Brownouts, shorts, explosions and the unix pc.

[Pete Hardie]

In article <134 at limbic.ssdl.com> gil at limbic.ssdl.com (Gil Kloepfer Jr.) writes:
>Both forms of protection are useful in many cases...  A general word of
>caution though-- spike protectors are NOT lightning arrestors.  The
>best protection from lightning is unplugging your machine from the power
>**AND** phone lines.  There's an ongoing discussion in the 386 group
>about lightning damage through the phone lines.  Most modems are terribly
>unprotected against such surges....

Indeed.  I have a modem that was fried when some spike travelled up the
phone line.  My roommate had been on when the storm arrived, and he was
smart enough to unplug the power cords, but didn't think about the phone
cords.  

Considering that my grandmother has a friend who was nearly deafened by
her phone when lightning struck nearby, I marvel that any phone devices
last as long as they do.

-- 
Pete Hardie             mail: ...!emory!stiatl!slammer!nyet!pete
"Well, Darkness has a hunger that's insatiable,
And Lightness has a call that's hard to hear" -- Indigo Girls