[olug] One Point Twenty-One Jigawatts

[gvanmill at unmc.edu]

I grew up with lightening as an issue, because all power was above ground. 
  In the area I live now, all cabling is below ground, so we never have 
power otages from storms, unless the lighning hits the substation.   One 
thing you can do is get some good power conditioning equipment.  Surge 
protectors are the minimum, but  constant voltage transformers are more 
applicable and especially UPS's are .  In areas were you have lots of 
voltage sags and peaks, CV transformers are a must for computer equipment 
(maybe also a fully online UPS will work),  but in areas where you have 
above ground power poles, UPS's are a must, because more than lightning, 
trees cause a lot of damage.   Most likely, if lighning hits the power 
pole, alot more damage will be done in your home. Although depending on 
grounding, the lightning can travel down strange paths.  I have seen and 
heard about some strange stuff lightning can do.





Joe Catanzaro <joecatanzaro at cox.net>
Sent by: olug-bounces at olug.org
05/13/2003 09:39 AM
Please respond to Omaha Linux User Group

 
        To:     olug at olug.org
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        Subject:        [olug] One Point Twenty-One Jigawatts


I didn't grow up in a place that has lots of lightning like the Mid-west, 
so I have several questions regarding best practices for lightning and 
computers. Just like many of you, I have about 6 computers running 24/7 
and 
would like to prevent the loss of data and fried hardware as much as 
possible. And bear with me here, I'm not very smart when it comes to 
lightning strikes.

When a storm rolls in, do you turn off the computer? Rely on a cheap surge 

protector? Rely on an expensive surge protector? Unplug everything?

How does the lightning get to my computer? Does it strike the power pole 
in 
the back ally and then travel through the circuits in my house? Or does it 

hit my house directly?

Are lightning strikes common and is it worth getting that OPPD "whole 
house 
surge protection?"

I grew up in Hawaii and the last thing we were concerned with was a bolt 
of 
lightning.



Joe Catanzaro
joecatanzaro at cox.net

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