What's the best protection for my system against lightning?

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bluegrassphile

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We lost a TV and perhaps an SVS powered sub to lightning a couple years ago. Not sure if lightning was the actual issue with the sub. But what's the best method of protection against lightning? I have everything plugged into power strips but that's obviously not adequate.
 
bluegrassphile said:
We lost a TV and perhaps an SVS powered sub to lightning a couple years ago. Not sure if lightning was the actual issue with the sub. But what's the best method of protection against lightning? I have everything plugged into power strips but that's obviously not adequate.
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The best protection of all is FREE - unplug all HiFi gear at the mains when a major electrical storm is happening - in your case unplug the power strips from the mains.
 
Living in the lightning capital of the US, even with good protection by the power company and my own surge protection inside, mother nature will get through, I un-plugg.
 
If you're like me and not always there to unplug, a good whole-home surge protector installed in your panel is a good cost effective measure that will protect more than just your audio gear. After that, a good conditioner* with surge protection is a good second line of defense.
* Which type/brand/model is best will depend on your power, power requirements, and what other problems (e.g., noise, power fluctuations, etc) you're trying to address.
 
I don’t live in the lighting capital, but it does occur and I’m paranoid.

First unplug

Install a Surge Protector at the panel, it can be done for well under $400 which includes the device and install.

The ones I’ve seen and installed will require a 50 amp breaker. They also will insure up to X dollars, I’m sure their are caveats, but it still makes sense.




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Other things to think about are all of the sources running into your system. E.g., I'm an FM guy (remember those), so focused on grounding the antennae and a surge protector before that line comes into the system. I suppose one might also think about ethernet, but I'm not sure about that. As I understand it (and I don't really understand it) is that if the strike comes in through the breaker box, the whole house protector will help. If the strike somehow worms its way directly to a box (like through a coax cable running to an antennae), the whole house protector won't help. Proper grounding will also help.

My layperson's understanding of this arises from a strike that hit a pine tree in our front yard, ran through the water line into the house (i.e., not through the main breaker) and then proceeded to whack our security system, the garage door opener, several dimmers, etc. The lights were blinking on the MC 2301s that I owned then, which scared me to death. I unplugged and replugged them and they were fine. I had a Richard Grey device between them and the wall, which I continue to think helped. I've had two electricians look at everything since then and have been assured that I've done everything I can, but still I think the best advice is, unplug if in doubt. That advice only works though if one is home mostly and can predict when storms are coming. I work (lots ... too much) and we have lots of storms, so it's just not always possible for me to unplug in advance of a storm (and I'm not disciplined enough to unplug and replug every time I listen and leave). I also used it as an excuse to buy, first, PS Audio powerplants, which have now been replaced by Accuphase PS1230s (which also greatly improved the SQ).

But, in general, unplug.
 
Hounddog said:
Other things to think about are all of the sources running into your system. E.g., I'm an FM guy (remember those), so focused on grounding the antennae and a surge protector before that line comes into the system. I suppose one might also think about ethernet, but I'm not sure about that. As I understand it (and I don't really understand it) is that if the strike comes in through the breaker box, the whole house protector will help. If the strike somehow worms its way directly to a box (like through a coax cable running to an antennae), the whole house protector won't help. Proper grounding will also help.

My layperson's understanding of this arises from a strike that hit a pine tree in our front yard, ran through the water line into the house (i.e., not through the main breaker) and then proceeded to whack our security system, the garage door opener, several dimmers, etc. The lights were blinking on the MC 2301s that I owned then, which scared me to death. I unplugged and replugged them and they were fine. I had a Richard Grey device between them and the wall, which I continue to think helped. I've had two electricians look at everything since then and have been assured that I've done everything I can, but still I think the best advice is, unplug if in doubt. That advice only works though if one is home mostly and can predict when storms are coming. I work (lots ... too much) and we have lots of storms, so it's just not always possible for me to unplug in advance of a storm (and I'm not disciplined enough to unplug and replug every time I listen and leave). I also used it as an excuse to buy, first, PS Audio powerplants, which have now been replaced by Accuphase PS1230s (which also greatly improved the SQ).

But, in general, unplug.
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IN my area, all cable is buried, but the cable company still adds one of these to the line. https://transientprotectiondesign.com/products/residential/cable/cable-lines-surge-protection/
 
1- I unplug everything if I have advanced warning of an serious storm.
2- I unplug everything when I will be away for several days.
3- I do have a whole house surge suppressor.
4- I have many tall trees all around my house that will probably take the direct hit before the house will.
 
The isolator CPP showed is good. Helps stop a strike on the low voltage utility line backfeeding into your house. Note the device has a ground, use it.

The more SPD the better. One at the panel. Another at the sub panel if you have one and another at your rack.

Solidly ground your house.

Solidly ground any antenna.

If your unplugging before a storm, also unplug the ethernet and coax. Unplugging is by far the best protection.
 
Definitely unplug for a chance to survive a lightning strike.

Last summer I was standing in our kitchen during one of our typical intense storms with lightning.
We have pole barn with a metal roof and a 200 amp service with ufer connection in the concrete and ground rod outside the foundation. I was in the kitchen looking toward the barn when a bolt of lightning hit the roof and it looked like fireworks going off for at least 2-3 seconds then, a trail of smoke. I asked my wife to call the Fire Department and I went out the door to get my tractor out of the barn.

I got about 3 steps from the bottom of the porch stairs and another bolt hit near by and I turned around thing "that is what insurance is for" and went back into the house.
The Fire Department looked things over and nothing had continued to burn fortunately.

I went out after the storm had subsided and saw the lightning bolt had hit the roof and left a large burned spot but no hole. The lightning bolt had jumped about a foot to a 3/4" x14" bolt holding horizontal beams to the posts. The lightning went through the 14" bolt and jumped a foot to a piece of 1" PVC conduit where it blew the side out of a section about 24"long.
It melted the wires and went up and burned out the high bay LED lights and went down and burned up a GFI outlet. There was an extension cord plugged into the outlet that had the other end laying on the concrete. The loose end of the cord was burned and the concrete was slightly darkened.

Fortunately the surge didn't go back to the 200 amp panel. I have no idea why other than it was a shorter distance to the ground through the extension cord, even though there was power to the GFI.
We were very fortunate.

I unplug everything at the first sound of thunder. It is a PITA but better than the alternative.
 
Is the roof, beams and poles all solidly bonded to your grounding electrodes. I have seen metal buildings where they are not. Not withstanding, lightning is crazy stuff.
 
It was interesting when I asked the electrician and the roofer about grounding the roof they both told me the same thing. It was not common practice to do that anymore. If you wanted to put lightning rods on the roof and ground those I could do that
 
The best protection is to make sure you have a proper insurance on your system.. because most and I mean most protection systems cost you a lot of quality sound..
 
Ansuz-Aavik Lars said:
The best protection is to make sure you have a proper insurance on your system.. because most and I mean most protection systems cost you a lot of quality sound..
Click to expand...

And to that note, just don't assume, really ask the question, is this policy a direct replacement or will this policy depreciate the equipment towards its replacement. You might need a special rider on the equipment alone, regular home owners, nope, regardless of what they tell you.. . ON any equipment under insurance, receipts, pictures and serial numbers are KEY to winning any insurance battle. Been there done that. .
 
Ansuz-Aavik Lars said:
The best protection is to make sure you have a proper insurance on your system.. because most and I mean most protection systems cost you a lot of quality sound..
Click to expand...

Hi Lars

I agree with serial numbers, and add pictures and receipts, keep them in the cloud if you can.

I understand the caveat statement of “most” and perhaps my path tilts as an exception?

I installed a surge protector on the main panel that required its own 50 amp breaker, this panel feeds a sub panel where my audio lives, and it’s properly grounded.

I did not lose anything on sound quality.




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