Can anyone explain lightning strikes and bulbs, appliances etc.?

Thunder and lightning outside and suddenly "crack"...and all the lights and appliances went off.

So grabbed a torch, went to the fuse box, see a couple have tripped so flicked them back on again.

But the bulbs are now in some strange half glow effect, tv works but Sky box doesn't, no noise from fridge etc. Suspect we got a direct hit...we live on a hill...but will this stuff all be back up and running tomorrow or am I looking at replacing bulbs, appliances etc.

Armchair Andy

That'll be rats. Rats in the meter box. Pedalling away ta **** running up a huge bill.

biko

The bulbs are just collecting themselves after the initial shock.

jamesbere

Leave the house immediately, it's the first sign of the apocalypse

Junkyard Tom

Thunder is the noise of clouds bashing into each other and that causes the giant spark that we call lightning.

Krispie

Ah no Conor, tis the house. Tis about to fall down, I'd run, run very fast. Run.
(Will someone please think of the children!!!)

jamesbere

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Thunder is the noise of clouds bashing into each other and that causes the giant spark that we call lightning.

So thunder is banging eachother and the lightning is the sperm

biko

Ok so lightning and thunder is from when Thor wields his mighty hammer Mjöllnir as he rides across the sky in his goat-drawn chariot.

KERSPLAT!

Check the fuses in the plugs and if they're off a fused spur, check that too. Highly unlikely that anything will just start working again. Lamps sound ****ed, that's my professional opinion.

mad muffin

Very, very frightening

Armchair Andy

biko wrote:

Ok so lightning and thunder is from when Thor wields his mighty hammer Mjöllnir as he rides across the sky in his goat-drawn chariot.

"Thor", she said, " I'm so ****in Thor i can't walk"

BillyBobBS

It's all Trumps fault.

It's a little pleasing to see that I am not the only person without the first idea of how this stuff works. Was hoping I wouldn't get a few "how did you not know that the light bulb circuit isn't earthed and you'll have to buy the 3 by 4 fuse, but the Sky box and tv are earthed so that means you can watch certain channels, except those that come through the same cable as the earth cable, which is blown" type responses.

The Backwards Man

mad muffin wrote: »

Very, very frightening

Bohemian Rhapsody current blaring in the watering house I'm in, now that's scarier than a Skyless Conor74

KERSPLAT!

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Check the fuses in the plugs and if they're off a fused spur, check that too. Highly unlikely that anything will just start working again. Lamps sound ****ed, that's my professional opinion.

Aha, sounds like one person knows this stuff!

Thanks Kersplat.

Now just have to Google "fused spur". The lights weren't lamps, but ceiling lights...if that makes any difference...

Krispie

Deleted User wrote: »

... so that means you can watch certain channels, .....

Aha, I now see where this was going... Certain channels;);) :P

RayM

Is it possible that it might be a power supply problem? If the television is working, but the fridge isn't, maybe the lightning has caused an ESB problem and there isn't enough power going to your house.

riffmongous

I'd say they're done, we used to always have to unplug electronics years ago during a storm, the lightning will fry the circuits.

Try pluggin a kettle or something into the sockets first to check if that is where the problem is

KERSPLAT!

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Aha, sounds like one person knows this stuff!

Thanks Kersplat.

Now just have to Google "fused spur". The lights weren't lamps, but ceiling lights...if that makes any difference...

Nah, no difference. I was always told a bulb goes in the ground so light bulbs are lamps... don't ask.

So in newer houses the sockets for appliances go through a spur or double pole switch (I'm out of the game a long time so not sure which) first. If it's a fused spur it'll be above the counter, normally beside or above the appliance, and will have a little tray that pulls out. That contains a fuse.

The sky box will just be off a standard socket but might be fried if the lightning strike came down the tv cable instead of the power.

Again, out of the game a long time and no expert on lightening strikes!

corner of hells

Deleted User wrote: »

Thunder and lightning outside and suddenly "crack"...and all the lights and appliances went off.

So grabbed a torch, went to the fuse box, see a couple have tripped so flicked them back on again.

But the bulbs are now in some strange half glow effect, tv works but Sky box doesn't, no noise from fridge etc. Suspect we got a direct hit...we live on a hill...but will this stuff all be back up and running tomorrow or am I looking at replacing bulbs, appliances etc.

Conor , it's unlikely you're going to believe this , but I'm an electri....

roy rodgers

Maybe a transformer got hit and only half power is coming into the house.. full service will resume very soon

Armchair Andy

TN-CS network. Thank God they earth the neutral.

TheChizler

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Nah, no difference. I was always told a bulb goes in the ground so light bulbs are lamps... don't ask.

So in newer houses the sockets for appliances go through a spur or double pole switch (I'm out of the game a long time so not sure which) first. If it's a fused spur it'll be above the counter, normally beside or above the appliance, and will have a little tray that pulls out. That contains a fuse.

The sky box will just be off a standard socket but might be fried if the lightning strike came down the tv cable instead of the power.

Again, out of the game a long time and no expert on lightening strikes!

Fuses? Sounds like a brownout IMO.

Notoldorwise

RayM wrote:

Is it possible that it might be a power supply problem? If the television is working, but the fridge isn't, maybe the lightning has caused an ESB problem and there isn't enough power going to your house.

roy rodgers wrote:

Maybe a transformer got hit and only half power is coming into the house.. full service will resume very soon

???????

KERSPLAT!

TheChizler wrote: »

Fuses? Sounds like a brownout IMO.

Yes, fuses. Possibly. There are multiple things it could be. I'm not there so I don't know.

TheChizler

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Yes, fuses. Possibly. There are multiple things it could be. I'm not there so I don't know.

Possibly but lights dimming would indicate low voltage, which could explain why some devices work (regulated supplies) or not? I'd be waiting for lights to come back full before pulling out fuses.

Admittedly I'm coming at this with all the theory and none of the experience

RayM

TheChizler wrote: »

Fuses? Sounds like a brownout IMO.

I'm sure there's medication for that.

roy rodgers

Notoldorwise wrote: »

???????

Yeah. The current is reduced coming into the house because the transformer was hit with a volt surge and it's like being stunned and it's coming around around again and will let the proper current through I an hour to two

Cutie 3.14

Saw flashes of lightning in the distance earlier around 10.30-11-30, plugged everything out. Never used to do it before until the house got hit and it blew the TV and dodgy box. Had to get a new TV then.

CPTM

The first 15 posts of this thread is why I love After Hours! ;-D

corner of hells

roy rodgers wrote: »

Notoldorwise wrote: »

???????

Yeah. The current is reduced coming into the house because the transformer was hit with a volt surge and it's like being stunned and it's coming around around again and will let the proper current through I an hour to two

Not a chance , it's wet turf being used in the power station.

retro:electro

Fire in the disco

magentis

Fire in the Taco Bell.

Capt'n Midnight

Deleted User wrote: »

Suspect we got a direct hit...we live on a hill...but will this stuff all be back up and running tomorrow or am I looking at replacing bulbs, appliances etc.

You didn't get a direct hit.

Otherwise a huge chunk of wall would be missing and lots of flames.


Electronics don't like lightning.

snowflaker

Fire at the old Simpson place

Are Am Eye

There may be swollen capacitors in the transponders grid exchange.

Recommend you switch to another energy provider.

SEPT 23 1989

Lost a good telephone fax machine in a storm in 03

Flash was a few hundred yards away

4068ac1elhodqr

If only the lightening could be captured in a glass jar full of of conductive gel, then the lid quickly put on it.
Sure you'd be able smear it on the Nissan Leaf and run it for free.
Into the latter part of the year 2525ad anyway.

magentis

Manuel Mammoth Handle wrote: »

If only the lightening could be captured in a glass jar full of of conductive gel, then the lid quickly put on it.
Sure you'd be able smear it on the Nissan Leaf and run it for free.
Into the latter part of the year 2525ad anyway.

Only if you have a flux capacitor.