[aprssig] Wholehouse Surge protection?

KBØNLY kb0nly at mchsi.com
Tue May 31 00:46:43 EDT 2011


The Cutler Hammer unit is connected via a metal knockout connector and that’s 
the recommended install, as a matter of fact I called their support number 
and inquired about it, they told me that if you install it without the units 
case being grounded to the panel I could be denied any warranty/damage 
claims.  Considering the thousands of these installed I would think they 
know why to do it this way.

The GE units I have seen install the same way, they are a metal cased unit 
which is fastened into a knockout on the breaker panel, the GE instructions 
quote this is intended for proper RFI shielding of the device, but I don’t 
know anymore than that.

73,

Scott KBØNLY


-----Original Message----- 
From: Glenn Little WB4UIV
Sent: Monday, May 30, 2011 11:36 PM
To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
Subject: Re: [aprssig] Wholehouse Surge protection?

Ensure that you connect the surge panel to the
breaker box wit PVC or similar non metallic conduit.
Metallic conduit will act as a choke preventing
the surge from getting into the surge suppressor.
Most surges will be lightning induced and lightning is a high frequency 
event.
All grounds should be as short as possible,
number 6 or larger inside the building.
Do NOT use braid for a lightning ground as the
high frequency event does not like the bends back
ad forth that make up the braid.

In a previous life, I inspected tower sites for lighting mitigation.

When properly installed, a whole house surge suppressor is very effective.

73
Glenn
WB4UIV




At 11:52 PM 5/30/2011, you wrote:
>The Cutler Hammer is the one I recommend also.  Menards, Lowe's and Home 
>Depot all carry them now, at least here all my local stores have them in 
>stock.  Worth the investment ten times over in my opinion.
>
>I still run UPS's on the computers and surge arrest power strips, not cheap 
>ones either, on all the electronics and ham gear in the house, but having 
>the whole panel one seems like a good extra step.  It's easy to install, 
>just add a two pole (220v) breaker to your panel and the Cutler Hammer box 
>wall mounts next to your panel and installs into a standard knockout, then 
>wire the two blacks to the breaker and the white and green to the 
>neutral/ground bus and your done.
>
>73,
>
>Scott KBØNLY
>
>
>-----Original Message----- From: Herb Gerhardt
>Sent: Monday, May 30, 2011 10:44 PM
>To: 'TAPR APRS Mailing List'
>Subject: Re: [aprssig] Wholehouse Surge protection?
>
>I had some really bad voltage spikes one year when a high voltage line fell
>on top of a low voltage line after a car hit the power pole.  Well that
>surge turned my microwave oven to toast.  It burned up the display and I
>lost all confidence in it so replaced it.  The local PUD (Public Utility
>District) said I could fill out a claim and they might pay for the damages.
>Looked at the forms and decided it was not worth the hassle.....
>
>I asked the local PUD if they had any recommendations for a whole house
>surge protector and at that time (about 10 years ago) they said they had 
>not
>found one that was reliable enough to recommend.  I then went to the local
>Lowes store and they had a Cutler Hammer Model CHSP MAX surge protector
>which is rated for up to 50,000 Amps/phase.  From what I remember it cost 
>me
>under $50 and I installed it myself in the main panel.  So far I have not
>had any more appliance damage from voltage surges.  Yes, I still use the
>small surge protector strips to protect my computers and ham radios....
>
>It is available from at:
>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039ZJDRO/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&
>me=&seller=  for $80 now days.....  Just search for CHSP MAX and you will
>get lots of hits....
>
>
>Herb, KB7UVC
>NW APRS Group, West Sound Coordinator
>Our WEB Site:  http://www.nwaprs.info
>
>
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: aprssig-bounces at tapr.org [mailto:aprssig-bounces at tapr.org] On Behalf
>Of
>>Bob Bruninga
>>Sent: Monday, May 30, 2011 7:39 PM
>>To: TAPR APRS Mailing List
>>Subject: [aprssig] Wholehouse Surge protection?
>>
>>Time for a new topic...
>>
>>With lots of (APRS on topic) electronics at home, I wonder about putting
>in a
>>whole-house surge protector.  ANyone with experience there?
>
>
>
>
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