Phone line hit by lightning

[Carlosfandango]

Customer phoned on Friday looking for a few jobs done, he says his BT line has been struck by lightning twice this year wiping out phones and routers etc. Is there anything can be done to protect his gear other than maybe one of those surge protection extension thingys??

 

[DPG]

Yeah but your post gives the impression that the 'less expensive solution' costing less than tens of pounds can do this. A lightning rod system is not the less expensive solution. Daz

 

[westom]

Yeah but your post gives the impression that the 'less expensive solution' costing less than tens of pounds can do this.

It says "£1 per protected appliance". Nobody said anything about 'pounds per protected structure'.

How many appliances need protection? Dimmer switches, CFL bulbs, mobile chargers, furnace, timer switches, RCDs, door bell, night lights, TV, dishwasher, clocks, air conditioner, refrigerator, recharging torch, smoke detectors ... a typical house. A 'whole house' solution remains tens of times less expensive than plug-in solutions. Is well proven by science and experience.

 

[DPG]

I'm still confused by your posts. What is your solution for a typical house, and how much does it cost? Daz

 

[westom]

I'm still confused by your posts. What is your solution for a typical house, and how much does it cost?

If any wire enters a building, that wire must first connect low impedance (ie 'less than 3 meters') to earth ground either directly (ie coax cable, satellite dish) or via a 'whole house' connector (phone, AC electric).

Critical is where hundreds of thousands of joules dissipate. Many want a magic box as if it will avert damage. It doesn't even claim to. The most important component of any protection system is the single point earth ground. And how wires inside every incoming utility cable connect to it. The price will be unique to each building. But it remains the least expensive and most effective solution.

Many do not need this well proven solution. Since damage throughout the world is maybe once per seven years. And so much less often in the UK. However some venues have seen damage or do not want the risk. Only solution implemented anywhere that damage cannot happen is about connecting the destructive anomaly low impedance (ie 'less than 3 meters') to single point earth ground. For each wire, either using a hardwire connection or using a 'whole house' protector.

Components for effective protection were listed earlier. Are provided by companies with better integrity including ABB, Siemens, Keison, AEL Group, and General Electric.

 

[DPG]

Sounds like a lot of waffle to me. How much to protect my house and what do I need? Daz

 

[Silly Sausage]

I'm still confused by your posts. Daz

I'm glad I'm not the only one!!!

 

[westom]

Sounds like a lot of waffle to me.

This is an electrician's forum. Posts based in common knowledge. Concepts also understood by informed homeowners. Nothing is complicated or expensive. Better is to spend larger sums on magic boxes if you cannot ask relevant questions.

For better details, obviously first describe what exists. Nobody is going to spoon feed you. Where is your earth ground? How is it wired? How long is the connection (more than 3 meters)? Otherwise answers must obviously remain generic.

Provided were terms and names sufficient for any informed consumer to obtain a superior solution. Do you know what an earth ground is? Confusion replies imply you do not. And no idea how electricity enters the house. It explains why your questions beg for 'spoon fed' answers.

For many, earthing a 'whole house' is a complete answer. Why must I say more? How many basic concept need be taught?

 

[DPG]

This is an electrician's forum. Posts based in common knowledge. Concepts also understood by informed homeowners. Nothing is complicated or expensive. Better is to spend larger sums on magic boxes if you cannot ask relevant questions.

For better details, obviously first describe what exists. Nobody is going to spoon feed you. Where is your earth ground? How is it wired? How long is the connection (more than 3 meters)? Otherwise answers must obviously remain generic.

Provided were terms and names sufficient for any informed consumer to obtain a superior solution. Do you know what an earth ground is? Confusion replies imply you do not. And no idea how electricity enters the house. It explains why your questions beg for 'spoon fed' answers.

For many, earthing a 'whole house' is a complete answer. Why must I say more? How many basic concept need be taught?

I know what an 'earth' is, yes. I know how electricity enters the house, yes. I also know what waffle is, yes. I don't want a spoon-fed answer, I was just interested to know what your cheap method of protecting the average house against a direct strike without using lightning rods. If you want me to be less generic, then a 2 bedroom semi-detached house made of double skin brick/block and with a TNC-S electrical system. There is gravel on the drive and a small conifer near the front door. Daz

 

[westom]

I know what an 'earth' is, yes. I know how electricity enters the house, yes. I also know what waffle is, yes. I don't want a spoon-fed answer, I was just interested to know what your cheap method of protecting the average house against a direct strike without using lightning rods.

Go to web sites for the many previously listed companies. Identify their 'whole house' protectors. Or visit many electrical supply houses to learn which ones they stock.

Then measure a connecting wire to earth ground. How long is it? Did you see a repeated reference to 'less than 3 meters'? Is the significance obvious? Is your ground a 'single point earth ground'? That need and what it is also should be obvious. If not, then you were not asking any relevant questions.

Do you know the difference between any earth ground and single point earth ground? Your first sentence should have said, "I have a TNC-S service". And a long list of details about that service, the BT connection, where each wire enters the house, and the meters for each wire length. With minimal knowledge, you also know the double skin brick/block and gravel driveway is completely irrelevant.

You did not ask right questions apparently due to confusion of basic electrical concepts. So you need to be fed details that are suppose to be common knowledge here.

Links provided even though names and relevant words (ie 'whole house') were long ago available to find them. Too many other examples exist to list:
Furse lightning protectors for mains supplies and power distribution systems
http://www.keison.co.uk/products/bowthorpe/dsp.pdf
TDC Zone C Transient Voltage Suppression

Magic boxes work only when connected properly to what does all protection - single point earth ground. As also explained many times previously. So what kind of earth ground do you have? A fact needed long ago to have answers that are not generic.

 

[DPG]

Go on then, what was wrong with my sentence 'and with a TNC-S electrical system' ? Daz