[comp.sys.apple2] Lightning/surge suppressors

stanp@pro-fishunt.cts.com (Stan Planton) (07/29/90)

It is important to remember that turning off the power to the computer
will STILL probably leave two of the three wires connected directly to
the house wiring system: one wire is the "hot" wire, this is the one
switched off by the switch (if the house is wired properly), a second
is a kind of "neutral", this one is NOT switched off, and the third is
the house central ground wire, and this isn't disconnected either. If
lightning strikes and surges into the house, it can travel around on
the second and third wires, despite the power switch being turned off.
A surge suppressor takes a quite a while (in microprocessor time) to
notice a power surge and respond by self-destruction. In this time, LOTS
of damage can be done to the system, switched off or not...
Stan