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#1
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Balanced power may have saved my butt
Not knowing as much as I do now, I built my home studio with an Equitech
balanced-power panel, trying to lower the noise floor, not realizing that balanced power really only helps with certain very specific grounding problems that I probably wouldn't have run into. However. Balanced power, by definition, includes an isolation transformer. For some reason I don't entirely understand yet, this may have saved me from some expensive lightning damage. Last summer, I experienced a nearby lightning strike, surge, or some other disturbance, and had about $5,000 in fried electronics all around my house - everything from TiVos to thermostats to garage door openers. One light bulb exploded, and a few circuit boards were smoked. The one room where absolutely no damage was done was the room filled with sensitive, delicate electronics - the studio. So, while there are certainly cheaper isolation-only, non-balancing transformers than an Equitech system, it still probably paid for itself. Just food for thought. -- Jay Levitt | Wellesley, MA | Hi! Faster: jay at jay dot eff-em | Where are we going? http://www.jay.fm | Why am I in this handbasket? |
#2
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Balanced power may have saved my butt
"Jay Levitt" wrote in message
... Not knowing as much as I do now, I built my home studio with an Equitech balanced-power panel, trying to lower the noise floor, not realizing that balanced power really only helps with certain very specific grounding problems that I probably wouldn't have run into. However. Balanced power, by definition, includes an isolation transformer. For some reason I don't entirely understand yet, this may have saved me from some expensive lightning damage. Last summer, I experienced a nearby lightning strike, surge, or some other disturbance, and had about $5,000 in fried electronics all around my house - everything from TiVos to thermostats to garage door openers. One light bulb exploded, and a few circuit boards were smoked. The one room where absolutely no damage was done was the room filled with sensitive, delicate electronics - the studio. So, while there are certainly cheaper isolation-only, non-balancing transformers than an Equitech system, it still probably paid for itself. How did the Equitech itself fare? If it protected AND survived that's strong testimony to some fine engineering. Sean |
#3
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Balanced power may have saved my butt
In article , sjconolly_98
@yaaho.com says... How did the Equitech itself fare? If it protected AND survived that's strong testimony to some fine engineering. Seems fine.. I mean, it's still passing power, and I'm not really sure how to check it other than that. It's got a HUGE honking transformer, and in fact I had upgraded mine to the "Q" transformer, which weighs some 150 pounds. Probably could take a direct strike! -- Jay Levitt | Wellesley, MA | Hi! Faster: jay at jay dot eff-em | Where are we going? http://www.jay.fm | Why am I in this handbasket? |
#4
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Balanced power may have saved my butt
Jay Levitt wrote:
For some reason I don't entirely understand yet, this may have saved me from some expensive lightning damage. Last summer, I experienced a nearby lightning strike, surge, or some other disturbance, and had about $5,000 in fried electronics all around my house - everything from TiVos to thermostats to garage door openers. One light bulb exploded, and a few circuit boards were smoked. The one room where absolutely no damage was done was the room filled with sensitive, delicate electronics - the studio. Big hunks of iron and copper (in the form of transformers or inductors) really do provide superior surge protection--particularly from fast risetime, short duration events. |
#5
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Balanced power may have saved my butt
"Jay Levitt" wrote in message ... In article , sjconolly_98 @yaaho.com says... How did the Equitech itself fare? If it protected AND survived that's strong testimony to some fine engineering. Seems fine.. I mean, it's still passing power, and I'm not really sure how to check it other than that. It's got a HUGE honking transformer, and in fact I had upgraded mine to the "Q" transformer, which weighs some 150 pounds. Probably could take a direct strike! Since there was probably no real Ground connection on the secondary side of the Transformer there would have been no reason for the Lightning to arc from primary to Secondary with the destruction that that Arc would cause. If The Transformer is passing power and not making any buzzing or Arcing Sounds and not getting any warmer than Usual it is Fine. Linear Power supplies tend to be less susceptible to Lightning damage than the more modern Switchmodes and of course a nice big Isolation Transformer is going to provide pretty well the best Lightning protection available (certainly far better than the level of protection provided by MOVs etc). Unfortunately as you will have discovered they do cost more than a bunch of MOVs and weigh more which is the reason why so many Lightning protection systems use MOVs. Isolation Transformers also provide a far better degree of protection against other Mains nasties such as Neutral faults and shorts between Higher voltage cables etc as the Transformer core will go into Saturation and effectively limit the voltage on the seconadary in addition to blowing Fuses etc. The Irony is that I am yet to be convinced on the efficacy of 'Balanced Power' against the better options of fixing/removing all the earth loops etc in the installation especially since power distribution cables are effectively balanced anyway (think about it the current in your Neutral wire should be exactly the same as the current in your active unless you have a fault - Safety switches work on this very principle). However for filtering, Surge protection etc I can reccomend the use of a 1:1 Isolation Transformer on the Mains really it doesnt need to be anything too fancy but I guess the Balanced power people have it all boxed up in a nice convenient package already so I suppose if they arent over charging you might as well buy their box ;-) Of course w_tom will be here shortly to pontificate on MOVs but really as you have observed (it almost sounds like you suffered a direct or very near strike or do you live in the country ? do you know where the Lightning hit ? how far away was it ?) a good Isolation transformer will provide far better protection (note I say better protection since in a direct strike really all bets are off). Regards Richard Freeman |
#7
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Balanced power may have saved my butt
Jay Levitt wrote in message ...
In article , says... Since there was probably no real Ground connection on the secondary side of the Transformer there would have been no reason for the Lightning to arc from primary to Secondary with the destruction that that Arc would cause. If The Transformer is passing power and not making any buzzing or Arcing Sounds and not getting any warmer than Usual it is Fine. Just the usual buzzing from my clipped powerline sinewave.. which of course magically disappeared when Wellesley Power was here last week with their scope.. maybe tomorrow I'll get a chance to drag my new scope outside and see what the deal is. Of course w_tom will be here shortly to pontificate on MOVs but really as Yeah, it's already been two days since I said "lightning" - he's late! I think I have distracted him on aus.electronics Someone Mentioned Ground and Lightning in the same breath So the twit rushed over to spread his Myths and Disinformation I Have him backed into a corner and Lying his little head off. He He he ! ;-) Of course he is too stupid to Realise that every time he replies he just shows himself up as the fool he is ;-) you have observed (it almost sounds like you suffered a direct or very near strike or do you live in the country ? do you know where the Lightning hit ? how far away was it ?) No idea.. the power company actually had no reported strikes, but clearly something hit something somewhere. What damage have your neighbours suffered ? maybe your house took a hit Any scorch Marks ? - It is actually very unusual in a suburban area for that much damage to occur from a hit to MEN Mains ( but you didnt say wether you live in the town or country ?) a good Isolation transformer will provide far better protection (note I say better protection since in a direct strike really all bets are off). Yeah... I'm not worried at all about a direct strike. I mean, the odds of that are absolutely astrom#$(52#$@#$NO CARRIER Neither would I be but I have had to clean up after Lightning far too Often..... Regards Richard Freeman |
#8
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Balanced power may have saved my butt
Jay Levitt wrote:
big snip Yeah... I'm not worried at all about a direct strike. I mean, the odds of that are absolutely astrom#$(52#$@#$NO CARRIER That was funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
#9
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Balanced power may have saved my butt
In article ,
says... No idea.. the power company actually had no reported strikes, but clearly something hit something somewhere. What damage have your neighbours suffered ? maybe your house took a hit Any scorch Marks ? Nope, no scorch marks, and now that you mention it, it does seem odd that the neighbors didn't have any trouble either... - It is actually very unusual in a suburban area for that much damage to occur from a hit to MEN Mains ( but you didnt say wether you live in the town or country ?) Suburbs, about 20 minutes outside of Boston. -- Jay Levitt | Wellesley, MA | Hi! Faster: jay at jay dot eff-em | Where are we going? http://www.jay.fm | Why am I in this handbasket? |
#10
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Balanced power may have saved my butt
Jay Levitt wrote in message ...
In article , says... No idea.. the power company actually had no reported strikes, but clearly something hit something somewhere. What damage have your neighbours suffered ? maybe your house took a hit Any scorch Marks ? Nope, no scorch marks, and now that you mention it, it does seem odd that the neighbors didn't have any trouble either... Well Interesting you cannot find any scorch marks as my bet would be that your house suffered a near or direct hit from the sound of the damage. That your Neighbours didn't suffer damage is not actually all that unusual in my experience. I have found that Lightning damage via Power lines is actually quite rare - the real damage generally comes from either damage via relatively high impedance lines such as Phone Lines and Mic Lines and TV/Radio Aerials and even direct hits on buildings (of course suggestions like this are a heresy to Myth puveyors such as w_tom). MEN based power distribution Systems provide firstly about the best earth it is possible to get cheaply and Secondly the Power distribution systems themselves provide a nice Low impedance path to earth ;-) and tend to ride out strikes reasonably well most of the time . For Mains equipment to have suffered damage the strike has to have been pretty well right on top of you or very very close (within Meters of the house) in fact most likely it needs to have actually hit the house or lead in cable .... If it is any consolation a 'whole house protector' as installed by w_tom would not have provided any protection any way (in fact in my opinion whole house protection offers no extra Protection than that already provided by the MEN system - in suburban areas anyway - in the country there are less earth's on the distribution system and therefore a higher likleyhood of trouble) - It is actually very unusual in a suburban area for that much damage to occur from a hit to MEN Mains ( but you didnt say wether you live in the town or country ?) Suburbs, about 20 minutes outside of Boston. I would be interested to come and have a look around for signs of where the lightning hit but since you live on the other of the planet I might have to give it a miss ;-) The damage may not be all that obvious though, read through http://www.highvoltagephotography.com/articles.html with a few comments by Martin Uman one of the worlds leading experts in Lightning. Regards Richard Freeman |
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