jcrilley

I unplug everything when not being used. If it's lightening and thundering, I don't sew.

Vat

I use one on every piece of machinery I own. Lighting can come in on any electrical outlet in your house and mine.

sparkys_mom

I do use a surge protector but I also have a dedicated line installed for my machine so it isn't sharing the same circuit with the iron. When storms are predicted I just unplug and go read a book. Actually, when I'm not using it or the iron, I unplug them. I don't particularly trust the auto-off on the iron.

For that matter, I'd unplug the refrigerator when not in use if it were possible. LOL

letawellman

Yes, I do. However, on my longarm, it is plugged directly into the outlet...BUT... I always, always, ALWAYS unplug it when I'm finished - no matter if there's a storm on the way or not. If I'm not "driving" the longarm, it's not plugged in. The surge protector on my other machine is as much for the ease of access to the plug as it is for the protection.

callen

If we are leaving for holidays I usually always unplug my machines but I do have my Bernina 820 plugged into a surge protector. My DH insisted on one Very expensive Surge Protector for our 50" tv & my Bernina is worth WAY more than his tv. Our house got hit by lightning about 4 years ago & blew out our phone lines but not the electricity & I had never given thought to my sewing machine until my dealer asked me if my machine was okay. Since then, surge protector it is, even though I unplug my machines if a storm is coming. Why risk ruining our machines?

katesnanna

Yes. All power boards in this house are surge protected. Only time I ever had trouble was when electricity came through the phone line. The lightening hit the ground on the footpath and three of us got hit. Now if there is a storm coming I unplug everything including the phone.

bennie0755

Me too. The sewing machine, lamp, and iron are all on the surge protector, and it gets unplugged in bad weather!!

Sewnoma

I do, but this thread is making me think I should get a better one. I just used one from around the house. I have my PC plugged into an expensive sort. We almost never get lightning around here but it could still happen!

My iron is a Panasonic cordless, so when I'm done using it, I leave it off of the charging base and set it on a silicone pad I keep in my little ironing cart. That way there's no heating elements hooked up to any power and there's no way it's been left "on". (It does have auto-shut off too)

carolynjo

Always I use surge protectors--after a friend lost her machine and part for her studio.

Sandygirl

Yes!!
sandy