surge protectors??

[Lightning]

Re: surge protectors??

Mrid,
No way you were starved for power unless the APC your using had already been hit or is out of box defective, or a wiring fault in amp, or an effect or something causing a ground loop (1 ground at protector and 1 ground in front of protector...I've never had this problem but have had others others that make me think this ). Make sure you register your APC or the insurance doesn't pay (I've sold over 300 network models), you don't have to register Panamax ITW Links so I swithed to them and they're more flexable for my applications.

[Fret]

Re: surge protectors??

My understanding is that the typical surge protectors only protect against 1 major hit. Once the protection is used it’s over, although the device still functions so you never really know what state it is in.

About 10 to 12 years ago I lived in Texas and I had a Carvin combo amp plugged into a computer surge protector. I was playing in my bedroom during kind of the aftermath of a thunderstorm. There was still some light thunder and lightning but nothing really major. All of a sudden the lights went out; I saw lightning out my window that appeared to have a shape almost like the cartoon lightning bolts. At the exact same time this happed I saw a string break on my guitar and it popped me in the hand. Well, I thought it was a string; the lights came right back on and all of the strings where still on my guitar. It totally fried my amp, it wouldn’t produce anything accept static.

Now I have a surge protector in the bottom of my combo amp. I actually screwed one in simi-permanently, I also use a furman PL8 plus and I did the shock protection modification from guitarnuts.com. That’s the one where you put an additional capacitor in-between the ground to bridge and the ground of the circuit in the guitar.

[Kent S.]

Re: surge protectors??

My understanding is that the typical surge protectors only protect against 1 major hit. Once the protection is used it’s over, although the device still functions so you never really know what state it is in.

Yeah, to my knowledge that's correct, as a matter of fact, I believe that Furman, even says that after a nit takes a hit, it must be returned for servicing. It wiil still supply power, and the filtering may or may not still be effective, but the surge protection is null and void at that point.

[Fritz6]

Re: surge protectors??

Kent, what is the Furman filtering out? Noise? I've always wondered about that.

[Kent S.]

Re: surge protectors??

Kent, what is the Furman filtering out? Noise? I've always wondered about that.

It's really just a line filter for noise, other companies use the same thing, the exact type of filtering depends on the unit, some are two line, some are three line (I'd have to see a schematic to tell you per unit). What it does is it takes out RFI/ EMI from the AC itself, as well .. power lines hang up in the air, you get staic discharges, and radio waves hitting them constantly (the power lines often can act as antennaes somewhat), then there is someone turning on a blender in the kitchen, or hair dryer in the bathroom, if it's on the same circuit noise can get coupled into the line, and show up in your amp or effects, the Furman's help to take a lot of that stuff out before it gets to your gear. The quality of the filters in important as well, and is directly related to component quality per the same design of filter. Regarding the two line, and three line ... a two line filter generally take out noise from the hot, and the neutral (although not always, depends on what the manufacturer want's to do), a three line hot, neutral, and ground. Filtering should not be confused with regulation, the actuall line regulators they mak coorect for voltage swings, say you'll get exactly 120V ac/ 60Hz. (or whatever your one's contry uses voltage and frequency wise) with in a certain capture range (say 90V~135V )... the regular *line conditioners* give filtering, voltage spike (surge) protection, and overvoltage protection ... but don't correct for power swings. A full on APC (which furman makes also), actual acts like a battery if you lose power, it stays on long enough for you to get everything shut down correctly. A bit more than you asked, but there you go.