phone are blown? The ones that are ONLY connected to the phone line...

 

Sigh.

[westom]

Did you know these are ancient phone lines and I don't live in the same country as you.

 

 

Described was the best solution even proven on telephone and electric wires 100 years ago and in all countries.  Rather than just deny, please first learn how electricity (and wires) work.  Knowledge from observation and speculation is classic junk science.

[HawkMan]

I know how electricity and wires work. I also know that these lines have no such protection.

 

I know where these strikes come from, as those the local electricity company, phone company and ISP. 

 

again, explain how old analog phones blow from lightning strikes. 

 

besides that, I'm done arguing with beserwissers who refuse to accept he could be wrong.