Astraphobe DSL lightning protection - has anyone tried it?

fragtion said:
Where does the Astrophobe get its information and know when to (dis)connect? (I'm interested in knowing it's AI/reliability to disconnect/reconnect at appropriate times). Does it discover ambient static / noise caused by the lightning as light crackle induced into the DSL line, or does it connect to a weather service for radar information, via the network?
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How the Astraphobe works is explained here:

http://www.astraphobe.com/how-it-works.html
 
Freakboy said:
Anybody have update with using a Astraphobe over the last year?
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I am very happy with mine.

Of interest is the fact that it will disconnect on what I would consider a relatively clear sky. The obverse is also true: there have been a couple of major storms - obviously without lightning - where the unit stays connected.

I can recommend the unit to all.
 
rrh said:
I can recommend the unit to all.
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Yours disconnected phone lines on numerous false alarms? That means it is working? How many actual surges have you had this year? How many destructive surges occurred last year? Destructive surges occur maybe once every seven years. So what is the basis of your recommendation? That it repeatedly triggered on false alarms?

Previously discussed was a similar product using diferent and well proven techniques. Without disconnecting phone conversations. It and other facts were discussed here: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/669427-Astraphobe-DSL-lightning-protection-has-anyone-tried-it?p=14652026&viewfull=1#post14652026

Why is the basis of your approval? That it triggered on false alarms? Because a year before, you have many events with multiple destroyed appliances? Or just because nothing happened - no surge really existed?

Described here (in http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/669427-Astraphobe-DSL-lightning-protection-has-anyone-tried-it?p=14909810&viewfull=1#post14909810 )was how DSL protection has been done all over the world for much less money. Without disconnecting anything. Why is your recommended solution doing something better?
 
Lost a router, a NAS and other bits and pieces a few months ago. Bought an Astraphobe to try prevent a recurrence. Had another strike over the weekend and all gone again. Seems that the Astraphobe did not help at all. No number to call, no email address even to check if they can suggest where it went wrong ...

I don't trust people who hide their identity when selling consumer products.

Caveat emptor for those who think it may be the magic bullet.
 
@Mike - could you pm me your number please, we would like to know more and would like to give you a call. Sent a pm as well.
 
mike@ said:
Lost a router, a NAS and other bits and pieces a few months ago. Bought an Astraphobe to try prevent a recurrence. Had another strike over the weekend and all gone again. Seems that the Astraphobe did not help at all.
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You have assumed a destructive current has entered on a phone line. Why? It is electricity. That means both an incoming and an outgoing path must exist to have damage.

Surge was assumed incoming is a phone line. What was the outgoing path? Essential to understand before damage can be averted.

AC electric is a most common incoming path. If those wires are not properly earthed, then a surge is all but invited inside to hunt for earth destructively via appliances. Everything is not damaged. That surge is incoming to everything. But only one or some items (ie router) also make the required outgoing path to earth.

Incoming on AC mains. Outgoing to earth via the phone line. That explains why phone appliances are damaged. Again, surge protection is about every wire in every cable connected low impedance (ie less than 3 meters) to earth. That connection must be direct (ie TV cable) or via a protector (ie AC electric, phone).

Your router, et al damage would be an appliance operating as a protector for a dishwasher, dimmer switches, and air conditioner. A surge was inside and all but invited to hunt for earth. Because it found a connection to earth via a router and NAS, then it need not find a path to earth via the TV and recharging mobile phone.

Protection is always about how a surge connects to earth. Facilities that cannot have damage always connect that current to earth outside the building. Then a surge is not hunting for earth destructively inside. Then hundreds of thousands of joules dissipate harmlessly. It was done this way over 100 years ago.

Connection to earth explains why communication equipment is destroyed by a surge incoming on AC mains. Properly earth a 'whole house' protector on AC mains. Otherwise no protection is possible. Attention must focus especially on what actually does that protection - a single point earth ground.
 
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I bought one from Takealot. I'll see how it goes.
 
Dolby said:
And how is it Hilton?
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Mine is still working. Does what it says on the box.
Telkom just installed fiber alongside my copper so I guess from next month I will be getting rid of the astraphobe.
 
Dolby said:
And how is it Hilton?
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mister said:
Mine is still working. Does what it says on the box.
Telkom just installed fiber alongside my copper so I guess from next month I will be getting rid of the astraphobe.
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I can only assume mine worked because I never had any more damage to my routers thereafter. I've also had fibre installed and no longer have ADSL.

I think the price of the unit is justified considering the excess on an insurance claim.
 
Hi there I have just checked the manual for the astraphobe and it says that if you line is above ground you should make the distance further than the default don't know if that will help you.
 
mister said:
Mine is still working. Does what it says on the box.
Telkom just installed fiber alongside my copper so I guess from next month I will be getting rid of the astraphobe.
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Wait! First see what sort of cable they have used to get form the distribution point into your home and that there is no copper pairs included! (Especially if overhead).

IF there is copper, keep the astraphobe in place connected to the copper even if you are not using any copper services.
 
Jorgen said:
Allow me first off to introduce myself, Jorgen from Jacstech, the manufacturer of the Astraphobe. I would like to clarify a few points. Electron1: yes it has been thoroughly tested. Part of the dev & verification included test units installed in Joburg, Pretoria and Durban. Sensing side of system tested in conjunction with SA weather service (radar & lightning detection network). The retail version was then tested by Telkom, at their labs in Pretoria. Subsequently licenced by ICASA.

Mystic007 and bdt are correct, it has a radio receiver & picks up on the energy that is transmitted by the storms. Again bdt is correct in terms of guarantee, its impossible to provide a blanket cover as each household is different and the rest of the house may not be wired correctly / earthed etc. The issue for some time has been lightning coming in via the adsl line, that's what the Astraphobe was designed to stop. I personally lost count of how many routers, switches etc I had to replace. Had one strike that took out all the normal stuff, but it also went through my Ethernet network and fried my motherboard, a WD NAS, MVIX and a few other bits.
Electron1, we chose to use Telkom labs for the formal testing and not SABS for various reasons which are not valid to discuss here. Telkom labs has an impressive operation in Pretoria, and we wanted the certainty that the Astraphobe would not affect ADSL line quality. I also took a couple units overseas for FCC testing, the unit passed with no problems the testing for FCC Part 15 and FCC Part68. The unit was then submitted to ICASA for licensing.
Going to add some further reviews to the website...
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Jorgen said:
Allow me first off to introduce myself, Jorgen from Jacstech, the manufacturer of the Astraphobe. I would like to clarify a few points. Electron1: yes it has been thoroughly tested. Part of the dev & verification included test units installed in Joburg, Pretoria and Durban. Sensing side of system tested in conjunction with SA weather service (radar & lightning detection network). The retail version was then tested by Telkom, at their labs in Pretoria. Subsequently licenced by ICASA.

Mystic007 and bdt are correct, it has a radio receiver & picks up on the energy that is transmitted by the storms. Again bdt is correct in terms of guarantee, its impossible to provide a blanket cover as each household is different and the rest of the house may not be wired correctly / earthed etc. The issue for some time has been lightning coming in via the adsl line, that's what the Astraphobe was designed to stop. I personally lost count of how many routers, switches etc I had to replace. Had one strike that took out all the normal stuff, but it also went through my Ethernet network and fried my motherboard, a WD NAS, MVIX and a few other bits.
Electron1, we chose to use Telkom labs for the formal testing and not SABS for various reasons which are not valid to discuss here. Telkom labs has an impressive operation in Pretoria, and we wanted the certainty that the Astraphobe would not affect ADSL line quality. I also took a couple units overseas for FCC testing, the unit passed with no problems the testing for FCC Part 15 and FCC Part68. The unit was then submitted to ICASA for licensing.
Going to add some further reviews to the whebsite...
Click to expand...
Jorgen said:
Allow me first off to introduce myself, Jorgen from Jacstech, the manufacturer of the Astraphobe. I would like to clarify a few points. Electron1: yes it has been thoroughly tested. Part of the dev & verification included test units installed in Joburg, Pretoria and Durban. Sensing side of system tested in conjunction with SA weather service (radar & lightning detection network). The retail version was then tested by Telkom, at their labs in Pretoria. Subsequently licenced by ICASA.

Mystic007 and bdt are correct, it has a radio receiver & picks up on the energy that is transmitted by the storms. Again bdt is correct in terms of guarantee, its impossible to provide a blanket cover as each household is different and the rest of the house may not be wired correctly / earthed etc. The issue for some time has been lightning coming in via the adsl line, that's what the Astraphobe was designed to stop. I personally lost count of how many routers, switches etc I had to replace. Had one strike that took out all the normal stuff, but it also went through my Ethernet network and fried my motherboard, a WD NAS, MVIX and a few other bits.
Electron1, we chose to use Telkom labs for the formal testing and not SABS for various reasons which are not valid to discuss here. Telkom labs has an impressive operation in Pretoria, and we wanted the certainty that the Astraphobe would not affect ADSL line quality. I also took a couple units overseas for FCC testing, the unit passed with no problems the testing for FCC Part 15 and FCC Part68. The unit was then submitted to ICASA for licensing.
Going to add some further reviews to the website...
Click to expand...
thanks for this information Jorgens this seems like a great initiative. we live in the drakensberg area in KZN and really have tremendous storm problems. is there any chance to add an external output to drive a relay that could be used to isolate mains supplies? that could make the system even more usefull.
 
DaveHammond said:
thanks for this information Jorgens this seems like a great initiative. we live in the drakensberg area in KZN and really have tremendous storm problems. is there any chance to add an external output to drive a relay that could be used to isolate mains supplies? that could make the system even more usefull.
Click to expand...
DaveHammond said:
thanks for this information Jorgens this seems like a great initiative. we live in the drakensberg area in KZN and really have tremendous storm problems. is there any chance to add an external output to drive a relay that could be used to isolate mains supplies? that could make the system even more usefull.
Click to expand...
sorry missed one of your previous responses that alludes to this possibility.
 
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