Surge protection, no filtering, no regen please...

Gs5556 brings up a good point. Airplanes are designed to withstand lightning because the plane's skin is ground to the electronics. Radio and radar towers survive because they have lightning rods.

A lightning rod is a sacrificial metal rod which is attached to a thick copper ground wire. Lightning strikes the rod and channels the energy to the earth. It doesn't have to be sacrificial, it may take numerous hits. I've seen copper wires range from #6 to 0000 size for AL.

This is not a do it yourself type of project, you have to have an engineering-electrical group who installs this sort of thing do it for you. Do understand what I am saying: I am an EE and I wouldn't design one for myself. The trade off is that lightning rods attract lightning.

Since I made my last post, I found a link where a guy's house was hit by lightning. See: http://www.digitalhomedesignline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216403470&cid=NL_DHDL

One engineering manager I worked for some years back had his place hit by lightning. Everything that was plugged in was destroyed, even things like the motor in the refrigerator. In short, if it was plugged it, it was destroyed.

Hope this helps...

All that I can say is that my house has been struck twice by lightening. One time my system was not on but my computer was and had a surge protector. The computer was fried. The second time in another house, my system was on and lightening struck my water heater which was only six feet away. The system was all plugged into the Sound Application ac filter. Neither it nor the stereo system was damaged at all, although the water heater had a hole blown into the gas line, the garage door opener was fried, as was the house intercom system and answering machine, and all ground fault sensors were tripped.

Presently, I use only unplugging everything in electrical storms.

http://www.ep2000.com/Index.html

Whole home protection is the way to go. If you don't own the home then that isn't practical so something portable... I've had no issues with Transparent Audio Powerlink Ultra which I have all my office stereo system plugged into including my amp. Also check out the Audience product line.

You cannot really protect from strong direct hit since it creates plasma 1 foot wide and you need very thick wire and grounding rod to return it to earth, but any protection is better than none (protects from line spikes and indirect hits). I would unplug (if I'm at home) and if you have roof antenna - ground it. Metal structure on asphalt shingle roof gets charged by wind (static electricity) to thousands of volts and your house looks (electrically) like skyscraper.

You can purchase a whole house surge protector from Home Depot for about $75.00. It gets connected directly to your breaker box. Has green and red lights. Green good Red replace. Most serge protectors are good for 1 hit only and must be replaced. Contrary to popular belief that they reset themselves, most do not. If you talk to an electrician he should be able to get you one with a module that can be replaced.