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

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

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. :D 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

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.

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?

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.

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

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)

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

Yes!!
sandy

I have an all-house surge protector on the power box but I still have individual surge protectors on each of my machines. Never too careful when it comes to our toys.

Thanks for starting this post. I use a surge protector on my HV machines but not with a battery backup..........wasn't even aware of them!!!! My son-in-law got the multi plug in surge protector for my computer-printer-phone so felt comfortable with that but certainly will be shopping for a UPS and maybe inquire with our power company about a whole house surge protector. Thanks again for sharing this necessity.

I use surge protectors on just about everything after I lost a very expensive Rowenta iron that wasn't on a protector. I was busy sewing when I could smell burning. Turns out to have been my new iron that was plugged directly into the wall socket.

Lesson learned for me.

Oh, Please everyone use a surge protector. Years ago I'd just gotten my first good machine and we had a power surge. No more machine--burned the motor right up. Thankfully, had a great dealer and warranty, so the machine was replaced. Now I have the big battery back-up protector for everything in the sewing room.

I also have a surge protector for everything in my studio. I have one for my computer/printer, one for my sewing machine/ iron/lamps, and one for my LA setup.

Absolutely I use the surge protector for my sewing machine, iron, and anything connected to my sewing, especially since most sewing machines now are at least partially computerized. it never hurts to be cautious.

I use surge protectors AND I unplug my machine when I am finished for the day. I also unplug my iron when I am finished.

I use a surge protector, unplug at the end of day and even if just leaving room for lunch. Always unplug when there is a storm.

I have a whole house surge protector on my home so everything should be protected. Having said that, I always unplug my sewing machine when I'm not using it.

My Jim made sure to protect my little Brother when we got it, and also the computer. We have frequent electrical storms here, and I cannot take the chance.

An excellent idea! I am going to steal it! Thanks. And yes, I use a surge protector for my sewing machines & serger.

I was told by my electrician that if you have a modern electric panel with circuit breakers that they ARE your surge protectors? I believed him..hope he was right! Any electricians on here to ask????

When I purchased my Janome last summer, my dealer emphasized a serge protector. A new one. I didn't understand that a surge protector "reduces protection the longer it is used." I also unplug the machine after each use.

I did not know to turn the unplugged source away from the power strip.

I'm one of those people who have everything in the sewing room plugged into a surge protector - even my ipod and speakers. I make sure that all of them are off before I leave the room - that way I will never accidentally leave the iron or anything else on.

I definitely use a surge protector... we live in Maine and lose our power often during the winter and couldn't forgive myself if I let my Janome suffer a major overload. Since most modern machines are computerized... I think it's no different than your PC or printer.

Good one!! auntpiggylpn

I do the same but I use APC backups on my sewing machines.

I use surge protectors on all electronics. I don't know much about them but know that you want lots of "jules" I believe it is called as they give real protection. That's what the computer people have told me. I'd be so upset if I lost my machines due to surge.

Yes and always have. I bought my first computerized machine in 1998 and it came with a lot of free classes. That's one of the first things they told us about so, yes, I do!

Everything in this house is on surge protectors, just one lightening strike can be very expensive

When I bought my used Tin Lizzie the Estate sale lady threw in the serge protector that was on the floor beside it, naturally anything free I took it! Wont be able to set up the Lizzie for a few months but when I do the protector will be plugged in. And now reading this I'll be buying a couple more, my husband has one for his old slow computer and his guitar/drum set up so I need to get a couple for my sewing room too. And recently on this board I seen a post about plugging in a regular clock (non battery & non digital) to keep track of the amount of time spent on making a quilt, just plug the clock into the surge protector and turn it on when you start & off when you start so you know exactly how long it took you to make the entire quilt. I finally found the perfect clock for this and will use the protector I got with the Lizzie for this purpose until I am able to be the Lizzie set up.

Absolutely!!! I also use one in my RV with my machines... campgrounds are notorious for power fluctuations.

I do, and when I hear a storm is coming I unplug my sweet 16, surge protector and all. We lost a refrigerator and a freezer last year to the electrical storms.

Absolutely! I was sewing away on my Pfaff and all of a sudden just the light worked...nothing else. Took it for repair and my motherboard had burned out from a surge. Since I did have it on a surge protector I contacted the maker, the Belkin Co. All I had to do was send the protector and the receipt for the motherboard (I think it was around $150.) and they sent me a check. Now I also keep my Ott light on it was well. You can buy single plug protectors that are small enough to just stay on your sewing plug and travel with the machine. Easy as pie and much cheaper than a new motherboard!!

We have them throughout the house on expensive electrics like washer, dryer, refrigerator, TV, computer, sewing machines. You get the idea. We also have one that the energy company installed at the electric meter. We are one of the places in the USA that gets a lot of lightning strikes, so that's why we protect our electric items with double protection.

everything is on surge protector here... refrigerator, microwave, everything ....a friend who lives couple of miles away lost everything electrical that was plugged in, a few years ago....even coffee pot and vacuum cleaner. Lately I have read that surge protectors need to be replaced if they may have taken a hit.

Yes, especially of my Janome Horizon 12000. I don't want that baby to fry from lightening:) Additionally, I pull the plug out of the protector when I am done sewing . Can never be too safe.

I surge protect all my sewing machine and my computers.

I also always bring a surge protector plug in when I go to classes or get away weekends.

We are all under a false assumption concerning surge protectors. Surge protectors do not protect against lightening strikes. Please go to the following website & read, please.
http://stormhighway.com/surge_protec...ction_myth.php

I know everyone probably won't read this but it is very important.

I do and I also unplug my Bernina at the machine to protect it when not in use. I was told to do this by a repairman who knows what his talking about.