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+--- Thread: Lightning strike -- The're dead, Jim (/showthread.php?tid=179681)
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Lightning strike -- The're dead, Jim - deckeda - 05-30-2015
Big bolt (are there small ones?) hit near my dad's place last night. Here's the list of things that will not power up:
5th gen AirPort Extreme (no front panel light, chassis is cold but power brick seems fine?)
2nd gen AppleTV (no front panel light after pressing remote or unplugging/replugging) If I can find a USB cable I'll try connecting to a computer. Damn, that box was worth "hundreds."
60" Sammy plasma, less than 1 yr old?
One DirecTV box (not the one connected to the Samsung and DirecTV service works fine on a 3rd TV)
No signal showing on Charter's cable modem; not his financial problem but no Internet even if we buy a new router today. I'm sure that with Charter's strength in wanting to buy TWC they'll be right out to fix it on a rainy weekend.
Here in STL for a week; seems my "Hey kid, help me fix this!" list just got started.
Re: Lightning strike -- The're dead, Jim - SDGuy - 05-30-2015
Out of curiosity, were any of the fried things plugged into surge protection devices of any sort?
Re: Lightning strike -- The're dead, Jim - max - 05-30-2015
You will find more problems.
Had that a year ago, lost a nice big palm outside.
Magnetic Pulse, some random circuits fried, couple minor devices and switches.
Surge protectors dont help in this situation....
Re: Lightning strike -- The're dead, Jim - freeradical - 05-30-2015
I think the only thing that helps is if you're running things off of a true power conditioner. In other words, a device that does not switch from commercial power to power generated by the UPS during an event, but a device that is always suppling its own AC to your devices. These are obviously much more expensive than the run-of-the-mill UPS that most people have.
You'd also have to totally isolate any incoming signals from your electronic equipment. If you have FIOS, you're good to go. I suppose you could have a pair of fiber optic transceivers do this if you're not on FIOS so that the only thing you might lose is your cable modem and first fiber optic transceiver. In other words, take the output from your cable modem and convert it to optical, then run fiber to another fiber optic transceiver and convert it back to the electrical format that originally came from your cable modem.
Re: Lightning strike -- The're dead, Jim - deckeda - 05-30-2015
No surge protectors. I know those don't really do anything. One was a power strip, another was a UPS. Other things plugged into those are fine.
Re: Lightning strike -- The're dead, Jim - Onamuji - 05-30-2015
max wrote:
Surge protectors dont help in this situation....
Good ones may help. They fry themselves before the surge hits your devices. But there are lots of limitations - have to watch the clamping power ratings and response time when you buy them and replace them every 5 years or so.
Should replace all of the strips in that house now. The good ones will be dead and the garbage ones are now easily identified because they did jack sh!t.
...
In my experience, a good UPS will do a better job protecting from lightning strikes than the highest quality strip.
Someone posted a few years ago here, complaining that after a close lightning strike their UPSs were dead. Didn't realize that the devices had sacrificed themselves to save his/her electronics just as they were supposed to.
Re: Lightning strike -- The're dead, Jim - OWC Jamie - 05-30-2015
I had one that must have come thru the comcast cable.
Everything connected to ethernet in the house was fried.
Lights were still on on the comcast modem so it appeared to be working
guy at the comcast office initially refuse to replace it because when he plugged it in all the lights were "normal".
( OTA TV )
Re: Lightning strike -- The're dead, Jim - deckeda - 05-30-2015
Just called Charter, of course we had to go through the VRU which had us reset the modem. Still just the power light however. That confused the robot since service in the area is working. Bumped us over to a human, which had us reset the modem. Still just the power light however. This confused the human since service in the area is working.
They're sending out a truck within 2 hrs.
The phone call had a few opportunities for confusion because the VRU asked if we had a router, WiFi, which we do but would have deflected/delayed the question about the modem. The human saw on his screen no service for the last 12 hrs. Perhaps one day the cable do will proactively call the customer, ha.
Re: Lightning strike -- The're dead, Jim - Speedy - 05-30-2015
Enough total damage for an insurance claim? As max says, you will find more damage.
Re: Lightning strike -- The're dead, Jim - deckeda - 05-30-2015
Dunno about an ins claim yet; I'll ask my dad about his deductible. Garage door opener went up but won't go down. Major appliances and HVAC all seem OK. The cable overload representative is here and working his way in to locate the issue.