sosewcrazy

Thanks for these tips! Does anyone know if turning off the power strip is enough, or does it need to be unplugged?

karensue

I'd rather be safe than sorry so I just unplug the power strip(serge protector) from the wall outlet.
I figure it only takes a few seconds to do this and we all know how we Love our wonderful machines.

Karen

westom

From my posts, that should be obvious. Completely obvious. If a 2 centimeter protector part inside a power strip cannot stop a surge, then why would millimeter separation inside a power switch stop a surge? If three miles of sky could not stop a surge, then why would centimeter and millimeter solutions stop it?

Only one way to protect from destructive surges. Well proven even by early 20th Century ham radio operators. They would disconnect the antenna and still suffer damage. Place that lead inside a mason jar and still suffer damage. Damage stopped when the antenna lead was earthed. What must you always discuss to have protection? Earthing.

A 'whole house' protector does same – automatically and every second of the year. Once surge energy is inside a building, nothing will stop the hunt. Nothing. Especially not magic box power strips that do not even claim to do surge protection.

Unplugging is a most unreliable solution.

Nothing here is new. These concepts were understood 100 years ago. But advertising makes it almost impossible to learn 100 years of well proven science. Your most difficult problem is not installing a 'whole house' protector. Most difficult is unlearning lies and junk science that promotes ineffective and high profit protectors.

Nothing stops a surge. Either it is earthed harmlessly outside a building. Also called shunting, diverting, clamping, bonding, or connecting. Or a surge goes hunting destructively. It has been that simple for 100 years. And yes, an overwhelming majority are, instead, only educated by retail advertising. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. That is the science. And that is never taught by retail propaganda.

Earleen

I lost a machine due to storm and had to fight with insurance company to replace it due to cost of machine. I finally got a replacement as I had full replacement needless to say also got a new insurance co.

Quiltntime

Good Advice! Although, I unplug my machines, I really didn't think much about getting a surge protector for the TV. Lost power after a T-storm, and the TV was damaged. I unplug when a storm passes over now. Surge protectors for our computer, and RV too.

Gerbie

I have made a habit of unpluging the cord from my Bernia and moving the cord away every time I quit sewing. it only takes a few seconds to do this. Where I have to use my machine, because of few outlets, I use a good extension cord, and if a storm is coming I unplug the machine cord from the extension cord, so nothing is plugged to the machine. I have done this ever since I bought the machine. The owner of the LQS where I bought my machine, recommended this because of a customer that lost her machine, due to an electrical storm. I just have this habit, and feel like it is easier to plug it in when I start to use it, rather than not have one to plug in at all.
Our internet is through our telephone co. and when it is stormy looking we unplug the phone line to the computers as well. I realize that all appliances need to be unplugged or something, but we just don't get to everything. I guess we really should. Thanks for the advice. Where to you get a whole house protector? I also live in West Tx. and we do have a lot of electrical storms, even without the rain around here. I think I need to invest in a whole house protector. Do all appliances plug in to this or do you just plug it into one spot and it protects everything? I am clueless about this, and never heard of it before, as you can tell.

wvdek

Thanks for the advice

westom

At what point does anyone first learn the facts.

Unplugging is unreliable protection. Plug-in protectors can even contribute to sewing machine damage.

kathome

The whole house protector is installed at your main electrical box. Read the posts by westom. Really good information there.

it's not just your computer and sewing machine or TV. ANYTHING that's plugged into your house is at risk.

danmar

The sewing machine I got the 1st of June is my first electronic one. I didn't even think about having to unplug it during storms! Thank you very much for the information.