Originally Posted by karensue
When I was working, my computer was plugged into a heavy duty serge protector, but one day during a thunderstorm I actually watched my computer screen turn into a bright orange pumpkin - toatlly fried - right in front of me. We found out that surge protectors aren't all that protective.
Your telco's switching computer is connected to overhead wires all over town. Suffers 100+ surges with every storm (I believe one of the locations where this early Bell Research was done was in GA). So how often is your town without phone service for four days while they replace that computer?
There are scams - plug-in protectors. And then there is how it was done even 100 years ago so that your telco's computer operates uninterrupted through 100 surges and every thunderstorm. Unplugging is considered a least reliable solution.
You let a surge into the house. This time, energy found earth destructively via the computer plugged into an ineffective (power strip) protector. That protector may have made damage even easier.
What will a surge 'score' next time? Air conditioner? Dishwasher? Security system? Dimmer switches? TV? Refrigerator? You let that energy go hunting. It will find appliances, destructively.
Why do all munitions dumps use no plug-in protectors? Only earth 'whole house' protectors? Because direct lightning strikes must never cause explosions. Because direct lightning strikes without damage was routine even 100 years ago using a well understood (and much less expensive) solution.
A protector too close to appliances and too far from earth ground can even make that appliance damage easier. Both protectors have the same name. But only one 'whole house' type does protection. Plug-in protectors even by the gross are only profit centers. Do not even claim protection in their numeric specs. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground.