littlehud

I learned something new today. Thanks.

gale

I do unplug my sewing machine but pretty much everything else, I take my chances. I have to literally move furniture to unplug from the wall (and I can't do it on my own).

Ladybugnana

The reason you want to move the plug away from the machine when you do unplug there is that electricity travels very well. it will travel through wood and metal. Our machines are made of the metal and conduct quite well. If the plug is too close, the charge can literally jump from the plug to the machine and fry it. Same is true on computers, tvs, game consoles, etc. It can be really bad with the lightening storms.

BellaBoo

Surge protectors wear out very fast. All power surges and with each surge the protector gets weaker. They should be replaced every year and every time the circuit breaks due to a power surge. The industrial protectors are the best but look pretty ugly and they are big.
All new appliances have built in protectors but a big surge, like lightening will blow right past them. Not much you can do if lightening goes through your wires. When we bought our house we were told it had a lightening rod to prevent strikes. ? I have never seen it or even know where it would be. I have no idea if it that works or not. Brown outs (surges that drain power) will ruin a freezer and fridge compressor fast. If you notice your lights getting dim and then brighter that's a brown out.

QKO

We use a whole-house surge protector on our main power feed, UPS's on our computers, and other protectors in various places in the house.

But what really helps is living in a place where we get, on average, about one lightning storm every two years or so. Hmmm, another reason I like the weather here better than where I spent most of my life. :D

westom

Your telco's $multi-million switching computer is connected to overhead wires all over town. Suffers about 100 surges with each thunderstorm. And is damaged with each storm. That is why your town is without phone service for four days while they replace that computer.

Or those 'woe is me' myths about damage are bogus. Telcos suffered direct lightning strike without damage – even 100 years ago. If using plug-in protectors, then those fears and 'replace it every year' myths are easily promoted.

Some have noted value from one 'whole house' protector. Protection is always about where energy dissipates. Either a surge is harmlessly absorbed in earth - outside the building. Or that surge is inside - hunting for earth destructively via appliances. You make that choice. Either a 'whole house' protector makes the short connection to single point earth ground. Or spend tens or 100 times more money on plug-in protectors that do not even claim to do protection. No plug-in protector will avert the hunt if you let a surge inside the building. A properly earthed 'whole house' protector means no appliance damage.

Destructive surges occur typically once every seven years to homes. A number that can vary significantly even within the same town. Your telco’s computer may suffer 100 surges with each thunderstorm - and no damage. Install what telcos use for about $1 per protected appliance. Avoid companies mostly promoted by hearsay and myths such as APC, Tripplite, Belkin, and Monster. 'Whole house' protectors from more responsible companies include Siemens, General Electric, Square D, Leviton, Polyphaser, and Intermatic. Or an effective Cutler-Hammer protector can be purchased in any Lowes or Home Depot for less than $50. It is that simple - as long as the one protector makes a short ('less than 10 foot') connection to single point ground.

Effective protection means using 100 year old technology with today’s even better devices and earthing. Effective protection means no unplugging. Protectors are located where most effective - at the breaker box; not inside rooms or adjacent to appliances. And the most critical point. No earth ground (plug-in protectors) means no effective protection. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. Ineffective plug-in protectors have no earth ground. Do not even claim protection in their specificatons. Effective protection means surge energy dissipates harmlessly outside the building. Means nobody even knew a surge existed.

crafter005

We don't have a lot of thunderstorms in California so I don't think about unplugging electrical appliances (including sewing machines is this catagory). I am getting better at unplugging my sewing machines just to store them. I always plug laptop and sewing machines into good serge protectors and unplug when done. However, I never remember to unplug the surge protector from the wall.

Thanks for all the good tips.

mardilee

Hi fabri-holic, I made one of those sewing machine pads with pockets that hang off the table in front. When I unplug the machine, I put the end into one of the pockets. Works for me:-)

fabric-holic

That's a good idea.
My habit of putting the cord through the throat is going to be hard to break...I've been doing it for decades!

jpmaroni

This information is priceless...