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AC Power filter and phone line filter (homemade circuit breaker)

W

w_tom

What do you think about thislightningprotection? Will works like a
circuit breaker or ligthning arrester?

Do you think that tiny circuit will stop what three miles of sky
could not?

Where does that surge energy go? Does this circuit stop or absorb
that energy?

Notice the ground wire simply carries the surge completely around
the circuit. And other components divert that surge energy into the
ground wire where it connects directly to the appliance on right side
connector.

Most of what would work in this circuit is already inside every
appliance. Internal appliance protection assumes that surge energy
gets earthed before entering the buillding. Again, where does that
massive energy get dissiipated? In this circuit? In the appliance?
Of course not.

Destructive surges seek earth ground. Once permitted inside a
building, destructive paths to earth may be everywhere. Protection
means the surge is given earth BEFORE entering a building.

Protection means massive surge energy gets absorbed and dissipated
harmlessly in earth. IOW any wire that would carry a surge into the
house must first be earthed where it enters the building.

Did you know all telco lines already have a 'whole house' protector
installed for free? What actually provides protection? Not that
protector. Telco 'installed for free' protector is so effective when
connecting each wire in that cable to earth ground - ie 'less than 10
feet' to earth. Where is surge energy harmlessly dissipated? In
earth and before that surge can enter a building.

Whereas cable and telephone have protection installed for free, AC
electric does not. So that protection already inside all appliances
is not overwhelmed, install (and properly earth) one 'whole house'
protector. See GE, Siemens, Square D, Kieson, Cutler-Hammer,
Intermatic, Levition, et al for effective solutions. No such
solutions are sold by APC, Belkin, Tripplite, Monster Cable, etc.
Some sources:
http://www.smarthome.com/4870.HTML
http://www.smarthome.com/4860.html
http://tinyurl.com/64mnob

See that wire that is not drawn as a wire? It connects a surge on
any incoming wire to directly to the 'protected' appliance. Just one
reason why such circuits can sometimes provide surges with even more
destructive paths around protection inside the appliance. Instead
earth the surge before it even enters a building.
 
J

JosephKK

Do you think that tiny circuit will stop what three miles of sky
could not?

Where does that surge energy go? Does this circuit stop or absorb
that energy?

Notice the ground wire simply carries the surge completely around
the circuit. And other components divert that surge energy into the
ground wire where it connects directly to the appliance on right side
connector.

Most of what would work in this circuit is already inside every
appliance. Internal appliance protection assumes that surge energy
gets earthed before entering the buillding. Again, where does that
massive energy get dissiipated? In this circuit? In the appliance?
Of course not.

Destructive surges seek earth ground. Once permitted inside a
building, destructive paths to earth may be everywhere. Protection
means the surge is given earth BEFORE entering a building.

Protection means massive surge energy gets absorbed and dissipated
harmlessly in earth. IOW any wire that would carry a surge into the
house must first be earthed where it enters the building.

Did you know all telco lines already have a 'whole house' protector
installed for free? What actually provides protection? Not that
protector. Telco 'installed for free' protector is so effective when
connecting each wire in that cable to earth ground - ie 'less than 10
feet' to earth. Where is surge energy harmlessly dissipated? In
earth and before that surge can enter a building.

Whereas cable and telephone have protection installed for free, AC
electric does not.

The electric mains most certainly do in the US and Canada.
 
..
It is not like a circuit breaker. It is a surge suppressor.

You have not described your interest - what you want to protect.

If MOVs on power circuits are hit repetitively hit with large surges
they will deteriorate and eventually can fail. The failure can lead to
a fire. Commercial surge suppressors in the US are covered by UL
standards. Part of the UL standard is that overheating MOVs be removed
from the circuit. The device shown does not have that protection.
Years ago I had a homemade surge suppressor which I stopped using
because it lacked that protection. I assume standards in other
countries require equivalent protection.


I would strongly advise against any device like this that is not UL
listed (or the equivalent for other countries). The UL standard
includes a lot more than just disconnecting MOVs.


Excellent information on surges and surge protection is in an IEEE
guide at:
<http://www.mikeholt.com/files/PDF/
LightningGuide_FINALpublishedversion_May051.pdf>
And one from the US-NIST at:
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/practiceguides/surgesfnl.pdf

The IEEE guide is aimed at people with some technical background. The
NIST guide is aimed at the unwashed masses.
..
Where does that surge energy go? Does this circuit stop or absorb
that energy?
..
Poor w_ can't figure out how plug-in suppressors work. It is explained
in the IEEE guide - they work by CLAMPING (limiting) the voltage on
all wires (signal and power) to the common ground at the suppressor.
Plug-in suppressors do not work primarily by earthing (or stopping or
absorbing). The guide explains earthing occurs elsewhere. (Read the
guide starting pdf page 40).

Note that all interconnected equipment needs to be connected to the
same plug-in suppressor, or interconnecting wires need to go through
the suppressor. External connections, like phone, also need to go
through the suppressor. Connecting all wiring through the suppressor
prevents damaging voltages between power and signal wires. These
multiport suppressors are described in both guides.
..
Where is surge energy harmlessly dissipated? In
earth and before that surge can enter a building.
..
w_ has a religious belief (immune from challenge) that surge
protection must use earthing. Thus in his view plug-in suppressors
(which are not well earthed) can not possibly work. w_'s religious
blinders do not allow him to read the explanation in the IEEE guide.
..
install (and properly earth) one 'whole house'
protector. See GE, Siemens, Square D, Kieson, Cutler-Hammer,
Intermatic, Levition, et al for effective solutions.
..
Service panel suppressors are a good idea.
What does the NIST guide say?
"Q - Will a surge protector installed at the service entrance be
sufficient for the whole house?
A - There are two answers to than question: Yes for one-link
appliances [electronic equipment], No for two-link appliances
[equipment connected to power AND phone or cable or....]. Since most
homes today have some kind of two-link appliances, the prudent answer
to the question would be NO - but that does not mean that a surge
protector installed at the service entrance is useless."
Service panel suppressors do not limit the voltage between power and
phone/cable wires. The major cause of damage to equipment is probably
high voltage between power and signal wires (see the example in the
IEEE guide starting pdf page 40).

All w_’s manufacturers except SquareD make plug-in suppressors.

For it’s “best” service panel suppressor SquareD says "electronic
equipment may need additional protection by installing plug-in [surge
suppressor] devices at the point of use."

For real science read the IEEE and NIST guides. Both say plug-in
suppressors are effective.
 
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