Network Power Surge?

Hi.

I can't find anything else similar to this strange problem I had today.

When I came home today I noticed my Linksys router had died. I
replaced the power supply and it works fine now. Upstairs a networked
Xbox 360 on a surge protector also had a broken PSU. Back downstairs
my old networked Xbox also failed. I've replaced the PSU and it works
fine. The PC attached to the same network is fine and the network is
working fine.

Why would 3 items on the same network all die at once? Is it possible
to have a power surge do this only on a network? At the time only the
router was on. Everything else in the house (PS2, TVs, wireless
phones, etc) is OK.

Any ideas or is this a really wierd coincidence? How can I protect
from this in the future?

Cheers for any ideas.

Ted

First learn why a surge happens. For example, most transients enter
on AC mains. All appliances see the incoming surge. But from 2nd
grade science; no complete circuit, then no electric current. Which
appliances have an outgoing path to earth?

Destructive surges seek earth ground. From cloud, to wires down the
street, incoming to house and appliances, through that router, out via
cable or phone line to earth ground. After current flows through
everything in that path, only then does something in that path fail.
This is only one possible circuit. There can be plenty more. But the
transient was permitted inside the building where it found earth
ground, destructively, via some appliances.

What does a protector do? It is a shunt mode device. During a
transient, all wires connect together. IOW an AC mains surge now has
more paths to find earth ground, destructively, via adjacent
transistors. How does your telco, with a $multi-million computer
connected to overhead wires in town protect their computer? They
disconnect all phone service until the storm passes? They use plug-in
protectors? Of course not.

Telco installs a 'whole house' protector on each wire of each cable
to earth ground. Earthing that is as short as possible. A connection
as much as 50 meters distant from transistors. All electronics -
their switching computer, your router, and your Xbox - all contain
internal protection. Protection that was overwhelmed because 1) you
did not earth where utility wires enter the building AND your protector
was adjacent to those Xboxes (gave the surge more paths into that
Xbox).

An effective protector has a dedicated and a short connection to
earth. Any surge earthed before it can enter the building will not
overwhelm protection inside router, Xbox, dimmer switches, clock radio,
etc. What protects the dishwasher, bathroom GFCI, smoke detector, and
other electronics essential to human life? 'Whole house' protector
with a 'less than 10 foot' to earth ground. A protector that costs
about $1 per protected appliance.

Provided are principles for effective protection; a technology well
proven before World War II. It explains why some electronics were
damaged. Your damage suggests the entire house remains at risk.

Responsible solutions are sold in Lowes, Home Depot, and electrical
supply houses. Effective solutions are not found in Radio Shack,
Sears, Staples, Best Buy, Office Max, Circuit City, Wal-mart, or
K-mart. Why? Where does that protector have a dedicated and 'less
than 10 foot' earthing connection? Responsible manufacturers of 'whole
house' protectors include Intermatic, Leviton, Cutler-Hammer, GE,
Siemens, and Square D.

Every incoming utility must be earthed as it enters the building.
That means building earthing must be upgraded and exceed post-1990 NEC
requirements. When was your house built? That means each incoming
utility first connects 'less than 10 feet' to an earthing electrode.

Provided above is the solution for AC electric. Telephone? Telco
already installs a 'whole house' protector for free because that
protector is so inexpensive and so effective (if you had provided
earthing to connect to). Cable does not require a protector. Cable
uses a ground block and 10 AWG wire to make a direct connection.
Remember what a protector does. It connects each utility wire to
earthing. But coax cable can be earthed without using a protector. We
call that effective 'secondary' protection.

Yes, 'secondary' because you are not done yet. Inspection of the
'primary' protection system is required:
http://www.tvtower.com/fpl.html

What is the most critical component in every protection system?
Earthing. The surge overwhelmed protection already in those Xboxes to
find earth ground, destructively via its transistors. No earth ground
means no effective protection. Earthing - what ineffective protectors
don't connect to and what their manufacturer will not discuss. In your
case, the adjacent protector may be even contributed to damage of an
Xbox.

Ted wrote:
> I can't find anything else similar to this strange problem I had today.
>
> When I came home today I noticed my Linksys router had died. I
> replaced the power supply and it works fine now. Upstairs a networked
> Xbox 360 on a surge protector also had a broken PSU. Back downstairs
> my old networked Xbox also failed. I've replaced the PSU and it works
> fine. The PC attached to the same network is fine and the network is
> working fine.
>
> Why would 3 items on the same network all die at once? Is it possible
> to have a power surge do this only on a network? At the time only the
> router was on. Everything else in the house (PS2, TVs, wireless
> phones, etc) is OK.
>
> Any ideas or is this a really wierd coincidence? How can I protect
> from this in the future?

On Jan 5, 4:35 pm, "w_tom" <w_t...@usa.net> wrote:

The best information I have seen on surges and surge protection is at
http://www.mikeholt.com/files/PDF/Li...ion_May051.pdf
- the title is "How to protect your house and its contents from
lightning: IEEE guide for surge protection of equipment connected to AC
power and communication circuits" published by the IEEE in 2005 (the
IEEE is the dominant organization of electrical and electronic
engineers in the US).

A second guide is
http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/p.../surgesfnl.pdf
- this is the "NIST recommended practice guide: Surges Happen!: how to
protect the appliances in your home" published by the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (the US government agency
formerly called the National Bureau of Standards) in 2001

Both guides were intended for wide distribution to the general public
to explain surges and how to protect against them. The IEEE guide was
targeted at people who have some (not much) technical background.

>
> What does a protector do? It is a shunt mode device. During a
> transient, all wires connect together. IOW an AC mains surge now has
> more paths to find earth ground, destructively, via adjacent
> transistors.
As explained in both guides, If you use a plug-in suppressor all
interconnected equipment (like computer and printer) should be
connected to the same plug-in suppressor, or interconnecting wires,
like LAN should go through the suppressor. Other external wires like
phone, CATV, ... also should to go thorough the suppressor. A plug-in
suppressor works by clamping the voltage on all wires to the common
ground at the suppressor.

> How does your telco, with a $multi-million computer
> connected to overhead wires in town protect their computer? They
> disconnect all phone service until the storm passes? They use plug-in
> protectors? Of course not.
Telcos don't use plug-in suppressors on their switches because the
switches are very large, high amp, hard wired devices with a huge
number of phone lines coming in. It is stupid to talk about a plug-in
suppressor in that application. You use the technology that is
appropriate to the application.

Both the IEEE and NIST guides say plug-in suppressors are effective.

>
> An effective protector has a dedicated and a short connection to
> earth.
Plug-in suppressors, as described in the IEEE guide, work primarily by
clamping the voltage on all wires to the common ground at the
suppressor, not earthing.

>
> Telco
> already installs a 'whole house' protector for free because that
> protector is so inexpensive and so effective (if you had provided
> earthing to connect to). Cable does not require a protector. Cable
> uses a ground block and 10 AWG wire to make a direct connection.
Telco protectors and CATV ground blocks must be connected with a short
wire to the power system earthing wire close to the power service.
(This is called a single point ground.) Illustrated in the IEEE guide
starting guide page 31 is the problem of too long a wire connecting a
CATV ground block and the earthing wire at the power service. If
separation is unavoidable, the illustration also shows how a plug-in
suppressor protects by clamping the voltage on all wires to the common
ground at the suppressor.

Voltage differences between power and signal wires could cause the
damage described.

>
> What is the most critical component in every protection system?
> Earthing. No earth ground
> means no effective protection. Earthing - what ineffective protectors
> don't connect to and what their manufacturer will not discuss.
As described in the IEEE guide, plug-in suppressors do not work
primarily by earthing.

Both the IEEE and NIST guides say plug-in suppressors are effective.
But see the note above about all wires going through the suppressor.

--
bud--