Lightning

[TOMMY GUN]

When it lightnings, do you shut down the computer and/or TV sets?

It's lightning bad here at the moment.

.

[Boston Mike]

I've got all my home audio/video equipment plugged through a huge (size of a vcr) Monster power box. It regulates the power (not just surges). Same on my computer. besides, in Texas, you need access to the news channels to see if a tornado is coming...

[TOMMY GUN]

We have all the surge protectors thank guarantee a million dollars (or whatever), but it doesn't matter if I get fried.

Working on 8 computers and surrounded by a cascade of monitors makes one wonder about such things.






...and that's a cell phone, not a pickle.



.

[TOMMY GUN]

It's getting real bad now, I'm out.


.

[Joe G]

I don't... but probably should.


Even the best surge suppressors or built in TVSS units can't stop a direct lightning strike from frying electronic equipment if it hits.





-

[gr8snkbite]

it was a wild storm..gf's place lost power for about 2 minutes..came home this morning and all was fine...didnt lose power at my crib and i only live about 2 miles from her..

[Super Snake]

no
I have a surge protector and battery back up on my computer
TV and other stuff, I probably should, Lightning smoked my BOSE surround sound system and had to send it out for repair.

[Co Pilot]

Even our son gave in when the second round of storms came through. The local news said we had 3200 lightning strikes in 1 hours.

When I was a child I remember my uncle having a strike come through to his unplug tv. The plug was about two feet from the outlet.

All the wind somehow missed our mini Chesapeake Bay sized pool. I only had to fish out a small handful of leaves. Very weird, because the yard I just mowed yesterday was full of leaves.

[Ebonee Princess]

Originally Posted by TOMMY GUN

When it lightnings, do you shut down the computer and/or TV sets?

It's lightning bad here at the moment.

.

No, I don't. I probably should...

[Co Pilot]

We just went through another one, but not as bad as the two last night. Only 162 strikes within about five minutes.

[Boston Mike]

Originally Posted by Co Pilot

We just went through another one, but not as bad as the two last night. Only 162 strikes within about five minutes.

3000 strikes in an hour is nothing to us in the midwest region, right Timmy???

I have to admit, watching some of these storms that roll through here is downright entertaining (while at the same time frightening). The night before Beth's grandfather passed, we drove up in between two cells to see him..................it was wild, like we were in a bubble. The lightening strikes from the storm in front of us and the one behind us was amongst the most amazing visual show I had ever seen. Interestingly enough, her grandfather used to love sitting in his backyard watching the lightning show (even if he was getting soaked by the rain). So very appropriate that he got one last show in before he left us.

[Johnny Dangerously]

I have a surge protector, but no UPS yet. If the lightning gets real bad, I'll shut down the desktop. If need be, I'll switch over to the laptop & the wireless card (if I bring them home from work).


`

[Alloy Dave]

Originally Posted by TOMMY GUN

We have all the surge protectors thank guarantee a million dollars (or whatever), but it doesn't matter if I get fried.

Working on 8 computers and surrounded by a cascade of monitors makes one wonder about such things.


...and that's a cell phone, not a pickle.
.

Read the fine print on the surge suppressors, they are not intended to handle lightning. They are made for normal voltage surges in house line voltage.

I unplug (not just turn off) the expensive items like my 58" plasma TV and computer. I don't unplug the refrigerator because it's inconvenient, but I would if I could get to it.

I've been lucky to not have been directly hit, but I know friends who have lost $20,000 worth of equipment from a lightning strike. And on the insurance you get hosed because electronics advance so quickly it's hard to find "like replacements".

[Alloy Dave]

Here's a quote from this article....

Surge protectors are not lightning protection devices. Surge suppressors can provide adequate protection from 'normal' surges on AC power lines. When it comes to protection against lightning strikes, it is a completely different story. Fortunately, they are rare. However, no surge protection device can offer you the required level of protection in this respect.



Surge Suppressors Explained (2) - A Word of Caution

[HSURB]

Originally Posted by Boston Mike

3000 strikes in an hour is nothing to us in the midwest region, right Timmy???

I have to admit, watching some of these storms that roll through here is downright entertaining (while at the same time frightening). The night before Beth's grandfather passed, we drove up in between two cells to see him..................it was wild, like we were in a bubble. The lightening strikes from the storm in front of us and the one behind us was amongst the most amazing visual show I had ever seen. Interestingly enough, her grandfather used to love sitting in his backyard watching the lightning show (even if he was getting soaked by the rain). So very appropriate that he got one last show in before he left us.

Funny you mention that Mike. We have some seriously crazy lightening storms. When I was about 10, we had friends over during a storm, and would dare each other to hold a golf club iron in each hand pointed straight up and run around the complete house and back to the same door.

Looking back, it was another one of those - "ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT" moves that I can't believe we lived through.

HSURB

[Johnny Dangerously]

This probably occurs more often, but twice I have seen lightning during a snow fall. Once in St. Louis & once in MD.


It was quite an odd experience.


`

[TOMMY GUN]

Originally Posted by Johnny Dangerously

This probably occurs more often, but twice I have seen lightning during a snow fall. Once in St. Louis & once in MD.


It was quite an odd experience.


`

I've heard thunder in a snowstorm a few times.



.

[HSURB]

Originally Posted by TOMMY GUN

I've heard thunder in a snowstorm a few times.



.

I've heard thunder in a restroom after eating at a Mexican food place once? Does that count?

HSURB®

[TOMMY GUN]

Originally Posted by HSURB

I've heard thunder in a restroom after eating at a Mexican food place once? Does that count?

HSURB®

No, that's a common phenomenon.






Don't tell anyone that I spelled a big word.

[Johnny Dangerously]

Originally Posted by HSURB

I've heard thunder in a restroom after eating at a Mexican food place once? Does that count?

HSURB®

`