Years ago I lost my Viking to lightning and it was in a surge protector.

I have an expensive embroidery/sewing machine, I unplug it every time I shut the machine down. That way I don't have to worry!

I also unplug my machines after use. (I have a bead bracelet that I wear when machines (including irons) are plugged in and bracelet is stored on the cords when unplugged.) I will have to check with my sewing machine shop about the surge protector because I read where these computerized machines should not be plugged into a surge protector.
Now I'm really confused. (Doesn't take much.)

Something to think about: I was taking a class today and the instructor told me that when I go to a class, that I should "always bring" a surge protector with me to plug my machine into. You never know when the power may surge and blow out your sewing machine.

I don't have a computerized machine, but when I purchased my machine so many years ago the Bernina dealer recommended that I get into the habit of unplugging my machine every time I quit sewing if it was going to be for an hour or more, and I never sew during a rain storm. When we have a rain storm here we usually have an electrical storm with it much of the time no rain, just an electrical storm.
I have always unplugged the power cord to the machine. I don't bother with unplugging the cord from the outlet. I know I can afford to replace a cord a lot cheaper than my machine. Now it is such a habit, that it's like turning a light on and off. When I stop sewing, I unplug, that way I know for sure there won't be any electrical surge or damage going to the machine.

Sorry to stray from the subject, but I noticed you were from Australia. I hope you have been safe from all of the flooding down there. I have watched on the news about the terrible flooding and so many have lost their lives and property. Hope you and yours are all safe. Take Care. Gerbie

I did get an expensive one when I purchased my Bernina 830. It's much cheaper than replacing the machine after a power surge.

My Bernina Dealer said that I needed one at least 1200 Joules. The dealer also said that some are only power strips and to be sure and get a SURGE PROTECTOR. I got mine from Walmart and it ran about $20.

I went to a electronics store and purchased the same type of surge protector that I use for my computer, I also have my Ott lights plugged into the, we live in the mountains, so because of lightning storms, I unplug almost everything I can :-o

I have my computerized sewing machine pluged into a very expensive surge protector which in turn is pluged into another surge protector. I turn off the first protector when not in use and unplug my machine from it.
This is probably over kill but then I figure the price of my sewing machine makes makes it all worth while.

Now is turning off the surge protector enough without unplugging the machine?

thank you crashnquilt - this is some good info and I will be sending it out to all my friends and guild members - you gave us all some good information that might save some of lots of money

ScowlKat you have made my day I will be thinking of you and smiling

Now view its number. UPS has many hundreds of joules. A power strip might be a thousand joules. Surges that do damage are hundreds of thousands of joules. IOW near zero. And just enough above zero so that advertising can hype it into 100% protection.

That is a problem with 'hearing' what works. Low voltage harms no electronics. An electronic sewing machine will work fine even when lights dim to 50% intensity. Low voltage is harmful to motorized appliances - refrigerator, dish washer, and furnace. Not to electronic appliances.

If protecting from low voltage, then a UPS is required for the washing machine and air conditioner. Myths about low voltage promote a UPS that also has near zero protection. Protection inside a UPS is even samller than that in power strips.

How do hundreds of joules protect from surges that are hundreds of thousands of joules. A surge too small to damage anything may easily damage a protector. Failure promotes sales. Then a homeowner will assume the protector is a one shot device. Nonsense. If grossly undersized, a protector fails during irrelevant surges. Near zero joules promotes assumptions also called myths.

Unplugging is also ineffective. Destructive surges occur without warning. Means everything else must also be unplugged including a stove. Surges are made irrelevant by one 'whole house' protector. Only a ‘whole house’ protector earths destructive surges, remains functional, and makes unplugging clock radios unnecessary.

This simply repeats what was read in those previous posts. Informed homeowners earth one 'whole house' protector. Waste no money on mythical power strip protectors. And learn why a UPS outputs some of the 'dirtiest' electricity.

An expensive protector is the same circuit that sells for $7 in the grocery store. Superior 'whole hosue' protector costs about $1 per protected appliance. Why spend so much more for something that does less? Advertising.

How do millimeters in a switch stop something that three miles of sky could not stop? How do those hundreds of joules aborb surges that are hundreds of thousands of joules. You stil have zero protection. Since its joules are near zero (not zero), then it can claim 100% protection in advertising. They are not lying. It is 100% protection from tiny surges that cause no damage. And does nothing for destructive surges.

They cannot lie in spec numbers. Read those numbers. Hundreds of joules. Near zero protection. They are selling an image; a profit center because you paid so much.

So, what exactly in understanding terms are you saying?Even unplugging doesn't help?huh?

Those are the worst scams. BTW, his engineering degree is inferior to mine. I have also designed surge protection systems.
APC and Tripplite are successfully selling three dollar power strips with ten cent protector parts for $25 and $60. Profit centers. crashnquilt is invited to post specification numbers from APC and Tripplite that actually claim protection. He cannot. Neither claims protection from destructive surges.

Monster Cable has a long history of identifying scams. Selling the same product for even higher prices. Monster sells the same protector circuit for $150. Its paint is fancier. So a majority will believe it works. If Monster is selling it, then you know all those products are only profit centers.

If any employee installed a Tripplite or APC inside a telephone switching center, then he might be fired. Telcos cannot have damage from 100 surges during each thunderstorm. APC and Tripplite can even make damage easier.

Informed homeowners do not waste money on APC, Tripplite, Belkin, and Monster products. Install products from more responsible companies including Square D, ABB, General Electric, Intermatic, Leviton, and Square D. Lowes and Home Depot sell this same effective solution. A Cutler-Hammer solution costs less than $50. Is rated to earth direct lightning strikes - and not be damaged.

An engineer will posts each spec number and will say why each number means protection. crashnquilt cannot. Neither APC nor Tripplite claim that protection. Many insult the engineering profession. Salesmen promoting a scam will claim electrical training. If he really was an engineer, his post cited each number and explained why that number was significant. I did because I even designed surge protection. He cannot. He is a salesman.

Informed homeowners do not waste money on protectors that can even make damage easier. Informed homeowners spend much less money for a protector that makes even direct lightning strikes irrelevant. An earthed 'whole house' protector is necessary to avoid house fire; to protect those APC and Tripplite products.

See those scary pictures to understand why APC and Tripplite protectors are not inside telephone switching centers. 'House fire' is a problem when a tiniest protector - hundreds of joules - attempts to absorb surges that are hundreds of thousands of joules.

Any recommendation without numbers is best called a scam. Protection is always about where energy dissipates. Any recommendation that cannot discuss that is, without doubt, a scam. And that means numbers. Where do hundreds of thousands of joules dissipate? Only the engineer is both asking and answering that question. A salesmen will not ask. And will not answer.

Unplugging helps only if you never plug it in. Meanwhile, if you must unplug anything, then you must unplug everything - stove, clock radios, GFCIs, and the furnace.

Unplugging is recommended when one ignored over 100 years of well proven science that costs about $1 per protected appliance. When one has no other solutions or is using plug-in protectors.

This makes no sense to me. Sorry...

Okay, now I'm confused. O.o

I'm starting to feel like this is a "mine is bigger than yours" type contest.

Westom, I know you're trying to help, but unfortunately, I'm dumber than you (at least when it comes to electricity, and possibly at everything else). I can't follow most of what you've written. Would you be willing to help us by explaining very clearly - and I really mean "electricity for dummies" style, what you're talking about? Pretend you're explaining to a middle-schooler, for instance. I know I really want to understand what you're writing, but I'm lost.

Sorry if this is a repeat, don't have time to read all the posts.

Tampa, FL is the 'lightning capitol of the world' or so I was told when I lived there. Unplugging your machine from an adequate surge protector takes away your protection.

Lightning can travel from the wall outlet to the plug on the floor then travel up the cord into your machine, iron, etc that way. I was advised that I should unplug my machine from where it plugs into the machine itself and lay the entire cord down on the floor, greatly reducing the risk of lightning traveling.

I was advised by the sewing machine manufacturer that you needed a surge protector at least equal to that for a computer. HOWEVER, not all surge protectors are alike. The one I have not only protects from power 'surges' it protects and 'beeps' when there is a power 'drain'. I have been advised by our IT techs at work that if this happens more than 1-2 times in a short span of time to TURN OFF THE COMPUTER, I do the same with my machine.

If you have an older home where the lights dim slightly (or a lot) when the A/C or an appliance or iron kick in, you need to be sure you have one that protects against the power drain. It can damage the computer in a sewing machine slowly and, if you're related to Mr. Murphy (Murphy's Law) the board will die 2 days after the warranty runs out!

Peggy
22 degrees in Florida is too cold!!!!

Actually I think that's not recommended. It's called Daisy Chaining and from everything I've read it's best to not do that.

Also about Westom's cryptic posts. I think the bottom line is that you need an electrician to come out and install a whole-house surge protector on your electrical box. At least that's what I've gotten from the multiple threads and posts.

ditto here!

Thanks for your info. I had my iron plugged into the same strip as my machine and I was having problems with the machine dying down as I was sewing and could not figure out why. Even had the repair shop put in a new part in the foot feet. This morning my DH plugged another power strip into a different outlet and then plugged my iron in that and I am now sewing and no more sluggish sewing machine.
Bea

Everyone learned about surge protectors in elementary school science. Just did not know it.

Lightning was striking wooden church steeples to connect to earth. Wood being an electrical conductor. But wood is not a good conductor. So 20,000 amps through wood creates a high voltage. 20,000 amps times a high voltage is high energy. Church steeple damaged.

Ben Franklin put a lightning rod atop the church steeple. But a lightning rod (just like any surge protector) does not do any protection. Either the lighting rod connects a direct lightning strike to earth. Or the lightning rod does nothing. 20,000 amps to earth via a protector is near zero volts. 20,000 amps times near zero volts is near zero energy. No damage.

A lightning rod is a protector. But it only works when connected to protection – earth ground. Same applies to every power strip or UPS protector. Either a surge protector connects short (ie 'less than 10 feet') to earth. Or a ‘high profit’ protector is promoted by hearsay, advertising, and scams.

Lightning strikes AC electric wires down the street. That means lightning is connected directly to every appliance inside the house. Which appliance is damaged? A surge selects an appliance that make the best connection to earth. And destroys that appliance.

Nothing stops surges. Nothing. Especially not power strip protectors or UPS. Especially not those APC or Tripplite protectors. If any surge (ie lightning) connects to earth before entering a building, then that surge is not inside hunting for earth destructively via appliances. Just like Franklin's lightning rods: protection is always about dissipating that energy harmlessly in earth.

As noted so many times previously: protection is always about where hundreds of thousands of joules dissipate. Either you connect a surge harmlessly to earth outside the building (one 'whole house' protector from responsible companies). Or that surge goes hunting for earth, destructively, inside the house. Only you make that choice.

Codes that define human safety do not address transistor safety. All homes already earth one AC wire only for human safety. Transistor safety means all other incoming wires connect to earth via a 'whole house' protector. AC electric is three wires. One connects to earth directly. Other two must be earthed via a ‘whole house’ protector. If any wire does not connect to earth, then surge protection does not exist.

As Franklin demonstrates in 1752 and as was taught in elementary school science; protection is always about earthing energy. No protector - not one ever - stops or absorbs surges. A myth posted by a majority is a near zero protector stopping surges. Either a protector connects within feet to single point earth ground. Or the only protection is that already inside every appliance.

Your only concern is the rare surge that overwhelms protection inside every appliance. That occurs typically once every seven years. Only a 'whole house' protector with the *always required* short connection to earth makes a destructive surge irrelevant. Does so for reasons that Ben Franklin demonstrated in 1752.

Describes is how surge protection is done everywhere that damage cannot happen. And describes are surge protectors that are only ‘profit ceneters’ - scams. Why do munitions dumps suffer direct lightning strikes without damage? Those dumps only use 'whole house' protection. Much of what we do today to protect electronics is how surge protection was done in munitions dumps even long before WWII. The science is that well proven.

One 'whole house' protector is a least expensive solution. And the only solution that actually does surge protection. You intercept lighting from striking your roof with an earthed lightning rod. And you intercept surges from damaging all appliances with an earth 'whole house' protector.

What is required to protect power strip protectors and UPS from damage? A 'whole house' protector. So that nobody knows a surge even existed. And so that even the protector is not damaged - for about $1 per protected appliance.

I can only hope that rephrasing it again and again eventually helps all to understand. Products from APC, Tripplite, Belkin, and Monster do not even claim such protection. Informed homeowners earth one 'whole house' protector from so many responsible companies such as Clipsal, Keison, General Electric, Leviton, Siemens, Square D, ABB, Polyphaser, Intermatic, and Cutler-Hammer - to name but a few.

A concept that defines all ineffective and effective protectors. That was understood and implemented even 100 years ago. Protection is always about where energy dissipates. Always – no exceptions. Most important, a protector is only as effective as its earth ground.

Either you learn a well proven concept. Or you do what a majority so often do - be scammed by miracle plug-in devices that do not even claim surge protection in spec numbers. Only you make that choice.

Plug five protectors in a daisy chain (which is considered a human safety threat). Or plug all five (and the sewing machine) separately into six wall receptacles. You have not (electrically) changed the protection circuit. A protector does not sit between the machine and a surge. A sewing machine attached to one socket and the power strip protector plugged into an adjacent receptacle is an unchanged protection circuit (when the machine is plugged into the power strip).

Most do not know that due to lies and myths promoted by advertising. There is no magic surge blocker inside any surge protector. That magic is hyped by folklore and hearsay. A power strip manufacturer will not claim any surge protection in his numeric specs. He cannot lie in numeric specs. He can in advertising.

They are selling myths; not protection. A $3 power strip with some ten cent protector parts selling for $40 or $150 because so many believe advertising; not 100 years of well proven science. These protectors are promoted by the same subjective propaganda that also proved Saddam had WMDs. Advertising is that effective.

I recentlysaw an article about serge protectors -- that get old and slow things down. It might be more of a problem with computers than sewing machines, but I am going to check mine.
I go to Staples and ask about things like ratings for electronics. they are excellent at the tech info and there is no pressure tobuy -- but often they are quite competitive with Walmart and there is a whole lot more support.

Then why pray tell would a ups protect a long arm during a surge AND IT HAS, when electricity was knocked out if "it does not work"?

Call me dumb, stupid or whatever but I am still not getting it....A whole house protector never heard of such a thing..

What are you trying to protect from? A blackout is zero volts to a 120 volt appliance. Surges are thousands of volts to a 120 volt appliance.

UPS has only one function. To provide temporary and 'dirtiest' power during a blackout.

Now, view a 120 volt UPS output in battery backup mode. This one outputs 200 volt square waves with a spike of up to 270 volts between square waves. Power so 'dirty' as to be harmful to power strip protectors and small electric motors. But all electronics already contain superior protection. Therefore 'dirtiest' power from a UPS is perfectly ideal.

Surges are not zero volts. Protection already inside every appliance means protection from most trivial surges – above 120 volts. But a rare surge (maybe once every seven years) can overwhelm that protection. No plug-in protector or UPS claims such protection. Informed consumers read specs; not advertising.

You demonstrated 'zero' protection by not posting spec numbers (because those numbers do not exist). No power strip stops a rare and destructive surge. Protector circuits inside a UPS are even tinier. Just enough above zero so that advertising can hype it as 100% protection. Read so many posts. Advertising spin works. How do you know it is a lie? The claim comes with no numbers. Real world numbers say why a power strip or UPS does ineffective protection.

Learn the difference between a blackout and a surge. Completely different. One is no voltage. The other is voltage so massive that even three miles of sky cannot stop it. Why do you think any protector will stop what three miles of sky could not? Because you are listening to advertising rather than learning from science and damning questions.

The most difficult part is where one admits to being scammed. It’s not easy.

You win.....
Bye

A few weeks before Christmas I kept getting dimming lights in my craft room. I knew this meant that I had way too much on my "surge protector" but I was trying to finish my Christmas quilting projects so I forged ahead. There went ALL the circuits in my craft room--ceiling lights, wall circuits, EVERYTHING! Though connected to a surge protector, I had too much on it (and my house is only 17 years old)--iron (big electric pull), sewing machine, floor lamp, ceiling light, and space heater (because my downstairs gets cold). My electrician just looked at me with a "You knew better look!" Now I'm more cautious and I'm going to ask my electrician to pick out a surge protector for me.

westom, I want to see if I understand what you're saying. Is it correct that there is no way to stop a surge? You can only direct the surge elsewhere? That means that you must have a path leading the surge to ground that is more direct than any path inside your home, hence, the whole-house protection?

Do I understand now?

I hope you don't mind if I chg. your spelling to "jules". We use that term in the hosp. all the time so I am familiar with it.
This is a very interesting topic. My computer is on a surg protector but not my sewing machine. Sounds like I might need to chg. that.

To be fair, it's actually "joules".

Thank you so very much. I stand corrected. I tried to Google my spelling but got nothing so I knew I was wrong. I tried to delete my msg. but it was too late. Thanks again.

I just unplug my machine after each use. I'm not taking any chances on my baby getting zapped!

That information is routine when professionals (not hearsay) makes recommendation. What you have asked is stated bluntly by the NIST (US government research agency):
> A very important point to keep in mind is that your surge protector
> will work by diverting the surges to ground. The best surge protection
> in the world can be useless if grounding is not done properly.

If called those plug-in protectors ineffective. The NIST is blunter. The APC, Tripplite and other 'magic box' protectors are "useless". Or, as I said so often, a protector is only as effective as its earth ground.

Effective protection means a surge can only be "diverted" to earth. To where hundreds of thousands of joules are absorbed - harmlessly.

And that is how it was done even 100 years ago so that telephone operators could work through every thunderstorm. So that even lightning strikes were not to headsets and operator brains. The technology is that old and that well proven. And not found in any magic box adjacent to a sewing machine.

As the NIST says, those APC and Tripplite protectors are "useless". Their word; not mine.

3600 joules means ineffective protection. Destructive surges are hundreds of thousands of joules. What happens when a grossly undersized protector is on a desktop of papers or on a rug behind some furniture? I repeately recommended you view 'scary pictures'. Apparently this reality was not easy enough. Does the phrase 'house fire' have significance? View scary pictures including a fire marshal who decribes why a fire risk exists:
http://www.hanford.gov/rl/?page=556&parent=554
http://www.ddxg.net/old/surge_protectors.htm
http://www.zerosurge.com/HTML/movs.html
http://* * *.com/3x73ol where *** is t i n y u r l and is entitled "Surge Protector Fires"
http://www3.cw56.com/news/articles/local/BO63312/
http://www.nmsu.edu/~safety/news/lesson-learned/surgeprotectorfire.htm
http://www.pennsburgfireco.com/fullstory.php?58339

Fire is rare for some reasons. First, most protectors disconnect as fast as possible. Leaving a surge connected to the appliance. No problem. Most appliances contain superior protection.

Second, a truly destructive surge occurs typically once every seven years. Another number. Because honest posts always include the numbers.

Useful protection means everything - even the furnace - is protected. That means one 'whole house' protector. Even necessary to protect you from protector fires. What most needs protection during a surge? Smoke detectors. Why do plug-in recommendations forget that?

Joules. How do hundreds of thousands of joules magically disappear? They don't. Either you cannect that energy harmlessly to earth. Or that energy is inside a house - destructively. Show me one plug-in protector that will even discuss this? If honest, then their sales would be harmed. An honest reply also provides (or asks) critically important numbers. Where do hundreds of thousand of joules dissipate? Either harmlessly in earth. Or destructively inside the house. Be informed or scammed. Your choice.

Okay, westom, I am not looking at to getting into some type of "educational contest" with you. Glad to hear you have that much education. KUDOS to you.

IF you will read back in my postings, I have not NOR ever will say that any surge protector will guard against a lightening strike. BUT I will say that surge protectors DO protect against the intermittent power flex's that do happen on pretty much on a constant basis.

I have NEVER told someone that a surge protector will protect against a lightening strike. In fact, I am smart enough to know that very VERY little will give protection to lightening strike DUE to the factor you are not assured WHERE the strike is going to travel!

If you will read my post I recommended the APC or TRIPPLITE protectors BECAUSE OF THEIR INSURANCE COVERAGE!

Also, the original poster was ASKING for some kind of recommendation and what to look for and I tried to give a good answer. The poster was not asking about guarding against lightening strike or asking for a course in ELECTRICITY 101.

What I do not appreciate from you is trying make me out to be an idiot when it is you that is NOT being understood. As said before your education is admirable, but you seem to have lost the art of being able to "connect" with "common folk" Also, the world of electronics being such a detail oriented profession, you refer to me as "HE", but if you look at my avatar you SHOULD be able to see I am female.

To break this down completely:
SURGE PROTECTORS DO NOT PROTECT YOU AGAINST A LIGHTENING STRIKE! Surge protectors will protect you against surges that happen more often than you know.

As one other person observed, westom does say that unplugging does not protect you, I say unplugging does protect you but do make sure the prongs of the plug are facing AWAY from the power source. Yes, I do mean that. Do I think EVERYTHING needs to be unplugged. Nupe! A lamp can be rewired for about $5, clocks can be replace for about the same amount of cash, and most of your appliances will be covered with your insurance. The actual cost of your sewing machine may not be covered under your insurance. For that, you really need to talk with your insurance carrier.

Now, if someone does not understand me, please ask me.