surge protectors??

[jmv]

Do any of you guys use surge protectors??

I got pretty freaked out today, because the transformer for the power lines behind my house blew up today... luckily for me, it didn't affect our house, but fried the appliances at everyone elses house down the street! :2:

If i've got my amp plugged into a wall, and a major surge like that happens, what are the chances that, even if its not turned on, it creates a strong enough current to arc across the switch?? That could EASILY fry the amp, and i know that i'm not gonna be able to replace my amp if something like that happens to it... well, not for any reasonable amount of money, anyway.

So, do any of you guys use surge protectors?? Are they nessesary?? And, if so, will the $10 beige plastic ones work okay, or should i invest in something thats more heavy-duty than that??

 

[Sprinter]

Re: surge protectors??

I use surge protectors on my amps. My house has been struck twice by lightening. One hit, didn't do much damage, but the other hit was bad. I lost nearly everything that was plugged in. I had to put the VCR out, it was sitting on top of the TV, in flames. I usually unplug my amps when I'm not using them, but I still use surge protectors with them.

Sprinter

 

[Dooogz]

Re: surge protectors??

I should really start using them i guess. I use a surge protector on my computer, now u suggest it i may go and get another for my guitar gear

 

[mrid]

Re: surge protectors??

I don't use them because they changed my tone significantly (this was a high-end (APC SurgeArrest Professional).

 

[southadc]

Re: surge protectors??

I have a surge protector in line with the kettle lead going into my amp. I also have a RCD plugged into the socket, into which the amp and effects go.

 

[italic zero]

Re: surge protectors??

I don't use them because they changed my tone significantly (this was a high-end (APC SurgeArrest Professional).

How is that possible?

 

[jmv]

Re: surge protectors??

I don't use them because they changed my tone significantly (this was a high-end (APC SurgeArrest Professional).

huh... thats interesting... i didn't know it could do that.... i mean, it SHOULD be the same 120V coming out of the thing... weird.

 

[mrid]

Re: surge protectors??

How is that possible?

Not sure exactly, but my Marshall sounded like crap until I plugged it straight into the wall. :laugh2: Maybe it has to do with voltage regulation? The amp wasn't even getting enough juice to adequately power the indicator light. :yell:

 

[59paul]

Re: surge protectors??

Wow mrid, that's pretty interesting. Hey jmv, check into one of the Furman power conditioners with surge protection. I won't plug my amps in without protection. And I ALWAYS unplug them when I'm not playing them.

 

[jmv]

Re: surge protectors??

Hey jmv, check into one of the Furman power conditioners with surge protection.

yikes, i don't have that kinda cash right now.... seriously, i have like $10 to my name...

and a rack unit isn't too convenient for me... do they make something with the same surge protection, that is just sort of like a powerstrip??

 

[59paul]

Re: surge protectors??

Sure, but get a GOOD one, like the type you would use for your computer or other valuable electronic equipment. They usually have a breaker that trips, and a reset button . One like this usually costs between $15 and $20, but it is worth every cent. I've used this type, and had no problems. Some of the Furman stuff isn't overly expensive as long as you don't add on a bunch of bells and whistles. But.....a good surge strip is ok.

 

[Kent S.]

Re: surge protectors??

I use a Furman PL-Plus, ( I miss the old AR -117 line regulator that I had bought used ... never should have sold that ... :smack: ) ... that generally does it for me (Furman actually make one for your home theatre set-up ... cool! ), but it doesn't correct for under or overvoltage, just filtering, and spike protection, and sever over voltage. Odd thing is, I have to go into it about every year and readjust the line voltage meter, as it drifts off ... weird.
If you value your equipment then you need to invest in one if you don't have one already ... I would prefer a total isolation transformer to feed it with though, as that's the real safety ticket there.

 

[Artie]

Re: surge protectors??

I'm not absolutely positive about this, but I think that all surge protectors are designed only to filter power company anomalies.

I don't think any can filter out God's little 10 million volt arc-saber.

 

[Kent S.]

Re: surge protectors??

I'm not absolutely positive about this, but I think that all surge protectors are designed only to filter power company anomalies.

I don't think any can filter out God's little 10 million volt arc-saber.

I hear what you are saying, but Furman has examples of it saving equipment that was connected on lines that were hit with lightning ... document cases.
The lightning I guess gets diffussed when it hits everything else,and power company transformers blow ... well, I must assume that much of the lighning gets sent to groound, but there is a substantial amount on the residential lines left over ... big spike! You might want to call 'em and ask them, I;m not sure how the power companies are set up, I know that they do have some type of protective equipment for just that thing. Plus if it hits your house, well a lot againg gets sent to ground via the safety ground at the service interance. That would be my best guess.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: surge protectors??

Call me ''MR. OVERKILL'' ! I've got all my stuff running thru an ART power conditioner which is runs into a power strip on my pedal board which is plugged into a wall type surge protector.

Every single outlet in my house that has some type of appliance plugged into it has a surge protector on it. I live in the western communities in my city & especially during the summer, we get bad electrical storms. I've had family & friends lose every electrical appliance they owned due to lightning strikes or power surges.

If you can't afford a power conditioner, go to the local Home Depot, Circuit City, Best Buy...whatever...& grab a GOOD power strip. Don't be surprised to see the prices differ between a few dollars up to $100.00 ! I think the one I have on my pedal board cost $20-30 on sale @ Best Buy. It's money well spent for peace of mind!

 

[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.