How do I protect our telephone ?

[mickey jim]

We had a storm close by the other night which has broken our two phones.  I've borrowed a phone from our neighbour, but each time I try and introduce one of the storm damaged phones I can no longer get any phone to work all, including ADSL, so it looks as if they are only good for the poubelle!!. Luckily we had unplugged the TV, computer etc but didn't think about the phone.  With the storm season approaching, is there anything we can buy that will protect our new phones from being damaged too?  Or do we have to unplug every phone everytime we leave the house just in case there's going to be a storm.  This is our second year of living in France, and until now, we haven't had any problems with the phones after a storm, and we've had some overhead which have knocked the electric out completely (trip switch) - but this didn't happen this time.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[londoneye]

sorry - not entirely relevant but i have note book computer and first time had storm over here (computer was plugged in) got a message on computer akin to end of world nigh.   scared life out of me - turned off and on - ok.   figured power lines had been cut, next time storm was acoming i cunningly unplugged computer (thinking myself very clever!) - yes, same message - guessing because of connection via livebox - although i have a wireless connection on laptop, it was in at time.  Anyone know, similarly to Mickey jim, how on earth i protect my computer |!

[Anton Redman]

You need a ‘parafoudre’ which should protect your telephone.  The best method incorporates them into the ‘tableau d’electricite’ but we used adaptors which plug into an earthed power socket. For phones and internet they have a wire to the wall socket and a second socket into which you plug the phone or PC.  There are also bigger adaptor plugs which have protected sockets for PC, screen etc as well as the phone line

 

If you have a lightening problem you also should protect the TV, Hi Fi and things like washing machines machines which now use solid state controllers rather than ‘old style hedgehog mechanical connectors/timers.

 

Links below to Castorama but  Leroy Merlin, Mr. Bricolage and the Hypermarkets stock them in most areas where there is a lightening problem.

 

Blocs et fiches parafoudres

 

http://www.castorama.fr/boutique/products/products.jhtml?elementId=CastoEL0406&navAction=push&navCount=0

 

http://www.castorama.fr/boutique/sku/sku.jhtml?elementId=Casto841368&productId=CastoEL0406&_requestid=21095

 

They are not 100 % guaranteed but we lost a modem and a washing machine in the three months before we installed them and lost nothing in the next fifteen months.