My surge protectors are a known name for safety. I wouldn't trust any non known name to protect you DSM. I had a telephone burned out from when the electricity was turned back on after a power failure.

I just paid a visit to my sewing machine dealers shop wanted to see what's new and what I might be missing, along with what kind of deals he has coming up (black Friday). Found some GREAT machines with large spaces for quilting (all DM's), with prices to match. The ones that I was falling in love with ALL STARTED at $7,000.00 and UP. So is my machine plugged into a surge protector when in use - YES. Would I have my machine plugged in at all during a storm - NO. I have always been very careful with my machines, but after seeing the prices of the new machines I will be even MORE CAREFUL. Surge protectors are good, but still NO guarantee that they will keep your machine from being killed in a storm.

I unplug all my computerized machines during lightning storms and any time I am gone from home. I have a treadle machine to use whenever I hear thunder and until the storm passes. The best of both worlds.

BTW, I lost a lot of electronics several years ago when my surge protectors did not protect the devices from the power surge when power came back on after an outage. And did you know that the electric companies are protected by law from any liability for those losses? Yup. That was an expensive lesson for me.

I would never use anything electric during a storm. I lost one TV that was not on but still plugged in and two neighbors have had direct hits on their homes and lost every electric thing in their homes that was plugged in. Everything in my house is on power strips even the heating and air condition unit.

After seeing someone hit by lightening in a Walmart parking lot years ago, I unplug all electronics during even small electrical storms.

I unplug my sewing machine at the machine when I am not using it. I don't sew with an electric machine during storms, just my treadle. I also use a battery operated Ott light, rather than one of my electric ones.

I also don't bathe or shower during electrical storms, either. My house is old enough to still have metal pipes, and I have an enamel coated bathtub, and I was told that the electricity could follow the pipes, and if I was in the tub, I'd get shocked. Has anyone else been told this?

I keep my sewing machines and my embroidery machine unplugged when not in use, and if a lightning storm occurs and I am sewing or embroidering, I stop immediately and unplug everything. I also use a very good surge protector for every machine. I spent a lot of time researching and comparing machines before I purchased, and I don't want to have to replace them any time soon, there's always another day to sew, and my machines are safe.

I bought a surge protector with a battery backup. My machine has a computer....electrical storms are not the only issue..."brown outs and power surges" are more likely to blow out your circuit board...

I don't sew and unplug everything in my sewing room. Sometimes I get to my computers. Shows you where my priorities are!!

Lightning and Thunder? In Silicon Valley?

Let's say it is not an issue.

tim in san jose