In <4978eca0$0$17049$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosting.c om> "JohnB" <jbrigan@yahoo.com> writes:

[snip]

>They got a quote from a "professional", and it was much more than they want
>to spend. But I really think the biggest possible problem is lightning, and
>what to do about it.

One serious possibility (don't laugh...) is to use standard,
mass market, consumer items, along with a regular "surge suppressor".

It'll cost you, perhaps, one hundred fifty or so dollars and
another hundred or so for enclosures.

Treat it as disposable... A nearby lightning hit might take
it out every other year - which is still cheaper than "doing
it right". Have a spare in the closet ready to plug in.

The commodity surge suppressor won't protect against a lightning
strike a hundred feet away, but it should guard against one
that hits a mile or two down the road. Remember that the latter
are both far more frequent, and also weaker... (inverse square
or other funky exponential stuff).




--
__________________________________________________ ___
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
dannyb@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]