Re: Line Conditioner to Protect Electronics
By Will Dahlgren
> Ten years ago a Sola 2- or 3-kva ferro-resonant line conditioner for
> 60 Hz cost about $2000; it will run indefinitely with no maintenance,
> and protect all the computers and consumer electronics found in a home.
> I think it's very well-suited for places like Florida and Jakarta!
I think, starting at $2000, one might consider a few solar arrays and at least power your electronics off the grid.
I have had a couple of "events" here when 14,000-volt lines got knocked into our local grid (probably 2000-3000 volts). Several of my $9.99 plug strips were fried and provided no protection. The MOVs just couldn't hold on until the breaker tripped.
[ MOV = Metal-Oxide-Varistor, which is the popular semiconductor device
[ used in the plug-strips. -- Robbie
However, the $60 computer-type devices worked. Also, since many of these come with $10,000 to $25,000 damage warranties, hey, it's worth a try. I admit the small print suggests some major difficulties on the collection end, but if you don't have $2000, it may give some cheap insurance.
Will Dahlgren
[ I'd like to see the "incident report" from the power company for that
[ event. It must have caused big damage.
[
[ Battery-to-AC convertors for motor homes are now around $200 for a
[ 400-watt unit; then all I need is a well-charged car battery, and I'm
[ prepared for the wind and lightning storms. I'm seriously thinking
[ about this! -- Robbie
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(Message sent Fri 10 Jan 1997, 05:08:02 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
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