Lightning killed my TV!

PH01 · 23-10-2003 08:41AM #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 08:46AM

Cable went in our house last night.

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

Damn........

vibe666 · 23-10-2003 08:51AM

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 08:56AM

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

hedgetrimmer · 23-10-2003 09:00AM

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 09:57AM

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 10:01AM

House got hit by lightning - blew my modem

Scorch mark along the wall outside.

DMT · 23-10-2003 10:06AM

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 10:14AM

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 10:17AM

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 10:18AM

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 10:21AM

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 10:23AM

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 10:27AM

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 10:32AM

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 10:56AM

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 11:06AM

Originally posted by Muck

No :D

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

Kavs · 23-10-2003 11:10AM

"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 11:22AM

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 11:24AM

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 11:50AM

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 12:31PM

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 01:19PM

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 01:36PM

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 02:19PM

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 02:20PM

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 02:22PM

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

seamus · 23-10-2003 02:47PM

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 03:17PM

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 03:25PM

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 04:18PM

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

Lightning killed my TV!

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