sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information merlin vs lightning

I have a customer with a Merlin system. They have an out building with an extension that is about 250 feet away. That building has a separate ground not in common with the building housing the KSU. I cannot put in a common ground, which would most likely cure the problem. I am hoping that someone has had a similar situation and could suggest a good surge suppression approach.
Thanks,
Ted

The IROB usually works well in these situations. I'd use one at each end. They have pretty good primary (gas tube) and secondary protection built into a single unit.

The ground for both buildings doesn't have to be common. Certainly you would expect it not to be with buildings widely separated. The IROBs Ed suggests are a cost effective approach for a single extension, just make sure both are connected to each buildings service ground.

-Hal

I use the SurgeGate products .. I don't know how they compare to the IROB (they look very similar) but I like that they have a $50,000 warranty for connected equipment.

Unfortunately, they all offer insane "connected equipment" warranty coverage policies, but they are absolutely, positively impossible to collect upon. Even $9.00 power surge strips at Wal*Mart come with these ridiculous claims of protection. There is always some wire connected to an abandoned jack that wasn't protected through THEIR equipment that cancels their liability.

The last one that I lost was because the MOH player's output wasn't run through one of their protection modules. I won't name the protector manufacturer, but it is one of the big ones.

I've been through this with all of the major surge protection manufacturers. More paperwork than a mortgage. Oh, and I might add that your countless hours of research and documentation time are not covered. These manufacturers make things so difficult to win a damage claim that it's cheaper and easier to just have the customer file an insurance claim and be done with it.

IROBs aren't perfect, but I hang onto every one that I can get my hands on. Not the new ones made by Panamax/ITW Linx, but the ones made by Tii. They seem to be the most reliable, especially in a four-pair environment, regardless of the phone system.

Sounds like the voice of experience talking. Thanks, Ed.

Is there an IROB that is made specifically for the Merlin system? I did a quick google search this afternoon and saw some 4 wire ones but I didn't see a 4 pair. There were different voltage levels of protection offered. Do you know what offers the best protection for the Merlin? I should probably look at a Manual to see what voltages are present on each pair if it gives that information on the spec sheet.
Thanks for your help,
Ted

I doubt if they are still being made, but I have some of the older "real" ones that were made for MET and Merlin OPS installations. If you can't find them, let me know via PM and I'll help you.

Thanks Ed