RBM wrote:
"Dimitrios Paskoudniakis" wrote in message
...
A couple of weeks ago, lighting struck a tree near my house, hit the
ground, entered my underground invisible dog fence, ran through the wire to
the outlet in the garage where the control unit is plugged in including a
lighting protector, scorched the outlet and wall underneath, tripped that
circuit breaker, and also fried the cable (cable TV and internet) at the
first splitter.

Fortunately the cable repair was free, but I paid over $240 for the
invisible fence repair. I asked the invisible fence company if a whole
house surge protector would have helped, and they said not in this case,
that the circuit was fried from the outside to the outlet, not from the
utility power.

So I'm debating whether to invest in a whole house surge protector or not,
and if so, to buy or "lease". I have two circuit panels and received an
electrician's estimate of over $400 installed since I have two panels.
Another company will install a whole house surge protector for free, I
just get $8.50 added to my electric bill each month, about $100 per year.
It would take four years for the first option to be better. I'm not sure
I'll be here much past six years, when my youngest starts college and we
want to downsize.

So, should I invest in a whole house surge protector? Does it not protect
against lighting? Do I buy the $400 version or "lease" for $8.50 per
month?

Inquiring minds want to know.

If you've never had a problem with line lightning, I wouldn't bother. I
don't believe that the type of surge protectors you are referring to would
do much to protect sensitive electronics anyway. If you want them to protect
things like well pumps and motors, fine, but the typical lightning strike
that causes a surge, won't be stopped quickly enough or completely, to
safeguard sensitive electronics,

You have this backwards. Whole house surge protection will normally
protect electronic equipment, as long as the surge comes from the power
lines. As much as possible, you want the surge protector *between* the
surge and the equipment. Always add surge protection for incoming phone
and cable tv wires also.

When a well pump is hit it normally takes a surge from lighting hitting
the wire, the well casing, or anything close by. This is between the
pump and the surge protector so the well doesn't get much protection.