Surge Protection?

[Underdog]

Having just lost a port in one of my ethernet switches, ethernet to serial port converter box, and a couple of boards in our network printer due to power surges, I now wonder if it's not a VERY good idea to use a surge protector for my new (to me) Carvewright?

Any thoughts on the idea?

[badbert]

a UPS would probably be better?

[RMarkey]

Surge protection will help you from a lightning strike, but our power supplies can handle up to 220v (albeit that is passed directly to the cutmotor), so normal power fluctuation probably won't hurt the machine.

I cheap UPS without an AVR won't do much unless you lose power completely. Get one with AVR and the power will be better regulated from over/under voltage. However, if you drain the battery down, it may cause the cutmotor to run slower without the X/Y/Z stalling, which could break a bit. It would be better to lose power completely, or hit a "power fluctuation" error. I'm not sure if a UPS will continue to put out power until the battery dies, or shut off when it hits a critical level.

[Underdog]

UPS are usually installed on PCs so that you can safely save work and close down any running programs before the battery dies. The larger the UPS wattage the larger the load it will handle- and also the longer it will stay up if the load isn't so large. That's my understanding, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm just leery of frying any boards due to power fluctuation in my shop. I've got about 150' or so of that large gauge trailer wire running out to the service in my shop. Sometimes the power fluctuates when the compressor comes on...

[Digitalwoodshop]

Surge Protection normally uses a Varistor and it looks for a over voltage condition or a surge and then SELF DESTRUCTS by SHORTING OUT taking out the Fuse to the power. It is a one time use.... Some have green lights telling you they are still alive... Once it pops you need to replace the unit as in the surge protector.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surge_protector

Depends on your power in your area.... Older Wiring Systems as in the Power Company sometimes get flakey..... Here... We have a Ski Mountain that takes massive amounts of power to run the snow making equipment. My brother worked for them for 8 years. They pay a premium for the snow making power and draw massive amounts of power. As I read in bed some nights the incandescent light bulb will get brighter for a few seconds as they change around snow making units then dim back down to normal....

That is basically a power spike....

As far as the Ethernet, this time of year, STATIC ELECTRICITY could have easily taken out the unit. Searching Forums like Signs 101 for posts about people using Vinyl Cutters there are sometimes posts about Static Electricity taking out the Communications...

Good Luck,

AL

[Underdog]

Hmmm..... interesting. Speaking of static taking out electronics...

Somewhere I saw this company whose whole business is creating products which eliminates static. I thought of it when someone mentioned that vacuuming their CW out caused boards to fail. And again when I was looking at plastic dust collection systems...

Let me see if I can find a linkie...

[200k]

I have a whole house surge protector in my main junction box. Last year a thunderstorm that produced a nearby lightning strike to the ground in the middle of an open green. Five of the houses around it (min distance 100' and some two blocks away) had all their home electronics fried - TV and stereo of course but also refrigerator, stove, microwave, dishwasher, washer, dryer, etc. There are little circuit boards in everything nowadays. Numerous other homes adjacent to them with whole house surge protectors had them discharge/go off but lost no electronics. It's a lot cheaper to replace the surge protector than all the appliances. BTW, I just keep my CW unplugged anytime I'm not using it; the best lightning protection ever.

200k