Smart lightning protector for ADSL lines
20 May 2015
Electronics Technology
A South African inventor has developed a device that takes an unusual approach to protecting DSL lines from damage due to lightning strikes.
The Astraphobe DSL (astraphobia is the abnormal fear of lightning), made by Jorgen Nielsen’s company Jacstech, automatically detects lightning and disconnects the ADSL and telephone lines. When the storm moves away, the device reconnects the line, ideal for homeowners in lightning-prone areas like Johannesburg – which is exactly where it was developed and tested during the 2013 storm season.
Explaining the need for such a device, Nielsen says “Until now, homeowners in lightning-prone areas have had to learn the hard way that the only method of protecting equipment in a storm is to unplug it. But even if you’re home, doing so is a hassle and when you’re out, it’s simply not possible to perform this manual intervention. That leaves equipment dangerously exposed.
“Nobody likes inconvenience, especially not the Internet generation. Ease of access is everything and as a result, our lines tend to stay connected at all times. If you’re away and a storm rolls in, your router and any other equipment connected to it can be zapped even if there is a surge protector on the power supply.”
That’s because the powerful surge of electricity from a lightning strike can travel down the ADSL and telephone lines, destroying sensitive equipment. Since ADSL lines are typically connected directly to the router and onwards to printers, computers, games consoles, storage systems and other devices, the amount of damage that can be caused by a lighting strike is substantial.
ICASA approved and patent-pending, the Astraphobe can be configured by users through a computer interface, and maintains activity logs. It can identify approaching weather at distances up to 40 km and is good for over 180 000 connect/disconnect cycles, which is the equivalent of over 300 years of continuous operation in a storm-prone area.
For more information visit www.astraphobe.com
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