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Amps directly into wall w/Hubbell on off switch?

The local electrical supply house has heavy duty ivory Hubbell 15 amp switches , so I am wiring dedicated bx outlets, one for the amps, one for the digital front end, each outlet wired to a Hubbell on off switch. The switches and outlets will be in separate metal outlet boxes with metal ivory wall plates. Any thoughts on this set up? I assume with the system switched off, I would be protected from lightning (unless the stike jumps the gap).
Thanks,
Mario
mario_giberti
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Don't know much about anything else, but if you have ever seen the resuts of a lightening strike, that gap at the switch will mean nothing.
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
I know it's a hassle, but I think you'd be better off just unplugging your equipment when thunderstorms threaten. Lightning surges have even been known to jump breakers in the off position, much less wall switches. And besides, you'd be introducing another set of contacts and wire terminations in the power wiring which could be counterproductive.

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g_m_c
443 posts
 
Lightning also is happy to travel through the ground or neutral wires, which are not interrupted by a breaker.
czbbcl's avatar
czbbcl
1,752 posts
 
The safest method is to simply unplug the equipment. I live in Michigan and the weather especially in the spring can be rather unpredicable so I simply unplug my equipment when not in use. This is by far the safest method and as others have said a switch will not stop a lightning strike.

Chuck
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