Surge Protection

[Metalcraft]

This year I've lost all my phones, fax, security system and all the control system
to my 5 x 10 Torchmate to electrical surges. Not lightning but surges during
a storm. So far this year I'm out 4500.00 and counting. Last year I lost a 100
watt Epilog laser to the same thing although I didn't realize at the time what was causing it. I would like to know how everyone protects their equipment from this or if they even have this problem. I talked to one company and they
suggested a 15,000.00 surge protector. I can't afford that nor can I continue
without doing something! Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[jmsrbrt]

If you decide to go that route, call an electrical contractor to install surge protection on your service. It's not going to cost anywhere near $15K.

As an added precaution, unplug your equipment until ready to use.

[Shapenfab]

I am using one of these to plug all of my electronics into on my TM system. I think everything is protected, and it would give me a couple minutes to shut everything down (because of the battery backup) if our power went out while I was in the process of cutting something. Of course since my power hasn't ever went out while cutting, I can only hope this will actually work.! This is what was recomended to me so am trying to be prepared.

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[Kevin_Johnson]

This year I've lost all my phones, fax, security system and all the control system
to my 5 x 10 Torchmate to electrical surges. Not lightning but surges during
a storm. So far this year I'm out 4500.00 and counting. Last year I lost a 100
watt Epilog laser to the same thing although I didn't realize at the time what was causing it. I would like to know how everyone protects their equipment from this or if they even have this problem. I talked to one company and they
suggested a 15,000.00 surge protector. I can't afford that nor can I continue
without doing something! Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

I live in Florida -- lightning strike capitol of the USA. Yes, I have lost many thousands of dollars of electronic equipment too.

I have the electronics on a computer type UPS with surge protection. I think I have gone through four or five of them in the last seven years. Get your electric company to install surge protectors at the line in addition to this. Seems like this runs under $100 and I believe there is a small monthly charge.

I stop cutting during storms and shut off the power at the load center in the shop. If you get a direct hit there is not much you can do. It would be a good idea to actually physically unplug the equipment when it is off. We have lightning rods on the house -- we took a hit and each of the nails holding down the straps on the ground wire melted a little hole in the roof. A little trail of leaks across the ceiling. Cool but I did not especially want to crawl up up the roof with a caulk gun.