[geeks] Whee! Lightning strikes, AGAIN!

[Shannon Hendrix]

On Jul 29, 2009, at 01:39 , Lionel Peterson wrote:

> I have a long run wit almos two dozen cat5e cables for most of the  
> run (homerun to basement from every room, at least two cables per  
> room, with a half dozen spares coiled up in the attic.
>
> I need to protect the 2 dozen endpoints in the basement AND the two  
> dozen end-points. I am wondering if there is a pass-thru, 1U, twelve  
> or twenty-four port surge suppressor in the market...

Ah, I'm sorry.  I somehow completely blipped over the configuration  
you described.

Yes, you can get multi-port gigabit suppressors.  They look like patch  
panels basically and can be rack mounted.

Just google for gigabit surge suppressor and you should see some.

I have a feeling that they will not be cheap.

>> But your problem really is that you have a spot which is  
>> originating the strikes rather than being the target.
>
> I'm starting to understand that...

Actually, I mean to say it more like this:

...your problem is you are either have spot which originates a charge,  
or you have something about your location which makes it the best  
conductive path in your area.

Either way, the point is you can't stop lightning.

However, you can stop being the target in many cases.

Find out what the lightning is attracted to and maybe eliminate it,  
move it, or alter it.

If you can't do that, and maybe even if you can, you need to ground  
the strikes to prevent them from entering structure and wiring.


-- 
Shannon Hendrix
shannon at widomaker.com