Originally Posted by ai731
We live out in the countryside, and get a lot of power "blips" and short disruptions, as well as thunderstorms with lightening. My sewing machine is on a power bar with a fuse, and we unplug the computers (we use laptops) during bad storms and whenever we go away for more than a few hours. Apart from that, we don't worry too much about power surges. We have a tall antenna with our wireless internet dish on the top - that's what's most likely to get hit by lightening, and our internet provider would replace the dish if it did. The antenna tower is very well grounded.
Jan
aha! that makes a difference. here in central new jersey, there are lots of taller buildings close by. we're nowhere near the tallest thing around. if lightning struck close by, it would be attracted to a tall, metal thing (we also have a dish and an old-fashioned antenna on a tall pole in the ground). in my town, that would be any number of schools, the municipal building, the library, the Y, many office buildings, banks, etc. my house is a low ranch. i've never heard of anyone near here who ever had any trouble. in the country out in the open it would be very different, i'm sure. i will however get some strips for my machines.