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Are mains surge protectors needed in the UK?



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 8th 04, 04:10 PM
Bagpuss
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Default Are mains surge protectors needed in the UK?

On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 15:47:28 +0100, Lem wrote:


snip


Am I being too complacent?


I've never used one. I've never had a surge blow anything either. My
next door neigbour as one for her PC, but makes SFA difference. Of
course in our house the fuse box has one of those quick trip over
fueses where even if a light bulb blows you have to reset the trip
switch, but even then its only ever the light bulb circuit that trips.
  #2  
Old July 8th 04, 04:27 PM
Harry
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On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 16:10:40 +0100, Bagpuss
wrote:

On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 15:47:28 +0100, Lem wrote:


snip


Am I being too complacent?


I've never used one. I've never had a surge blow anything either. My
next door neigbour as one for her PC, but makes SFA difference. Of
course in our house the fuse box has one of those quick trip over
fueses where even if a light bulb blows you have to reset the trip
switch, but even then its only ever the light bulb circuit that trips.


We are the same with regard to the fuse box tripping out.

I do have surge protectors on my PC equipment. For an extra few quid
it seemed a good safety measure.

Chances of a power surge are probably 5000 to 1. But wouldnt you feel
silly if you were that 5000th person?

At then end of the day its your call. Do you feel lucky? Just how many
thunderstorms are we having compared with last year, and the year
before?

cheers

from "The Harbinger of Doom"
)
  #3  
Old July 8th 04, 04:37 PM
John McGaw
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"Lem" wrote in message
...
Are surge protectors on the main power supply actually needed in
the UK?

here in the UK we have few overhead mains power lines and have a
relatively steady mains power supply when compared to many other
countries (including the US).

However there seem to be very many surge protector products
advertised for sale in the UK (Argos, Maplins, etc).

I am quite sure it is not bad practice to use a surge protector but
in fact I have never known anyone who has has a problem from a
surge coming in through the power supply.

So personally I don't bother using a surge protector on my PC.

Am I being too complacent?


Do you live in an area where lightning is frequent? A lightning strike that
is merely _near_ to an underground utility circuit can induce damaging
voltages into them meaning that your power mains, telephone, and cable TV
are all possible carriers. Admittedly there is no place in the UK that I've
heard of that experiences the sort of storms that ravage parts of the USA,
Flordia comes immediately to mind, but if you ever do have even one event
then a small investment in protection would be invaluable.
--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com


  #4  
Old July 8th 04, 05:06 PM
Bagpuss
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On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 16:58:57 +0100, Lem wrote:

Am I being too complacent?


I've never used one. I've never had a surge blow anything
either. My next door neigbour as one for her PC, but makes SFA
difference. Of course in our house the fuse box has one of
those quick trip over fueses where even if a light bulb blows
you have to reset the trip switch, but even then its only ever
the light bulb circuit that trips.



Harry wrote:

I do have surge protectors on my PC equipment. For an extra
few quid it seemed a good safety measure.

Chances of a power surge are probably 5000 to 1. But wouldnt
you feel silly if you were that 5000th person?

At then end of the day its your call. Do you feel lucky? Just
how many thunderstorms are we having compared with last year,
and the year before?



I don't want to take stupid risks. But I don't stupidly want to
spend money to prevent almost non-existent risks.

I don't have a surge protector on my TV or my stereo. So, do I
need one on my PC?


The only time I know of a lighting strike potentially affecting
equipment round here was where I used to work. But then the lighting
hit a cable outsite, passed down into the network switch then fanned
out from there blowing several PCs and melting the switch unit and the
wall mounted box it was located in. Of course a mains surge protector
would have done nothing for that.

If you have a quick trip fuse box in the house its probably not worth
it. If you don't then OK your PC is saved, but your TV, HiFi, Fridge
e.t.c is screwed :-)
  #5  
Old July 8th 04, 05:37 PM
Nick
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Default

Lem wrote:
Are surge protectors on the main power supply actually needed in
the UK?

here in the UK we have few overhead mains power lines and have a
relatively steady mains power supply when compared to many other
countries (including the US).

However there seem to be very many surge protector products
advertised for sale in the UK (Argos, Maplins, etc).

I am quite sure it is not bad practice to use a surge protector but
in fact I have never known anyone who has has a problem from a
surge coming in through the power supply.

So personally I don't bother using a surge protector on my PC.

Am I being too complacent?



I've never used one either, no probs.

I think that if you need a new multi plug then you might as well get one
with a surge protector but I wouldn't get one otherwise.
--
Nick
-----------


  #6  
Old July 8th 04, 05:38 PM
Cuzman
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"Lem" wrote in message
...

" Am I being too complacent? "


Think of this when you next take a ****.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/s...re/3457965.stm


  #7  
Old July 8th 04, 05:46 PM
Andy
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Default


"Lem" wrote in message
...
Are surge protectors on the main power supply actually needed in
the UK?

here in the UK we have few overhead mains power lines and have a
relatively steady mains power supply when compared to many other
countries (including the US).

However there seem to be very many surge protector products
advertised for sale in the UK (Argos, Maplins, etc).

I am quite sure it is not bad practice to use a surge protector but
in fact I have never known anyone who has has a problem from a
surge coming in through the power supply.

So personally I don't bother using a surge protector on my PC.

Am I being too complacent?



unlikely youll ever have a problem but it does happen to some people.
for the sake of a few quid ive got one downstairs for the tv, amp etc and
upstairs on the pc. If they were expensive i woudnt bother but as theyre
cheap, theyre worth having imo.


  #8  
Old July 8th 04, 05:52 PM
Nick
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Default

snip


I've never used one either, no probs.

I think that if you need a new multi plug then you might as well get
one with a surge protector but I wouldn't get one otherwise.


Actually you might as well get one that protects the modem/DSL as well.
--
Nick
-----------


  #9  
Old July 8th 04, 06:46 PM
Johannes H Andersen
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Default



Lem wrote:

Are surge protectors on the main power supply actually needed in
the UK?

here in the UK we have few overhead mains power lines and have a
relatively steady mains power supply when compared to many other
countries (including the US).

However there seem to be very many surge protector products
advertised for sale in the UK (Argos, Maplins, etc).

I am quite sure it is not bad practice to use a surge protector but
in fact I have never known anyone who has has a problem from a
surge coming in through the power supply.

So personally I don't bother using a surge protector on my PC.

Am I being too complacent?


Definitely good to have one as an insurance. Heavy machinery can induce
start currents and outages can result in spikes. Also heavy crossposting
can overload the system.
  #10  
Old July 8th 04, 07:15 PM
lordy
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Default

Lem wrote in :

Am I being too complacent?


Like others said .. depends.
I know ONE person whose system was destroyed by lightning.

Here's a secret .. well I worked it out myself so could be wrong but...

Instead of buying an expensive one, just buy the small cube thingy (like
the old two-ways) and then run a multi socket extension from it. Last I
looked they were less that 15 quid with a phone/modem socket whassname..

--
Lordy
 




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