CHARLIE@UMVMA.BITNET (Charlie Turner) (04/24/91)
My first phone line surge supressor was a TripLite, which sacrificed itself stopping a surge that cooked one of its MOVs. The modem, however, survived intact. Since the TripLite was pretty expensive (I thought) I replaced it with an under $10 Radio Shack phone line protector. This little device plugs into a standard three prong grounded AC socket, so as to use that for its ground. What would normally be the two hot prongs are just plastic. So far, after three thunderstorm seasons, my modems are still running fine.
smith@sctc.com (Rick Smith) (04/25/91)
The only time I ever had lightning trouble was with a brand-new Mac (several years ago) and a slightly older Hayes, both plugged into a surge suppressor. The older Hayes had a 2-prong, not a 3-prong plug. The lightning strike took out the modem and the serial port on the Mac. I concluded that it entered by way of the phone line. Now I have a suppressor on the phone line, too. And Hayes sent my modem back with a new power supply incorporating a 3-prong plug, replacing the 2-prong one. Rick. smith@sctc.com Arden Hills, Minnesota