Guest guest Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 I was sitting in the living room when there was a simultaneous flash . . . one in the living room, and one just outside the window. That must be where it struck. However the lightning strikes were so close by and so close together, it would be hard to know for sure. The flash in the house was the surround sound blowing up . . . The TV went out - no satellite service because that comes through surround sound. When I went to local channels, the colors were very strange . . . However, after resting a bit, the TV came on with normal colors. Outside the house we had a bird feeders hanging from the house, on a rope and wire, going to a tree . . . It apparently stuck there, broke through the rope and wire . . . then went to a aluminum pole that was on the deck . . . One one end of the pole, it blew a pencil size hole through the siding and at the other end of the pole it melted a small spot in a piece of metal that edges the deck. We haven't found any roof damage yet. . . But then we haven't inspected it thoroughly yet either. No leaks at this point! We've been finding things all day that aren't working right . . . Most recently, we found the downstairs air conditioner wasn't working . . . Thankfully it came back on after resetting the breaker. It fried the inside of the sprinkler control box - fried an old TV, knocked out a couple transformers for low voltage lights, knocked out some fluorescent lights, threw the breaker on the sauna and the refrigerator, and knocked out the phone service. Hubby's laptop works on the wireless connection though IF the phone isn't connected outside - Don't understand that yet! Intercom is still out . . . hubby is reestablishing printer connections. . . Poor guy, he's had a really bad day! He's the kind of guy that, if there's a problem, he fixes it immediately. Today there problems were popping up faster than he could handle them! All in all, we're really thankful we didn't have major damage! In large part, thanks to breakers! From now on, when we leave for any period of time, we'll be unplugging all the major items! Even though we live on a mountain side, and see a lot of storms up close, it never occurred to me that lightning would affect us this much! I thought that grounding would take care of things. Hugs, Rogene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 13, 2005 Report Share Posted November 13, 2005 You have a lightening rod on your deck! Oh dear... A wireless connection has a base station which operates on AC. Have you checked your base? Living in Florida, I take storms very seriously, Whenever there is a storm, we unplug applicances we are not using, like television, stereo etc. For our computers, we make sure we have good surge protectors. I have lost one computer because of surges. I had not replaced the surge protector in time. Typical surge protectors need to be replaced about every year - Two years max. Each time there is a surge on the line, a surge protector takes a 'hit' - better than a computer, though! Eventually, the surge protector is inadequate to protect the electronics.. Also - surges can (and do) happen without you knowing it. It doesn't have to be a dramatic event like a lightening strike. > > I was sitting in the living room when there was a > simultaneous flash . . . one in the living room, and > one just outside the window. That must be where it > struck. However the lightning strikes were so close by > and so close together, it would be hard to know for > sure. > > The flash in the house was the surround sound blowing > up . . . The TV went out - no satellite service > because that comes through surround sound. When I went > to local channels, the colors were very strange . . . > However, after resting a bit, the TV came on with > normal colors. > > Outside the house we had a bird feeders hanging from > the house, on a rope and wire, going to a tree . . . > It apparently stuck there, broke through the rope and > wire . . . then went to a aluminum pole that was on > the deck . . . One one end of the pole, it blew a > pencil size hole through the siding and at the other > end of the pole it melted a small spot in a piece of > metal that edges the deck. > > We haven't found any roof damage yet. . . But then we > haven't inspected it thoroughly yet either. No leaks > at this point! > > We've been finding things all day that aren't working > right . . . Most recently, we found the downstairs air > conditioner wasn't working . . . Thankfully it came > back on after resetting the breaker. > > It fried the inside of the sprinkler control box - > fried an old TV, knocked out a couple transformers for > low voltage lights, knocked out some fluorescent > lights, threw the breaker on the sauna and the > refrigerator, and knocked out the phone service. > > Hubby's laptop works on the wireless connection though > IF the phone isn't connected outside - Don't > understand that yet! Intercom is still out . . . hubby > is reestablishing printer connections. . . Poor guy, > he's had a really bad day! He's the kind of guy that, > if there's a problem, he fixes it immediately. Today > there problems were popping up faster than he could > handle them! > > All in all, we're really thankful we didn't have major > damage! In large part, thanks to breakers! From now > on, when we leave for any period of time, we'll be > unplugging all the major items! Even though we live on > a mountain side, and see a lot of storms up close, it > never occurred to me that lightning would affect us > this much! I thought that grounding would take care of > things. > > Hugs, > > Rogene > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 Molly I didnt know that surge protectors need to be replaced that often! Thanks for sharing that. I guess I need to replace a few. Hugs, kathy --- In , " Molly Bloom " <mollyb54@b...> wrote: > > You have a lightening rod on your deck! Oh dear... > A wireless connection has a base station which operates on AC. Have you checked your > base? > Living in Florida, I take storms very seriously, Whenever there is a storm, we unplug > applicances we are not using, like television, stereo etc. > For our computers, we make sure we have good surge protectors. I have lost one > computer because of surges. I had not replaced the surge protector in time. > Typical surge protectors need to be replaced about every year - Two years max. > Each time there is a surge on the line, a surge protector takes a 'hit' - better than a > computer, though! Eventually, the surge protector is inadequate to protect the > electronics.. Also - surges can (and do) happen without you knowing it. It doesn't have > to be a dramatic event like a lightening strike. > > > --- In , Rogene S <saxony01@y...> wrote: > > > > I was sitting in the living room when there was a > > simultaneous flash . . . one in the living room, and > > one just outside the window. That must be where it > > struck. However the lightning strikes were so close by > > and so close together, it would be hard to know for > > sure. > > > > The flash in the house was the surround sound blowing > > up . . . The TV went out - no satellite service > > because that comes through surround sound. When I went > > to local channels, the colors were very strange . . . > > However, after resting a bit, the TV came on with > > normal colors. > > > > Outside the house we had a bird feeders hanging from > > the house, on a rope and wire, going to a tree . . . > > It apparently stuck there, broke through the rope and > > wire . . . then went to a aluminum pole that was on > > the deck . . . One one end of the pole, it blew a > > pencil size hole through the siding and at the other > > end of the pole it melted a small spot in a piece of > > metal that edges the deck. > > > > We haven't found any roof damage yet. . . But then we > > haven't inspected it thoroughly yet either. No leaks > > at this point! > > > > We've been finding things all day that aren't working > > right . . . Most recently, we found the downstairs air > > conditioner wasn't working . . . Thankfully it came > > back on after resetting the breaker. > > > > It fried the inside of the sprinkler control box - > > fried an old TV, knocked out a couple transformers for > > low voltage lights, knocked out some fluorescent > > lights, threw the breaker on the sauna and the > > refrigerator, and knocked out the phone service. > > > > Hubby's laptop works on the wireless connection though > > IF the phone isn't connected outside - Don't > > understand that yet! Intercom is still out . . . hubby > > is reestablishing printer connections. . . Poor guy, > > he's had a really bad day! He's the kind of guy that, > > if there's a problem, he fixes it immediately. Today > > there problems were popping up faster than he could > > handle them! > > > > All in all, we're really thankful we didn't have major > > damage! In large part, thanks to breakers! From now > > on, when we leave for any period of time, we'll be > > unplugging all the major items! Even though we live on > > a mountain side, and see a lot of storms up close, it > > never occurred to me that lightning would affect us > > this much! I thought that grounding would take care of > > things. > > > > Hugs, > > > > Rogene > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 It is a little known fact -- usually, it becomes 'known' after it is too late to save your computer! > > > > > > I was sitting in the living room when there was a > > > simultaneous flash . . . one in the living room, and > > > one just outside the window. That must be where it > > > struck. However the lightning strikes were so close by > > > and so close together, it would be hard to know for > > > sure. > > > > > > The flash in the house was the surround sound blowing > > > up . . . The TV went out - no satellite service > > > because that comes through surround sound. When I went > > > to local channels, the colors were very strange . . . > > > However, after resting a bit, the TV came on with > > > normal colors. > > > > > > Outside the house we had a bird feeders hanging from > > > the house, on a rope and wire, going to a tree . . . > > > It apparently stuck there, broke through the rope and > > > wire . . . then went to a aluminum pole that was on > > > the deck . . . One one end of the pole, it blew a > > > pencil size hole through the siding and at the other > > > end of the pole it melted a small spot in a piece of > > > metal that edges the deck. > > > > > > We haven't found any roof damage yet. . . But then we > > > haven't inspected it thoroughly yet either. No leaks > > > at this point! > > > > > > We've been finding things all day that aren't working > > > right . . . Most recently, we found the downstairs air > > > conditioner wasn't working . . . Thankfully it came > > > back on after resetting the breaker. > > > > > > It fried the inside of the sprinkler control box - > > > fried an old TV, knocked out a couple transformers for > > > low voltage lights, knocked out some fluorescent > > > lights, threw the breaker on the sauna and the > > > refrigerator, and knocked out the phone service. > > > > > > Hubby's laptop works on the wireless connection though > > > IF the phone isn't connected outside - Don't > > > understand that yet! Intercom is still out . . . hubby > > > is reestablishing printer connections. . . Poor guy, > > > he's had a really bad day! He's the kind of guy that, > > > if there's a problem, he fixes it immediately. Today > > > there problems were popping up faster than he could > > > handle them! > > > > > > All in all, we're really thankful we didn't have major > > > damage! In large part, thanks to breakers! From now > > > on, when we leave for any period of time, we'll be > > > unplugging all the major items! Even though we live on > > > a mountain side, and see a lot of storms up close, it > > > never occurred to me that lightning would affect us > > > this much! I thought that grounding would take care of > > > things. > > > > > > Hugs, > > > > > > Rogene > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2005 Report Share Posted November 14, 2005 Molly, This is a good reminder to update the surge protectors in our house! Rogene, Wow, what a nasty experience! I feel for your husband, he will have his work cut out for him! I am glad you guys didn't suffer more damage! My sisters house got struck by lightening several years ago. It took out everything electrical....I think the insurance company had to dish out thousands to replace everything...stereo, tv, computers, all of it. I guess the bright side of that was they got an unplanned-for-upgrade on everything they had! Her husband is an electrical engineer, too, so he was able to help take care of all the details. You just never know when lightening will strike and what damage it will do, huh? Your home sounds like its in a beautiful area! Patty --- In , " Molly Bloom " <mollyb54@b...> wrote: > > You have a lightening rod on your deck! Oh dear... > A wireless connection has a base station which operates on AC. Have you checked your > base? > Living in Florida, I take storms very seriously, Whenever there is a storm, we unplug > applicances we are not using, like television, stereo etc. > For our computers, we make sure we have good surge protectors. I have lost one > computer because of surges. I had not replaced the surge protector in time. > Typical surge protectors need to be replaced about every year - Two years max. > Each time there is a surge on the line, a surge protector takes a 'hit' - better than a > computer, though! Eventually, the surge protector is inadequate to protect the > electronics.. Also - surges can (and do) happen without you knowing it. It doesn't have > to be a dramatic event like a lightening strike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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