Power surges and resulting paranoia

[YellowJersey]

So I grew up in a house that was struck by lightning one night. Every light in the house turned on for about 5 seconds and the microwave as well as several TVs and other appliances were fried. My grandparents also have a cottage in rural Ontario where power surges are also common; we've gone through quite a few microwaves (we now leave it unplugged if no one's there). It's always the microwave for some reason.

 

 As a result, I'm something of a paranoid parrot when it comes to my fear of power surges frying my expensive electronics. As a result, not only do I turn off the powerbars for my TV, gaming consoles, and computer station when they're not in use, I also unplug the powerbars altogether.

 I realise that I'm probably worrying over nothing, but nevertheless, I still can't help but worry about it.

 Anyone else have these kinds of fears?

[LukeSavenije]

i don't have them... it's all clean here, but you should think about a ups for your setup (and more if you're really worried), they cost you around 60-100 bucks each and filter out surge and keeps it all on for a while after your power cuts off.

[Peskanova]

A tier 1 psu and this https://www.amazon.es/Schneider-Electric-16301-Combi-SPU/dp/B019IVR78Y/ref=asc_df_B019IVR78Y/?tag=googshopes-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=300866338996&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12295033494059011266&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9047055&hvtargid=pla-565568982469&psc=1

 

[YellowJersey]

Looks like I have some reading up to do.

 

[LukeSavenije]

Just now, YellowJersey said:

Looks like I have some reading up to do.

 

yep... good luck, and if you have any questions about it, I would recommend asking it in the cases and psu tread

[DataEmo]

Don't forget over-voltage protection on phone/dsl and catv lines.

[YellowJersey]

6 hours ago, LukeSavenije said:

yep... good luck, and if you have any questions about it, I would recommend asking it in the cases and psu tread

I thought my original post made it clear I wanted to complain about this, not actually do anything about it. :P 

[aezakmi]

well you could spend hundreds on protections and reinforced cables and outlets OR keep unplugging the stuff when you're not using it

I literally do that every night and when I'm not home.

 

turning off a powerbar is useless against a lightning because the current is so high it can jump through ANY type of consumer switch

[LukeSavenije]

7 hours ago, YellowJersey said:

I thought my original post made it clear I wanted to complain about this, not actually do anything about it.

nah, it doesn't... we're here to help, as you can see

[Peskanova]

I work for an engineering design company and the electrician engineer that I have by my side recommend me this , https://www.schneider-electric.com/en/product-subcategory/1615-acti-9-surge-protection-devices---spds/ (My problem was like yours , 1 psu / mobo per year ) , First of all take a tier 1 psu (I bought my evga p2 650w 10 years warranty at 140€) But if a lighting enters to your house , if you dont have that spd despite your house main switch turn off the lightning did the damage so its useless... So what does that spd is make a loop for high and low tension to be sure that lighning never goes through your house.

[RejZoR]

Use surge protections. I basically don't plug anything directly into wall socket anymore, especially not during summer. A cost for replacing one was under 20€, instead of whatever more expensive was plugged into it. I remember one instance when surge arrived through phone line. Luckily I had it hooked to surge protection so it only fried the LineIN port on it. DSL, router boxes and PC were not affected. They even replaced it with new under warranty because they guaranteed free replacement for the entire warranty period.