Protecting 1Gb Ethernet From Lightning Strikes

bzs at theworld.com bzs at theworld.com
Wed Aug 14 17:27:44 UTC 2019


Are "surge protectors" really of much use against lightning? I suspect
not, other than minor inductions tho perhaps some are specially
designed for lightning. I wouldn't assume, I'd want to see the word
"lightning" in the specs.

I once had a lightning strike (at Harvard Chemistry), probably just an
induction on a wire some idiot had strung between building roofs (I
didn't even know it existed) and the board it was attached to's solder
was melted and burned, impressive! More impressive was the board
mostly worked, it was just doing some weird things which led me to
inspect it...oops.

My understanding was that the only real protection is an "air gap",
which a piece of fiber will provide in essence, and even that better
be designed for lightning as it can leap small gaps.

Check your insurance, including the deductibles, keep spares on hand.

P.S. My grandmother would tell a story about how what sounded like the
ever-controversial "ball lightning" came into her home when she was
young. Good luck with that!

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning

-- 
        -Barry Shein

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