which parafoudre?

[Doodle]

Hi all,

I want to buy a parafoudre (or three) for the TV & humax box connected to a double socket with the TV plugged into a TP link wifi extender. I've been looking on Amazon france and there's a variety to choose from so I thought I'd ask the oracles on the forum as I know you will give me some good advice. If I'm sounding double dutch it's because I'm not techno inclined but think I ought to do something to protect the TV etc due to the amount of storms we've had lately.

Mrs KG

[vette]

I have 'Infosec' ones. I got them from a Brico' in Mayenne if I recall.

One has 7 sockets and the other has 5. Not had any problems with either. One is for the TV, Freesat, DVD and Bose surround. Quite a lot of expensive kit in all but I haven't switched the socket off for at least three years. The other protects the main fridge/freezer and the livebox/phone.

Just a point. Did you know that they don't last forever?

There is a lamp that warns when it is no longer working as it should. I believe that they will take so many hits and then give up the ghost.

Hope that helps a little.

[idun]

Dear me, didn't you know that in France, IF your local church has one............. it protects the whole village!!!!

as said to the children in our village school by the teachers![:-))]

[andyh4]

I remain highly, highly sceptical about parafoudre.

Orange (or FT as it was) insisted that I should buy one to protect their livebox. What happens now when storms are forecast? Why, orange send an email saying you should disconnect from the mains and the phone line during storms - so much for their parafoudre.

My take on this is that a lightning bolt has travelled a couple of kilometres through the air and struck a power or telephone line. The power is now winging its way down the copper wires to my house. And I expect a fast acting 2mm gap to now stop it. I don't think so.

[Doodle]

Hi Andy,

We bought one as insisted by Orange & guess what - whenever there's a storm I disconnect the phone & livebox etc!

Mrs KG

[Doodle]

Hi Vette

Thanks for the info, I did see Infosec on Amazon. I recently replaced my very very old B&O TV with a new one so I'd like to do what it takes to protect it especially as I know that if it fails to work due to a power surge it will be very expensive to get repaired. I see you've got Bose surround - now you've made me think that I'd better get another one for the sound system!!

I didn't know about the lamp warning so I better check the one for the cooker! oooh la la la la la la

Mrs KG

[minnie]

Our house was hit by lightning about 2 years ago and it's certainly an expensive game....Fortunately we had the proper protection for our desktop computers. However we didn't for our TV or for our Gas Central heating boiler, both of which suffered from electronic faults. Eventually, the insurance did pay up but it took a while. Don't forget your central heating boilers though because the cost of repair of that was about 800 euros.

[nomoss]

[quote user="andyh4"]

My take on this is that a lightning bolt has travelled a couple of kilometres through the air and struck a power or telephone line. The power is now winging its way down the copper wires to my house. And I expect a fast acting 2mm gap to now stop it. I don't think so.[/quote]

The 2mm gap is not intended to "stop" the lightning discharge.

The gap is connected between the power line and a good earth connection.

Any high voltage appearing across the gap causes the air in the gap (between two sharp points) to ionise, lowering its resistance, and allowing the high voltage to take this resultingly easier path to earth rather than through the equipment being protected.

[Jonzjob]

When we had our main  consumer unit replaced several years back we had one fitted in there and it protects the whole house. Not sure about the village church though?

We also have the one supplied with the Livebox on it plus a couple of others that Orange sent us out of the goodness of their hearts, but when there's a storm everything gets disconnected. I think it's called belt and braces, and it saves all the kit getting said belt [:-))]

[grumpyaudeman]

Hi

Great physics and theory, but it does not work 3 parafoudre three orange boxes one computer and a telephone blasted to bits dispute the idea they can protect you

Lightening jumps over kilometres if your close you have no chance nevertheless every little helps

[Rabbie]

[quote user="idun"]Dear me, didn't you know that in France, IF your local church has one............. it protects the whole village!!!!

as said to the children in our village school by the teachers![:-))]
[/quote]There are two main dangers from lightning. A direct strike on your property and a direct strike on the power lines.

The lightning conductor on a church will if it is the tallest building in the area will tend to attract the direct strikes so protecting the surrounding village.

 

It is for the strike on the power lines that you need the parafoudres.