I didn't realize I was not totally protecting my machine
08-01-2010, 06:26 AM
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 543
Unpluging anything from the appliance itself leaves a cord that still has power and can present an opportunity for electric shock. It is much safer to unplug from the electric outlet. Then on just another similiar thought, just unpluging a cell phone from the charger, but leaving the charger pluged into the outlet is still using electricity. Maybe not much dollar, but why give a few dollars to the Power Company when we could spend those dollars at the fabric store.
08-01-2010, 07:04 AM
#32
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 33
Originally Posted by crafter005
I always plug laptop and sewing machines into good serge protectors and unplug when done.
> Either a 'whole house' protector makes the short connection to single point earth ground. Or
> spend tens or 100 times more money on plug-in protectors that do not even claim to do protection.
> No plug-in protector will avert the hunt if you let a surge inside the building. A properly earthed
> 'whole house' protector means no appliance damage.
Means no appliance damage. If a sewing machine needs protection, then so does the dishwasher, furnace, dimmer switches, digital clocks, and every radio. What most needs protection if a surge occurs? Smoke detectors. Only solution that protects everything is also the only protector that protects a sewing machine from any surge. Including when a stray car hits a telephone pole.
That power strip protector is a profit center. Obscenely profitable. Does not claim to protect any machine. Read its specs. They can lie in sales brochures and on the box. That is legal. But they cannot lie in one place - numeric specifications where no protection is claimed.
If a 'whole house' protector is not earthed, then your only protection is what comes inside every appliance. That protection is significant - more than what a power strip does. But your concern is something that can overwhelm that internal protection. An event that occurs maybe once every seven years. That means an earthed 'whole house' protector. Cost: $1 per protected appliance. So that the machine - and everything else - is protected when using it.
08-01-2010, 08:16 AM
#35
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 210
When I was working, my computer was plugged into a heavy duty serge protector, but one day during a thunderstorm I actually watched my computer screen turn into a bright orange pumpkin - toatlly fried - right in front of me. We found out that surge protectors aren't all that protective.
Ever since that day at home I Always unplug the serge protectors from the wall outlet for all of my machines, and tv's during a bad storm. Instead of unplugging each machine I only have to unplug the one unit which usually has 2 machines on it.
Also learned this the hard way - our Dish dvd is hooked up to the phone outlet for any downloads (cheaper than having downloads for regular maintenance, than directly thru dvd). But last summer when lightening hit the phone transformer, for miles around, it also fried the dvd update system. Didn't know till we got a bill that dvd was doing regular mantenace thru dvd.
Needless to say, during bad storms I unplug the phone line to dvd.
Can you guess, I live in Georgia.
karen
Ever since that day at home I Always unplug the serge protectors from the wall outlet for all of my machines, and tv's during a bad storm. Instead of unplugging each machine I only have to unplug the one unit which usually has 2 machines on it.
Also learned this the hard way - our Dish dvd is hooked up to the phone outlet for any downloads (cheaper than having downloads for regular maintenance, than directly thru dvd). But last summer when lightening hit the phone transformer, for miles around, it also fried the dvd update system. Didn't know till we got a bill that dvd was doing regular mantenace thru dvd.
Needless to say, during bad storms I unplug the phone line to dvd.
Can you guess, I live in Georgia.
karen
08-01-2010, 08:33 AM
#36
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Brewerton, NY
Posts: 2,489
Thanks, I don't know if I would have even thought about a surge protector, but if it's a computerized machine, that makes sense. I'm thinking of getting a new machine, so I'll make sure I get a serge protector, and unplug when it's not in use. I have learned so much from this quilting board. Thanks everyone.
08-01-2010, 08:37 AM
#38
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 33
Originally Posted by karensue
When I was working, my computer was plugged into a heavy duty serge protector, but one day during a thunderstorm I actually watched my computer screen turn into a bright orange pumpkin - toatlly fried - right in front of me. We found out that surge protectors aren't all that protective.
There are scams - plug-in protectors. And then there is how it was done even 100 years ago so that your telco's computer operates uninterrupted through 100 surges and every thunderstorm. Unplugging is considered a least reliable solution.
You let a surge into the house. This time, energy found earth destructively via the computer plugged into an ineffective (power strip) protector. That protector may have made damage even easier.
What will a surge 'score' next time? Air conditioner? Dishwasher? Security system? Dimmer switches? TV? Refrigerator? You let that energy go hunting. It will find appliances, destructively.
Why do all munitions dumps use no plug-in protectors? Only earth 'whole house' protectors? Because direct lightning strikes must never cause explosions. Because direct lightning strikes without damage was routine even 100 years ago using a well understood (and much less expensive) solution.
A protector too close to appliances and too far from earth ground can even make that appliance damage easier. Both protectors have the same name. But only one 'whole house' type does protection. Plug-in protectors even by the gross are only profit centers. Do not even claim protection in their numeric specs. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground.
08-01-2010, 09:00 AM
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 701
Originally Posted by westom
Originally Posted by BellaBoo
Surge protectors wear out very fast. All power surges and with each surge the protector gets weaker. They should be replaced every year and every time the circuit breaks due to a power surge. The industrial protectors are the best but look pretty ugly and they are big.
Or those 'woe is me' myths about damage are bogus. Telcos suffered direct lightning strike without damage – even 100 years ago. If using plug-in protectors, then those fears and 'replace it every year' myths are easily promoted.
Some have noted value from one 'whole house' protector. Protection is always about where energy dissipates. Either a surge is harmlessly absorbed in earth - outside the building. Or that surge is inside - hunting for earth destructively via appliances. You make that choice. Either a 'whole house' protector makes the short connection to single point earth ground. Or spend tens or 100 times more money on plug-in protectors that do not even claim to do protection. No plug-in protector will avert the hunt if you let a surge inside the building. A properly earthed 'whole house' protector means no appliance damage.
Destructive surges occur typically once every seven years to homes. A number that can vary significantly even within the same town. Your telco’s computer may suffer 100 surges with each thunderstorm - and no damage. Install what telcos use for about $1 per protected appliance. Avoid companies mostly promoted by hearsay and myths such as APC, Tripplite, Belkin, and Monster. 'Whole house' protectors from more responsible companies include Siemens, General Electric, Square D, Leviton, Polyphaser, and Intermatic. Or an effective Cutler-Hammer protector can be purchased in any Lowes or Home Depot for less than $50. It is that simple - as long as the one protector makes a short ('less than 10 foot') connection to single point ground.
Effective protection means using 100 year old technology with today’s even better devices and earthing. Effective protection means no unplugging. Protectors are located where most effective - at the breaker box; not inside rooms or adjacent to appliances. And the most critical point. No earth ground (plug-in protectors) means no effective protection. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground. Ineffective plug-in protectors have no earth ground. Do not even claim protection in their specificatons. Effective protection means surge energy dissipates harmlessly outside the building. Means nobody even knew a surge existed.
I say thank you now, but I'll be thanking you way more when the next storm hits and I can sit back and not worry about appliances and electronics that would cost a whole lot of money to replace.
Are you an electrician?
08-01-2010, 09:08 AM
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: MO
Posts: 1,057
I always unplug Gracie (my Bernina) when it storms and turn off my computer. Irma (my inexpensive Brother), I sometimes unplug, but usually leave it plugged into the surge protector. Should unplug it, too. I've been wondering if others do this.
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