Lightning killed my TV!

PH01 · 23-10-2003 7:41am #1

Last night there was this massive flash and bang of lightning and my TV went 'puff'! Dead! Gone! Checked the fuse and everything. It just died right in front og my eyes!

Can't believe it! ####ing lightning killed my TV!

DISASTER

Anything like this happen to anyone else?

seamus · 23-10-2003 7:46am

Cable went in our house last night.

Big flash of lightning, then "FSSSHHHHHH" as the tv just showed static.

Damn........

vibe666 · 23-10-2003 7:51am

bad news is you probably aren't insured against it.

act of god you see. and he can do what he wants apparently.

anyone would think he owned the place!

BigEejit · 23-10-2003 7:56am

Lucky you werent on d'internet ... could have blown your TV AND your PC ... then you'd be rightly fúcked

hedgetrimmer · 23-10-2003 8:00am

According to the Indo it happened in a number of places. Hell, no HOUSE was blown out and destroyed, and a few eletric wire posts burst into flames as well (Lucan mainly)

Lump · 23-10-2003 8:57am

Well it was a bit stupid leaving you electrical equipment pluged in in the middle of a storm, especially when it was as bad as that one.

John

Sposs · 23-10-2003 9:01am

House got hit by lightning - blew my modem

Scorch mark along the wall outside.

DMT · 23-10-2003 9:06am

In a thunder storm, it's always a good idea to take out the aerial lead from the back of your TV (to avoid damage from lightening strikes) and to unplug everything (except the fridge) to avoid power surges....

PH01 · 23-10-2003 9:14am

Originally posted by Lump
Well it was a bit stupid leaving you electrical equipment pluged in in the middle of a storm, especially when it was as bad as that one.

John

The storm went on for the whole day (and it's still going on today)!

What was I suppose to do? Read a book in the dark?

ToxicPaddy · 23-10-2003 9:17am

Yeah tell me about it..

The parents house got hit a few years back, we had just installed
some gadget type thingie that was supposed to protect the TV
and house if the ariel on the room got hit..

What happened, the house got hit and then bloody gadget was
melted into a puddle of runny plastic and the TV was still f*cked..

pfffttttt :rolleyes:

ToxicPaddy · 23-10-2003 9:18am

Originally posted by PH01
The storm went on for the whole day (and it's still going on today)!
What was I suppose to do? Read a book in the dark?

Well it would have worked out cheaper if you did...

:rolleyes:

spongebob · 23-10-2003 9:21am

But O'Reillys journos never cover it unless a house burns down, if you suspect anything you cannot rely on MET Eireann to forecase it. Check this website Here for hour by hour lightning stats . I see nasties coming towards Cork from the south as I post !

Next time you see flickering or hear thunder disconnect EVERYTHING from

1. Your roof or garden aerial
2. Your phone line
3. Your cable.

If it gets close then disconnect the telly and your computer monitor from the mains electric as well, they carry a charge acnd can blow spectacularly.

Finally

4. Get the candles and the matches ready

M

PH01 · 23-10-2003 9:23am

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
Yeah tell me about it..

The parents house got hit a few years back, we had just installed
some gadget type thingie that was supposed to protect the TV
and house if the ariel on the room got hit..

What happened, the house got hit and then bloody gadget was
melted into a puddle of runny plastic and the TV was still f*cked..

pfffttttt :rolleyes:

I've got an aerial on the roof as well - goddamit, is that the reason why my TV got creamed?

Awsuger, now I got to get cable from fecking NTL!

amp · 23-10-2003 9:27am

Originally posted by Sposs
House got hit by lightning - blew my modem

Scorch mark along the wall outside.

Sposs quit IRC - disconnected by act of God

PH01 · 23-10-2003 9:32am

Originally posted by Muck
But O'Reillys journos never cover it unless a house burns down, if you suspect anything you cannot rely on MET Eireann to forecase it. Check this website Here for hour by hour lightning stats . I see nasties coming towards Cork from the south as I post !

Next time you see flickering or hear thunder disconnect EVERYTHING from

1. Your roof or garden aerial
2. Your phone line
3. Your cable.

If it gets close then disconnect the telly and your computer monitor from the mains electric as well, they carry a charge acnd can blow spectacularly.

Finally

4. Get the candles and the matches ready

M

Where were you last night?

BTW, is it worth getting the TV repaired?

spongebob · 23-10-2003 9:56am

Originally posted by PH01
Where were you last night?

BTW, is it worth getting the TV repaired?

In the sunny , cloud free Wesht.

No

:D

PH01 · 23-10-2003 10:06am

Originally posted by Muck

No :D

Jelly Crums, can't believe I gotta buy a new telly!

Kavs · 23-10-2003 10:10am

"Lightning killed my TV"

You have my deepest sympathies! Its hard to lose a member of the family like that!:D

Jaysus the weather is class here in the West whats going on over in the East??

irishgeo · 23-10-2003 10:22am

Originally posted by Kavs
"Lightning killed my TV"

You have my deepest sympathies! Its hard to lose a member of the family like that!:D

Jaysus the weather is class here in the West whats going on over in the East??

its the warm irish sea.Dont know where you are in the west but its freezing in mayo.

spongebob · 23-10-2003 10:24am

Bit nippy in the Wesht mind

. Still it could be worse.

The South will get the next dose of atmospheric electricals , bookmark this very cool lightning map by Irishwan .

M

sceptre · 23-10-2003 10:50am

Originally posted by Muck
In the sunny , cloud free Wesht.

No :D

It was friggin freezing last night in the Wesht.

PH01 · 23-10-2003 11:31am

Originally posted by Kavs
"Lightning killed my TV"

You have my deepest sympathies! Its hard to lose a member of the family like that!:(

Thanks Kavs.
Everyone at home is trying to come to terms with our loss. It was so sudden that we're all in shock (to use a pun) right now. But over the next week or so the reality of our bereavement will kick in. I don't know how I will cope.
Black Diamond was his name, though we called him Blackie and he died young. Just two years old. So much to live for when he was cruelly taken away from us. This is just too much to take.
Blackie took over from Phillips, who lived well into old age. Phillips died in his sleep and he previously had a successful career in the banking industry before he joined our household for 5 happy years of his retirement.

May they rest in peace (or in pieces at the local land fill).

K2 · 23-10-2003 12:19pm

every storm cloud has a silver lining, this is the perfect excuse to go out and buy that 32" and sure why not get the home cinema / dvd system while you're at it!

ThreadKiller · 23-10-2003 12:36pm

Originally posted by vibe666
bad news is you probably aren't insured against it.

act of god you see. and he can do what he wants apparently.

anyone would think he owned the place!

Sue the church

Capt'n Midnight · 23-10-2003 1:19pm

Yeah can't argue with Watty
Lightening damage is not fixable when there are electronics involved.
ie. if a computer got hit, you might replace the Modem / PSU and or other components to get it going and it even if it looked like it was up and running, electrical stresses and ESD would probably mean it would crash randomly later on.

Surge protectors may help if lightening hits in a nearby field - but some of the are a bit like crash helmets - one or two good belts and they won't offer any more protection. If lightening hits a cable (ESB / Phone) nearby (ie between you and the exchange/sub station) then surge protectors won't be much use.

oneweb · 23-10-2003 1:20pm

Something says I shouldn't go for IBB and their 2-metre high pole after all. It sorta screams HIT ME! :eek:

Good job too, was supposed to get the LOS test on Monday but they postponed it 'til today. I'll get it done purely to satisfy my curiousity, but I'm seriously thinking of the alternatives to a path-of-least-resistance for a lightning bolt.

Repli · 23-10-2003 1:22pm

Thats terrible about your TV - luckily we have 5 in total around the house... just in case you know..

seamus · 23-10-2003 1:47pm

Originally posted by oneweb
Good job too, was supposed to get the LOS test on Monday but they postponed it 'til today. I'll get it done purely to satisfy my curiousity, but I'm seriously thinking of the alternatives to a path-of-least-resistance for a lightning bolt.

If you just plug out the connection during a storm, you won't have any problems. The only reason there's a path of least resistance is because the machine is grounded. Once your machine is unplugged, you can let any IBB equipment get fried, cos that's their responsibility to get fixed (as eircom support discovered this morning)

You could also attach a grounding wire to the pole yourself, so that if lightning decides to strike, the power will choose the wire and go directly to ground. Path of least resistance and all that.

Capt'n Midnight · 23-10-2003 2:17pm

Re Grounding Wire
Lightening protector
the last time I checked, this should be 75mm2 of copper going to a good earth (eg copper plated eight foot long spike in damp earth) - anything less will most deinitely not take a direct hit (and if it does take a direct hit it, the main purpose is to stop the house exploding - electonics would still get fried )

elexes · 23-10-2003 2:25pm

lots of ppl in my area ( a while back ) claimed insurence for the lightning damage on equipment . tv's pcs' etc .. might be worth a ring

BigEejit · 23-10-2003 3:18pm

Originally posted by Repli
Thats terrible about your TV - luckily we have 5 in total around the house... just in case you know..

If there is one thing worse than getting your TV fried by electricity ... its getting ALL your TV's fried by electricity

Mossy Monk · 23-10-2003 4:29pm

Originally posted by Muck
The South will get the next dose of atmospheric electricals

for real. we had some sheet lightening last night but nothing exciting

toxick · 23-10-2003 8:10pm

you wouldnt be able to get insurence(act of god) so how about sueing god?:P

last year my modem got fried:(

Lenny · 23-10-2003 9:44pm

Originally posted by Muck
But O'Reillys journos never cover it unless a house burns down, if you suspect anything you cannot rely on MET Eireann to forecase it. Check this website Here for hour by hour lightning stats . I see nasties coming towards Cork from the south as I post !

Next time you see flickering or hear thunder disconnect EVERYTHING from

1. Your roof or garden aerial
2. Your phone line
3. Your cable.

If it gets close then disconnect the telly and your computer monitor from the mains electric as well, they carry a charge acnd can blow spectacularly.

Finally

4. Get the candles and the matches ready

M

Muck, how do i use that website?
Which colour means what?

passive · 23-10-2003 9:56pm

toxick you wouldnt be able to get insurence(act of god) so how about sueing god?:P

wasn't there a film about that in the IFI a while ago...with billy conolly or something? sueing god...maybe i made it up. nevermind..

mike65 · 23-10-2003 10:04pm

I wonder would "Lightning Killed My Clock Radio" get so many replies or views!

Mike.

23-10-2003 10:06pm

Originally posted by Lenny
Muck, how do i use that website?
Which colour means what?

If you look on the left you see each colour represents how many hours ago the lightning strike recorded on the map occurred.
It still shows the strikes from the East Coast ten hours ago.
There are two recent strikes to the south of Ireland, but these could be just athmospheric no cloud lightning as if you look on this radar shot there are no rain echoes in the area.
So you can rest easy tonight

mm

sceptre · 23-10-2003 10:07pm

Originally posted by PH01

Black Diamond was his name, though we called him Blackie and he died young. Just two years old. So much to live for when he was cruelly taken away from us. This is just too much to take.
Blackie took over from Phillips, who lived well into old age. Phillips died in his sleep and he previously had a successful career in the banking industry before he joined our household for 5 happy years of his retirement.

That's a wonderfully tender post about a lost friend. Sometimes these things just happen and it's all for some reason we can't understand. Perhaps you should post the above on Personal Issues for some empathy from those who have lost household appliances and friends in similar circumstances. The funeral will be a great help to you when your friends provide helpful shoulders to cry on

(I really wanted to post ":D" - it was a great post)

DerekD Goldfish · 23-10-2003 10:25pm

Well my house was hit by lightning about 3 months ago we lost 1 widescreen 2 portables 2 VCR and a modem as well as a rake of roof tiles. As for pluging out stuff during a storm it was 5 in the evening and not a clould in the sky.Our insurance did cover it as most household insurance does its just a commen myth that no insurance covers lightning strike. an "Insured Peril" they call it

carbonkid · 23-10-2003 10:43pm

wasn't there a film about that in the IFI a while ago...with billy conolly or something? sueing god...maybe i made it up. nevermind..

no it wasnt all a dream...that or we both been dreaming about billy conolly sueing god...how weird would that be...the dreaming of billy conolly that is....im scared:(

oneweb · 23-10-2003 10:51pm

Originally posted by seamus The only reason there's a path of least resistance is because the machine is grounded. Once your machine is unplugged, you can let any IBB equipment get fried[/B]

But surely there's still a path of least resistance without a quick'n'easy path to earth? Meaning that the building itself might take the power and be damaged in the process. Someone's chimney was shattered in Castleknock in yesterday's thunder storm.

sceptre · 23-10-2003 11:06pm

Originally posted by oneweb
But surely there's still a path of least resistance without a quick'n'easy path to earth? Meaning that the building itself might take the power and be damaged in the process. Someone's chimney was shattered in Castleknock in yesterday's thunder storm.

it's been ten years since I did physics (and I did my forgetting act on the assumption I'd never need it) but I'd imagine that the lightning (or the electrical charge to be a teensy bit scientific) would run down through any electrical lines/phone lines/similar first if they're available. Concrete probably doesn't conduct electricity all that well. Hence the quick run down to the TV.

seamus · 23-10-2003 11:11pm

Originally posted by oneweb
But surely there's still a path of least resistance without a quick'n'easy path to earth? Meaning that the building itself might take the power and be damaged in the process. Someone's chimney was shattered in Castleknock in yesterday's thunder storm.

There's no such thing as a perfect insulator

Insulation is essentially a measure of resistance. So rubber is extremely resistant. The earth has a potential of 0 volts. Charges flow from higher voltage to lower voltage. So every charge would like to make it to earth. So regardless of the resistance of an object, if the potential is high enough, , and there is no other way to go, the current will make it's way to ground through the object.
Resistors get hot when a current is passed through them. Lightning strikes are of a frighteningly high potential. Once lightning hits something, it will makes it way to ground, any way it can. So stuff melts, chimneys explode, and houses go on fire because they act as resistors.

But if you give the lightning something with a low resistance (copper wire) and connect it directly to earth, the lightning will choose that path, and leave the house unscathed.

Paddy20 · 23-10-2003 11:38pm

So, are these well known "surge protectors" that I have just about everything all over the place plugged in to, a con ?..

Mine are supposed to give up their own lives to protect my plugged in equipment, and if my equipment is damaged my equipment is supposed to be covered by their "Lifetime" warranty.

According to the accompanying literature. Not only are the dead surge protectors replaced, but all my gear on each protector will also be replaced if damaged, up to a very substantial sum!.

Thankfully, since I started using surge protectors, and have experienced power failures, lightening storms, and just about all types of weather conditions. Nothing has blown, except a couple of light bulbs one evening.

However, I am now concerned ?..

P.:ninja:

oneweb · 23-10-2003 11:40pm

Originally posted by seamus
Lightning strikes are of a frighteningly high potential. Once lightning hits something, it will makes it way to ground, any way it can. So stuff melts, chimneys explode, and houses go on fire because they act as resistors.

But if you give the lightning something with a low resistance (copper wire) and connect it directly to earth, the lightning will choose that path, and leave the house unscathed.

Brilliant

That's roughly what I was thinking but you've cleared it up perfectly

Mossy Monk · 24-10-2003 12:02am

no thunder or lightening down my part of the south tonight

Supercell · 24-10-2003 12:25am

Why didnt the spike on O'Connell street get hit many times ???

Surely it was a perfect conductor, sticking up higher than anything else in the city, but by all accounts it wasnt struck.

Many summers worked ago in Munich , and there is a massive buiilding outside the Olympic Stadium with a revolving restaurant on top (looks a bit like that place at the end of Men In Black 2) , during a big thunderstorm i watched it get hit multiple times, cannot understand why our own spike wouldn't get the same treatment.

Anyone got any ideas?

24-10-2003 12:40am

Originally posted by Longfield
Why didnt the spike on O'Connell street get hit many times ???

Because for the most part the lightning was sheet or cloud to cloud lighning.
Just as noisy, but unable to hit anything unless the object is near the cloud, ie on higher ground.
The clouds would have to have been shrouding the top of the spike, which they probably werent.
there was some dangerous forked lightning involved too but it was in a minority and clearly none of that type was near the spike.
The storms were intense enough though and went on long enough for random strikes from the forks to occur.

mm

24-10-2003 12:46am

Originally posted by seamus
There's no such thing as a perfect insulator
Insulation is essentially a measure of resistance. So rubber is extremely resistant. The earth has a potential of 0 volts. Charges flow from higher voltage to lower voltage. So every charge would like to make it to earth. So regardless of the resistance of an object, if the potential is high enough, , and there is no other way to go, the current will make it's way to ground through the object.
Resistors get hot when a current is passed through them. Lightning strikes are of a frighteningly high potential. Once lightning hits something, it will makes it way to ground, any way it can. So stuff melts, chimneys explode, and houses go on fire because they act as resistors.

But if you give the lightning something with a low resistance (copper wire) and connect it directly to earth, the lightning will choose that path, and leave the house unscathed.

Hmmm, I was at a lecture in february at the Boston Science museum in their Brilliant theatre of electricity where they have a lightning generator and a faraday cage( Bloomin amazin place! ).
Me too tired to explain it all now, but the forks of lightning actually start at the ground and jump up to the cloud...9 not commonly known that...)

/ if this thread finds it's way over to the weather board, i might try to explain this tomorrow when I'm less sleepy

mm

deecom · 24-10-2003 12:52am

Spike was hit many times last night, but it would act like any cyclinder. Go back and read your physics book, the spike will act like a car, the perfect ground. Even if you hung out of the damm thing you'd be fine, because your not the quick way to earth. God i'm glad i didn't get a sick note that day!

oneweb · 24-10-2003 1:59am

I saw a really really cool lightning strike - it went from a straight fork and ended up curling inwards in a '6' like fashion

It was pretty far awayand it faded quite neatly too

Lightning killed my TV!

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