Re: Are PC surge protectors needed in the UK?

From: w_tom (w_tom1_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 07/09/04 

Date: Fri, 09 Jul 2004 08:46:47 -0400

  Lightning is a connection from cloud to earth borne
charges. Electricity travels through kilometers of
non-conductive air. Why would some millimeters of air between
two RCD contacts stop same electricity? 1,000,000 mm of air
did not stop lightning. Why would 4 mm of RCD air stop what a
million mm could not?

  The bottom line is this. Nothing is going to stop
lightning. Lightning protection is about shunting - also
called diverting, redirecting, or electrically connecting - to
earth ground. Any protector that claims to stop or block
lightning (such as in the RCD question) is simply promoting a
myth. And yet that is exactly what many people do - promote
the myth - when they recommend plug-in protectors.

  In response to the OP's question. 4 mm of air inside the
RCD (open switch contacts) is not going to stop a potentially
destructive surge.

Richard Herring wrote:
> In message <40EDCBCC.6CBD3259@hotmail.com>, w_tom <w_tom1@hotmail.com>
>> Again an assumption that something will stop or block a
>> destructive transient. Kilometers of air could not stop the
>> transient.
>
> I think you need to be more quantitative here. Kilometres of
> air could not stop what, exactly? They certainly do a good
> job of protecting me from lightning strikes in the next
> village.

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