Electric question

[ldj]

First I am not electrician. Years ago a electrician told me to use a DPDT light switch for power to my computer and use 1pole for hot and other for neutral. He said that was good lighting protection because when turned off there was no route for lighting to go past the switch. Other day I was telling someone about that and they said no way. Have I felt safe when my computer is switched off it was protected from lighting all these years all wrong?

Leo

 

[ken44520978]

First I am not electrician. Years ago a electrician told me to use a DPDT light switch for power to my computer and use 1pole for hot and other for neutral. He said that was good lighting protection because when turned off there was no route for lighting to go past the switch. Other day I was telling someone about that and they said no way. Have I felt safe when my computer is switched off it was protected from lighting all these years all wrong?

Leo

Switching the hot and neutral is no different than pulling the plug out of the wall. During a lightening storm that would be the thing to do. Switching the hot AND neutral would be the next best thing to do.

 

[JMOR]

It only has to arc across closely spaced contacts in the switch. But has to jump from wall socket to plug on floor

 

[Factotum]

It will protect from brown outs and surges, but a lightning strike not as much. Most damage comes from brown outs and surges so you have been protected by a large degree.

 

[Janicholson]

It only has to arc across closely spaced contacts in the switch. But has to jump from wall socket to plug on floor

I use the plug on the floor method for lightning storms. The surge from lightning can be from a small increase in line voltage to millions of volts. A gap of a foot or so really limits the chance of damage. But at a full house lightning strike there may be more critical damage to worry about, like fire and death. Jim

 

[ldj]

What is plug on the floor?

 

[DoubleO7]

What is plug on the floor?

When you pull the plug out of the outlet and let it fall down to the floor.

 

[drsportster]

Probably good for surges .It does complete disconnect

 

[mark1955]

lighting arcs, a few miles thru the sky, so a simple light switch, or even some of the surge plug ins, are not enough gap between the power source, and the product, being powered up.

 

[ldj]

Makes since. In that case even unplugging from wall wouldn't be 100% safe

 

[Janicholson]

It is never safe around lightning. But it will take every shorter path. So 30cm or a foot is far better to suppress a surge from a local strike. Being struck in a building (experience) has many more important safety concerns than the data on the drive. Jim