Lightening protection on M1G

fleetz

Active Member
Sorry the topic title should be "Lightening protection on M1G" I couldn't edit the title only the text body!

I am soon to install my MIG in a lightening prone area i Far North Queensland. Does anyone have a M1G operating in a similiar environment? Does the unit have any protection on the phone input side?

Any suggestions as to how to improve lightening immunity? I will be fitting a gas arrestor in the building distributor.

I would appreciate any suggestions for how you guys condition installed systems for both phone and power lines.

Cheers.

Fleetz
 
I would make sure that phone lines are protected both at the building entrance (usually provided by phone company) and at the panel using an Elk phone protector.

Also be aware that any long serial run between a PC and the panel could be a path for a surge because each device will be plugged into a local ground reference that may not remain at the same potential with respect to each other during a lightning event.
 
This install I am doing is going to have DSL, so I am going to use the Channel Vision P-0411 as the filter and it also has a surge protector. I will probably also use the Elk-950 after that. At first I was just goint to use the 950, but then since I needed DSL filtering, figured 2 surge suppressor are better than 1!

But I would also do a whole house one if you can (although the P-0411 for me will be the first device in the line).
 
I suggest using an ELK-950 Lightning Suppressor on any controls telephone line and leave at least 10 feet of wire between the 950 and the control as a delay line for the lightning suppressors to have time to turn on.

Wrap the telephone wire around a nail about 20 times to act as an inductor to help slow down the lightning.
 
Spanky said:
I suggest using an ELK-950 Lightning Suppressor on any controls telephone line and leave at least 10 feet of wire between the 950 and the control as a delay line for the lightning suppressors to have time to turn on.

Wrap the telephone wire around a nail about 20 times to act as an inductor to help slow down the lightning.
Hi Spanky,

I see you went to the same engineering university as I did. I thought it was 22.5 turns anti clockwise using a galvanised nail no longer than 2" driven in at 45 degree between the hours of 4 and 5pm on a Saturday providing the ambient temperature doesn't exceed 75 degrees! And of course whilst there is no lightening flying around! :( You rememeber that class? :)

The ELK-950 is a good suggestion thou! I don't think the boys at Ness run with the 950 down here, will buy one from Martin if I can get him to stop laughing!

Cheers digger mate,

Fleetz
 
Not sure why Spanky is taking so much heat for his inductor suggestion. The physics is valid and it could make a difference. If you feel uncomfortable with winding the wire around a nail, I'm sure there are more expensive options that will accomplish the same thing.
 
Go ahead and laugh at the inductor that Spanky suggested. Just dont ask him to fix the panel overnight if something happens.

I am no expert on surge and lightning suppression but from what I do know his idea is valid. Just because its cheap and easy doesn't mean it wont work. Sometimes the simpler the better.

You have to remember that the guys at ELK have a tremendous amount of cumulative knowledge. I work for an alarm manufacturer and even though we are bigger in head count I dont think we have as much cumulative knowledge that ELK does (ok I hope my boss isnt a member of Cocoontech yet).

I spent a year working with ELK on a special project and they really know their stuff so if Spanky says paint purple dots on your M1 enclosure to ward off evil spirits do it (ok I had to have some fun to).
 
Steve said:
This install I am doing is going to have DSL, so I am going to use the Channel Vision P-0411 as the filter and it also has a surge protector.
That looks exactly like what I need. But I have one question. Shouldn't this device be grounded somehow? I don't see any earth grounds in the PDF...
 
Digger said:
Go ahead and laugh at the inductor that Spanky suggested. Just dont ask him to fix the panel overnight if something happens.

I am no expert on surge and lightning suppression but from what I do know his idea is valid. Just because its cheap and easy doesn't mean it wont work. Sometimes the simpler the better.

You have to remember that the guys at ELK have a tremendous amount of cumulative knowledge. I work for an alarm manufacturer and even though we are bigger in head count I dont think we have as much cumulative knowledge that ELK does (ok I hope my boss isnt a member of Cocoontech yet).

I spent a year working with ELK on a special project and they really know their stuff so if Spanky says paint purple dots on your M1 enclosure to ward off evil spirits do it (ok I had to have some fun to).

Hi Digger and upstatemike,

Don't get me wrong I too have a huge amount of respect for the ELK team and David in particular and yes there is some merit it what Spanky was suggesting. We also have a history of "winding" eachother up!!! :(

I suppose were I was looking it from as a reasonably high spike coming down the line the wire and the nail might struggle a tad!! I do agree about the purple dots and Spanky. I lot of tongue in cheek as us Aussie do better than most but David is gold!

Pity Digger you only spent a year at ELK these guys they are really switched on, would be nice to fly with them for a few more years.

Respect how you both defended David rest assured we are absolutely on the same side!

Cheers and beers,

Fleetz
 
Spanky said:
Wrap the telephone wire around a nail about 20 times to act as an inductor to help slow down the lightning.
Spanky, Thanks for the great cheap suggestion as extra insurance for my Elk-950. Which wire are you suggesting I wrap around a nail? The phone line coming in from the house? The wire coming out from the Elk-950 to the Elk, or out from the Elk-950 to the rest of the house? Or all of them? Which end is better to do the wrapping at, closet to the Elk-950 or other end?

What about the power cable since the Elk-950 also protects that too. Should that also be wrapped around a nail?

My plans are to mount the Elk-950 near the breaker panel so that I can easily attach to the earth ground, then just route the phone and power wires about 40 feet to the Elk panel.

The Pod
 
Fleetz,

I never worked at ELK I just worked with them for a year on a project. I definitely would love to work for ELK but my wife doesn't want to move down south.

As you saw I took a friendly jab at the end of my post as well. Elk has a great bunch of guys and they enjoy a good joke.
 
Not sure why Spanky is taking so much heat for his inductor suggestion. The physics is valid and it could make a difference. If you feel uncomfortable with winding the wire around a nail, I'm sure there are more expensive options that will accomplish the same thing.

Hehe - please don't take my joke as a jab against Spanky. I'm not saying it won't work. It's probably will.

I'm just having a little fun!
 
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