Author Topic: Thunder rolls.. (Read 5948 times)

Kobuk · « **on:** July 15, 2004, 04:27:24 pm »

Quote: "I try to unplug my PC during electrical storms like that.". I have a large "industrial strength" surge protector unit that Maximus gave me when he built my comp for me. Despite having this, I still unplug my comp during bad thunderstorms. I don't care how good a surge protector says it is, you shouldn't take any chances. Better to unplug everything than to end up with a bunch of crispy fried electronics.

Sporty Fox · « **Reply #1 on:** July 15, 2004, 03:32:55 pm »

I'll back Maximus on this, all the manufacturer is banking on is that they'll sell enough of the high priced models to cover anything they pay out and still make a profit. There is way to much amperage in a lightning bolt for any surge protector to stop a direct hit, but the odds of a direct hit are extremely slim.
I've seen sailboats with lightning surpressors on them have a hole blown clean thru the hull from a strike. The supressors used on large craft are huge capacitors with a 02 guage copper wire going to a ground plate on the outside of the hull. If that system can't disipate the strike than your small capacitor and 12 guage wiring in your home isn't going to.
They're going to help in an indirect hit, but in a direct hit the only thing that will save your 'puter is unplugging it. BTW, my roommates 'puter got fried last year from an indirect strike. She didn't unplug hers, still doesn't no matter how many times I got after her for it.

anguis · « **Reply #2 on:** July 15, 2004, 03:02:23 pm »

Quote (Maximus @ July 15 2004, 2:22 pm)

Surge protectors will NOT help if the lightning strike was a direct hit to the power lines leading to your home... Too much voltage... I have seen remains of TV's that actually had the picture tube explode due to that...

well my good friend maybe you should check this out... *Surge Protectors* now im not saying that ALL of them protects against lightning because they are obviously very cheap equiptment out there, what im saying is most of them protects against it... and on that note they come with coverage from $1000 - $10000 (depending on model) worth of equiptment if they by any slim chance fail... just thought id share that with you...

e_rbstt

Maximus · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2004, 02:22:02 pm »

Was the PC hit by a lightning strike close to your home?

If it was, there might not much usable after that..

Surge protectors will NOT help if the lightning strike was a direct hit to the power lines leading to your home... Too much voltage... I have seen remains of TV's that actually had the picture tube explode due to that...

Seen blue lightning go from one outlet to another...

I try to unplug my PC's during electrical storms like that...

Maximus.

anguis · « **Reply #4 on:** July 15, 2004, 02:05:26 pm »

i take it that you didnt use a surge protector...

e_rbstt

« **Reply #5 on:** July 15, 2004, 01:24:01 pm »

You should have posted ths in furry greetings or off topic.
Welcome back anyway

'>

sniffswind · « **Reply #6 on:** July 15, 2004, 01:22:36 pm »

I return...with a "new" pc to deal with

on July fourth a lightning strike hastened the death of out PC Rainbow...the motherboard has been fried, along with the modem. our HD appears to be intact however

Kada-Ru · « **Reply #7 on:** July 15, 2004, 04:54:52 pm »

This has been moved to the appropriate area.

Varg the wanderer · « **Reply #8 on:** July 15, 2004, 07:49:53 pm »

yea, Lighting has no problem arcing from a few thousand feet in the air to the ground, what makes you think it'll have a problem going through a wimpy little surge protector? Same with lighting hitting your car. It puzzles me how people can say it won't go through.

Katra · « **Reply #9 on:** July 15, 2004, 08:56:36 pm »

Actually I think lightning does go through the car; as in conducted by the metal around the people inside.

Rushjunkie2112 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 15, 2004, 11:28:38 pm »

Working for a public utility I've seen the readings on our lightning supressors and we have had strikes registering over a million volts and 10,000 amps. So if you think a surge protector is fail proof guess again.

Maximus · « **Reply #11 on:** July 16, 2004, 05:38:31 am »

Lightning can certainly be amazing indeed...

A surge protector is no match for a strike that hits AFTER the transformer that goes to your house.. I.E. like if you had overhead lines running to your house and those were hit...

i have seen TV's, VCR's, and computers that were ROASTED by hits within 1 mile or so of thier location... I have lost 2 PC's due to lightning hits..

Where i was growing up a friend had a father who was into amateur radio and his antenna tower was struck.. The main mast was vaporized by the current and what was left came tumbling down.....

So unplug those PC's when the sky lights up!!

Maximus.

sniffswind · « **Reply #12 on:** July 16, 2004, 09:16:58 am »

Thanks, Kada, for moving this. I was in a hurry after getting this new PC set up.

this area is vulnerable to lightning strikes. and for your information, people...WE HAD A SURGE PROTECTOR ON IT, not to mention we automatically unplug the modem at the slightest rumble of thunder. it FRIED the surge protector

Sporty Fox · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2004, 11:13:39 am »

Fried the surge protector on my roommates last year also. I was just glad that all we lost was her 'puter and the protector, it was an old 200mhz Pentium 1, so it wasn't a great loss. Luckily we didn't lose the tv and the rest of the stuff in the house. My father has lost 2 satalite recievers in the last 15 years from lightning hitting his dish.
If there's any good to come out of this it's that you've reminded us all about what can happen.