Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cwjcc!gatech!udel!burdvax!bam From: bam@PRC.Unisys.COM (Brian A. McCreadie) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Lightning protection Message-ID: <11561@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM> Date: 26 Sep 89 18:41:01 GMT Sender: news@PRC.Unisys.COM Lines: 27 Does there exist a method of protecting emp sensitive components from lightning, short of putting them in a Faraday cage and unplugging them? I have an Adcom pre-amp that has twice been killed by a nearby lightning strike. It uses IC's to select between sources rather than mechanical switches. It turns out that these IC's are super sensitive. The mains power cable for the unit is a two-prong polarized plug. It has a ground for the phono input and also one for the AM antenae. The first time it got nailed, the pulse also took out the surge protector. I discovered (too late) that surge protectors can only deal with the first 200-300 volts of a spike. I didn't bother buying another one. The local TV cable enters my house close to the power for the preamp. Is it possible that the cable picks up the pulse from a nearby strike and since the preamp isn't grounded, has no place else to go once it is in the preamp? Could I rig up something with BIG caps to absorb the energy before it does damage (assuming BIG caps are cheaper than preamps) Thanks in advance.