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I get "hash", "noise", whatever, when there's lightning popping in the area.
Has anyone figured out a way to eliminate that, or at least, tone it down by 60 dB or so?
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Are your interconnects shielded?
You most likely have an RF leakage problem. I would bet that all the power conditioners in the world are not going to address this issue because it probably is not coming through the power line. You might have a bad interconnect or simply have a component that is susceptible to RF.
You're probably right!
btw, I've always liked that graphic you use. Funny as heck!
Yup, I know the unplug thing, and I do that when the storm is right on top of us. Typically, it'll be 2 or 3 am, and I have to drag my butt out of bed and walk all over the house with a flashlight unplugging everything.
What I'm asking about, though, is when there's lightning a bit farther away and not a threat (yet), I get "hash" through the stereo. RF noise at the moment of the flash. I don't suppose there's anything one can do about it, but just thought I'd ask.
You could build a Faraday cage for your room like they do for MRI and CT Scan centers....
LMAO You mean I gotta live like a Hamster in a mesh cage just to listen to my stereo RF noise free ? Well I suppose it could be worse, at least I have wall to wall shredded wood shavings to keep the room from being to reflective and bright !
No, I couldn't. ;)Still, a good idea, and probably the only way to fix it!
Edits: 08/15/12
Environmental Potentials EP-2050 whole house surge protector and AC noise filter. It's the residential version of an industrial surge protector used by companies like Pepsi. I've installed them on my last four houses and swear by the devices. Back when the first one was installed I noticed a reduction in mysterious blue - screen - of - death computer crashes, and the HDTV picture suffered far fewer "break ups" (not sure what else to call it when part or all of the image "shatters" into random blocks). I haven't lost any equipment during several power outages caused by a hurricane, winter storms, and severe thunderstorms. The only problem is that Environmental Potentials seems to be mostly focused on their commercial market and appear to have only one dealer who sells to consumers.
This is a good looking device...though a little more expensive than the others I've seen without the claimed noise reduction feature. Worth getting a professional install:
Don't forget: Regular surge protectors, even my expensive panamax with isolation transformer, WEAR OUT. The MOV devices can only take so many 'surges' before their capacity is expended.
MOVs are cheap, however, but good luck finding a tech to replace 'em for you. You should be able to DIY this.....but need the right MOV.
Your CABLE, Telephone and/or small dish should also run thru a surge protector. My Panamax is so fitted as is the power bar at my confuser.
If I lived in Colorado or Florida or the SouthEast lightning belt, I'd have one installed immediately.
As for the interference....you MAY have some oxidation on interconnects. This will turn into a rectifier for the RF produced by lightning. I'd spend the afternoon with Deoxit and maybe even take apart some connector to see. Copper oxide is greenish and was, in times past, used to make rectifiers.
Too much is never enough
Thanks.
And I know what you mean by images shattering. I think that's caused by an interruption of the data flow, or a weak signal.
I'll look into the product you mentioned. Even if it doesn't filter out the RF noise from a strike, it sounds like it'll be helpful for other things.
I've suspected that the "image shattering" problem might have been evidence of the TV being unhappy about noise or some other problem in the AC power that was eliminated or reduced by the EP-2050. As far as I know nothing changed in the quality of Comcast's signal.
Whatever you decide to do about your issue, I think whole - house AC protection is almost mandatory these days. People put cheap surge protectors on their computers and forget about their audio and video systems and the many other devices in a contemporary house that have electronics in them. Even large appliances are being equipped with electronic controls and some modest computing power. My washer weighs the clothes and calculates the amount of detergent I should use. I'd rather not find out what it would cost to replace the board in the washer if it got fried by a surge. Who thinks to put their laundry appliances on a surge protector?
Whole house protection is the way to go , for me it was a better way to go since I can't "forget" to protect an item and it isn't really that expensive. I picked up a Leviton unit I think I spent all of $275 or so including my buddy doing the install and having to feed him a "Real BBQ Smoked Pork Ribs and Pulled Pork" dinner which was more work than the electrical part of the deal :^)
"Who thinks to put their laundry appliances on a surge protector? "
That's a great point.
Fortunately, our washer doesn't have such modern features. Heck, if my little woman can't figure out how to put detergent in it, we're in serious trouble. ;) Still, when the day comes that our trusty Maytag bites the dirt, we'll probably be stuck having to "upgrade" to a smarter machine.
Anyway, EVERYTHING in our house is on a surge protector. Well, except for the fridge, microwave, and washer.
I really gotta get protection for the microwave - it's totally computer-controlled!
And your equipment will survive to play another day.
"And your equipment will survive to play another day."
Maybe not.
EMP has been known to kill brand new PCs still sitting in unopened packaging. If you are worried about such things you need to live inside a Faraday cage, which is what a friend built after a local lightening strike destroyed several virgin computers.
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
"EMP has been known to kill brand new PCs still sitting in unopened packaging. If you are worried about such things you need to live inside a Faraday cage, which is what a friend built after a local lightening strike destroyed several virgin computers."Hey Tony, I understand what you're saying, and I suppose it's possible.
However, if it was 'likely', there would be proof and numerous examples, and I haven't seen any. In 30 years of working with personal computers, your's is the only story I've heard regarding that. Even then, since your friend's computers were new, in unopened boxes, there is no way to affirm that a lightning strike toasted them - more likely they were already toast. Your friend does not know - he's just guessing.
Anyway, thanks for the reply!
Edits: 08/16/12 08/16/12 08/16/12 08/16/12
I consider what I saw "proof".I saw the house (on a pinnacle). I saw the absurd number of lightening rods being installed on top. I saw the mesh grid of thick heavy wires across the entire roof. I saw the mesh grid of wires up and down every wall of the building, going between every pair of windows, horizontally and vertically. I saw the workmen pounding stakes into the ground.
I asked the owner why he was putting in such "absurd" lightening protection and he told me about what had happened to three PCs in their unopened shipping crates. He showed me the three new unopened PCs. He is a well regarded author of books on computing technology and definitely a person of integrity. I have no reason to doubt his story. The owner had been affiliated with IBM at a high level and undoubtedly still had many personal connections with the company. I am sure he was aware in detail of how these machines had been damaged. Since what he reported is consistent with my understanding of theory I consider this matter "case closed".
One can debate the applicability to other sites, since few people live on top of a pinnacle.
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
Edits: 08/18/12
Let's hope we don't get to all witness this debacle first hand. A single nuke at high altitude over Iowa would trash most electronics in the 48 contiguous states. (Damage was noted in Hawaii after a nuke test in the Pacific over 1000 miles away.) The doomsday types say the same thing can happen from a really bad solar storm, or at least enough transformers wiped out to take down the power grid for months with attendant total breakdown of society.
Fortunately, we only have to make it through to December 22, 2012 to prove the worst doom sayers wrong. :-)
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
"A single nuke at high altitude over Iowa would trash most electronics in the 48 contiguous states."
Yet another reason to move to Portofino.
" Has anyone figured out a way to eliminate that "
Unplug. Why take the chance of equipment getting damaged ?
Any lightning within 2-3 miles and I'm unplugged, too.
That's a very good question,I wonder with the energy involved what you use to filter it out or shield it ?
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