Spark plugs fire at 12,000 to 25,000 Volts. Some require as much as 45,000 V. I’d recommend something in addition to spark plugs. Gas discharge tubes have a turn-on voltage of 150 V to 2000 V, depending on the model.
wunder K6WRU Walter Underwood CM87wj http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog) > On Oct 30, 2018, at 1:29 PM, Mel Farrer via Elecraft > <[email protected]> wrote: > > All this is good info. Some right on and some just there. From decades of > using wire antennas with 600 ohm ladder line to a switch yard for selection, > I use the old FORD approach. All ladder lines have back to back old Ford > spark plugs in front of all the switching. The common point on the two plugs > goes to the tower ground network. So even when the antenna is not selected > the FORD's do their thing. No failures to date except the the pole Pig on > the service pole to the house, it took a direct hit and blew a hole in the > side of it. Needless to say we were then on Generator back for a while. > Forgot to say the spark plugs have 5 w 1 Meg resistor across them to > ground......... > Mel, K6KBE > > From: Fred Jensen <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2018 12:58 PM > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Avoiding costly lightning damage to your radios gear > > Does my K3 have a static bleed across the antenna terminal(s)? A number > of years ago, our CQP team in Alpine County fried the front end of an > IC-760 II in a snow storm [precip static]. Then, with an accumulated > 300 or so years of amateur radio experience on the team, we replaced it > with a spare ... and fried that one too. [:-) I have a coax Tee with a > 100K resistor in a PL259 on my K3, just wondering if it's necessary. > > 73, > > Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW > Sparks NV DM09dn > Washoe County > > On 10/29/2018 8:08 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote: >> Every year, especially in summer, our techs see radios come in that have >> been damaged by lightning, despite the radio's protective circuitry. You can >> take steps to reduce your own risk. >> >> 1. Many of us remember to disconnect antennas when lightning is anticipated. >> But in our experience, the most common source of damage, by far, is from an >> attached computer. Computers themselves often fail due to lightning strikes. >> They can also act as conduits for surges to other gear. Just to emphasize >> this point: Customers often say "I disconnected everything but the USB cable >> to the computer...," which left the interface to their radio exposed. >> >> Note: Only in rare cases have we seen surge damage via other I/O ports >> (accessory jack, paddle/keyer jacks, PTT IN, KEY OUT, and DC). USB and RS232 >> ports are the most susceptible. >> >> 2. Some stations have an ad-hoc ground system and little or no ESD or surge >> protection. If you haven't already taken protective measures, we strongly >> recommend reading this article, which goes into some detail regarding how >> lightning finds its way in: >> >> >> http://www.arrl.org/files/file/QST/This%20Month%20in%20QST/June2017/Chusid-Morgan.pdf >> >> At the very least, be sure your PC and other gear share a short, heavy, >> common ground. >> >> 3. As for protecting your PC, here's a good starting point: >> >> https://www.wikihow.com/Protect-a-PC-in-a-Thunderstorm >> >> 73, >> Wayne >> N6KR >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [email protected] > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [email protected] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
