Hello, tree-phase protection at the building entrance (using heavy discharge tubes made by TTI Puerto Rico) has solved most problems in Venezuela. However there is a ever growing problem present, probably world-wide. The problem is as follows:
Most computer users buy “stabilyzers” using MOV type surge protectors. These are single-phase devices and see what the happens doring a lighning storm: when surge arrives, the sinle phase MOV will cut the overvoltage surge to a save level for the computer it is ment to protect. But now the catastrophic effect is because the power clippling at one phase rises very dangerously spikes at athe other two phases at the whole building. I have seen a chane of PC failures that did not have MOV protection.
This effect should be communidated to all computer-users !
The real solution is really a building-entrance protection, while the individual MOV protection at the consumer load is too danderous !
Please comment your experience ! Rehards Hans Stauffer, Caracas Venezuela (stauffer@cantv.net)