Another WTF Moment At My House!

[Lone Gunman]

Two days ago, as I disconnected all my dish connections to my Vbox movers because of another storm I thought that making those quick disconnect plug setups for those things was a really good idea. That and I always unplug ALL the power strips that are associated with TV period. I hadn't lost anything to a lightning strike in about 2 years. Insert the word DUMBA$$ here!!

Last night we had yet another storm come through and guess what? I had watched some OTA TV yesterday evening and forgot to disconnect my 32” shop TV coax from that OTA antenna like I normally do. That TV was the only thing connected to that OTA connection except for that new Preamp I had put in the line a few months back.

So this morning I go out to the shop, plug up all my stuff then turn the power on and “oh s**t!!! I got nothing on my Winegard system at all other than the TV stating “no signal”?

The bottom line is, lightning must have hit that OTA antenna because now my 32” TV only has ONE out of THREE HDMI ports working, my V7 HD receiver has NO HDMI port and my Vbox 7 is FRIED and it wasn't connected to anything but the V7 HD receiver!! And you can add that practically new OTA preamp to that also as it no longer works either!!! DAYUMNIT!!

 

[KE4EST]

Sorry to hear man! I have had it happen to me as well. I think everything is pulled, but something in the system still is, and everything connected gets a zap!!!

 

[FTA4PA]

Two days ago, as I disconnected all my dish connections to my Vbox movers because of another storm I thought that making those quick disconnect plug setups for those things was a really good idea. That and I always unplug ALL the power strips that are associated with TV period. I hadn't lost anything to a lightning strike in about 2 years. Insert the word DUMBA$$ here!!

Last night we had yet another storm come through and guess what? I had watched some OTA TV yesterday evening and forgot to disconnect my 32” shop TV coax from that OTA antenna like I normally do. That TV was the only thing connected to that OTA connection except for that new Preamp I had put in the line a few months back.

So this morning I go out to the shop, plug up all my stuff then turn the power on and “oh s**t!!! I got nothing on my Winegard system at all other than the TV stating “no signal”?

The bottom line is, lightning must have hit that OTA antenna because now my 32” TV only has ONE out of THREE HDMI ports working, my V7 HD receiver has NO HDMI port and my Vbox 7 is FRIED and it wasn't connected to anything but the V7 HD receiver!! And you can add that practically new OTA preamp to that also as it no longer works either!!! DAYUMNIT!!

Been there myself and I feel for you! I've got my disconnect routine down to a science as well but do get caught by a surprise storm now and then and just hope for the best. Good luck getting things back in order!

 

[iBoston]

Dang, I'm sorry to here that.. I have been there too.... I feel for ya!

 

[Phalaenopsis]

Yikes That sucks! I guess I should start disconnecting my stuff during heavy rain/thunderstorms. Hopefully you’ll be able to get back on your feet!

 

[Lone Gunman]

Thanks guys!! Just had to vent a bit! I had spares and was able to get it working after about an hour of testing stuff. I had a spare Vbox that I had fixed some time back with help from KE4EST. That and I can use the AV output on that V7 HD through an RCA RF Modulator I have on each system. I just hate it that my 32" TVs HDMI ports are damaged since that thing is less than 2 years old. Oh well, at least it wasn't my 50 inch TV that we watch in the bedroom cuz the HDMI output video quality has somewhat spoiled us.

OK, I'm done [/whining]!!

 

[Radioguy41]

Yeah, HDMI ports are the weak point. I lost my 55" Vizio a couple of months back. An out-of-the-blue strike hit the neighbor's flag pole and took out my GeoSatPro 3500 which in turn, via HDMI, took out the Vizio. The box was toast but the TV, fortunately, only needed a new tuner board. The 3 year extended warranty was well worth the $53, they came right to the house to repair it.

 

[Magic Static]

That really blows Gunman. I never have experienced failures from lightning here, TG. But lightning keeps the countryside ablaze around here. Getting to be the norm, the smoke season. But the smoke in the valley lately comes from California. A friend of mine lives on a mountain and he gets hit once in a while. Last time he lost the HDMI port in the microHD. Events like this keep the cheap china stuff in demand. Hate to buy expensive stuff with Mother Nature playing "Whack-a-Mole" with you.

 

[Cham]

Most of us are susceptible to lightning, even if everything is well grounded to code, antenna cables disconnected, etc. It can come through the power lines or cable tv line. Anything conductive can build up a dangerous charge when lightning hits nearby. Even disconnecting everything and hiding it under the bed doesn't always work (apparently). I have had a couple of turns dealing with blown routers, NICs, modems, computer power supplies, and toasted ham radios. None of these were direct strikes though, one hit a nearby power pole and the other hit a tree about 100ft from the house. Insurance can get expensive real fast if you have too many claims, so the cost of replacement devices is not claimed and the expenses are borne by the owner.
Many of us have similar stories to tell.

We feel for you, I know I certainly do. With the posts above you can certainly realize you are not alone!

Been very dry here over the last couple of years so not many thunderstorms... but they are forecasting storms this evening so I'll have to batten down the hatches here once again!

 

[bpalone]

Sorry to hear that. And, you didn't even get to see the magic smoke.

Nothing that money won't cure, but sure stinks. Be glad that it was only electronics and not the house.

 

[Tampa8]

No question HDMI ports are a weak point for lightning strikes. I live in the lightning capital of the U.S. if not the world, so I tried putting my OTA antenna and amp in the garage and it works fine there and for several years now no lightning problems. Fingers crossed. Knock on wood...

 

[ZetaMale]

I must be lucky because I haven't lost anything due to lightning in over 30 years. I don't disconnect anything (antennas, electrical plugged in). The way I figure it, I've got insurance and even if I didn't, I wouldn't want to be fretting over losing technology older than 10 years anyway.

 

[Titanium]

One issue with most "modern" electronics is that they are no longer grounded. The TV likely has a 2 prong AC plug with no ground. The G-box also has 2 prong AC with no ground and the MPEG2 STB also likely has a power supply without ground connection. Any electrical spike presented to any of this gear may pass through multiple devices while traveling to an earth (ground). If the OTA and/or the FTA systems antenna systems are grounded, electrical events may pass through the connecting cables (HDMI in this case) while traveling to the grounding presenting least resistance. Simply put, the HDMI circuitry is typically the weakest link and becomes a fuse.

Might minimize the HDMI damage by proving a shorter and alternative grounding path. Try bonding each devices chassis to the electrical ground (plate cover screw in most homes). Could be as simple as a short bonded wire from a screw on each chassis or placing a grounding block on a f-fitting on each device and earthing to the plate cover screw on the common outlet.

 

[ZetaMale]

Aside from the TV, most people have an el-cheapo STB and antenna control unit so a lightning strike might not be a big deal unless you lose that $1000 4K TV. Anyway, everything I have that can be grounded is grounded. That includes the satellite dishes and the OTA antenna. Plus I have surge suppression on all the coax and for the AC power. Ferrites are a big help also. If I did it right, and I believe that I have, I have single point grounding. I guess that's why I haven't lost any electronics in over 30 years. But, I have a problem with my ASC-1 but I don't think it's due to a lightning strike or surge. Occasionally, it stops moving the dish westward - letting the unit sit turned off for about half an hour gets it working again. Aside from that, it's a constant battle keeping the dish on target.

 

[JFOK]

Hi All,

I figured this was as good a place as any, (considering the topic) to ask .Raine how he made out this morning as there was a small tornado that touched down in his area. Andy...I'm hoping there were no injuries to family and no damage to home or property.

John.

 

[Cham]

Well Lone Gunman, we had a lightning strike here again on Sunday... So far only victims are my TBS 5980 (running on my laptop at the time), and the charger for my smartphone. Not sure how the 5980 failed, all the LNBs, and switches are ok; one would think a diseqc switch would fail before the receiver would. Power supply was plugged into a UPS, and the RG6 runs through a (grounded) ground block where it enters the house. The laptop is fine including the HDMI port, and same with all the other equipment plugged into the same UPS.
Was watching some late-night programming and heard a bit of thunder a long way off. A minute or so later Ka-Bang! Guess the storm was building overhead at night so there was little warning.

The strike took out the high voltage fuse between the power line and transformer. Think the fuse is 10a at 4300vac. Power company came to replace the fuse, but the fellow broke the holder's insulator when trying to snap it back in, so they had to order a bucket truck to replace the fuse holder too. Lots of fun!

I have had a lot of trouble with that USB receiver in the past, maybe it's a good thing it's toast. I'll have to think about a replacement... it won't be another 5980 though.

 

[bpalone]

Sorry to hear that. At least one of them is a cheap replace and the other, it sounds like you were almost happy it happened to it.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Weird thing about it is, we moved into this new house back in June of 2000 and that satellite dish was mounted on the post here not long after that when I moved it from the old house to this one. It was originally installed at the old place back in 1988 and I NEVER had a lightning strike failure the whole 12 years it was there.

Then the move here and it went about 16 years losing I think one LNBF IIRC but then I think it got a direct hit cuz it really horked up some stuff, ie, even burnt up one of the coax lines underground in the ribbon cable somewhere between the dish and the house. Got a Vbox, LNBF, Receiver and that coax in one hit.

I've had several LNBFs get fried along with 3 or 4 Vbox 7 and X dish movers. Nothing destroyed in the Von Weise movers though so that's a good thing!!

And even more weird than that and IIRC, the Raydx Dish that's still mounted on that temp mount on my car trailer has never lost anything to a lightning strike to date.....knock on wood!!

 

[bobvick]

I had a lighting strike on June 1. I always unplug everything, I’ve had it happen too many times. This time, the storm was several miles off, just barley thundering. Got about $6000 worth of stuff. Got everything replaced and working on the insurance claim now. You never can tell about lighting.

 

[FTA4PA]

I had a lighting strike on June 1. I always unplug everything, I’ve had it happen too many times. This time, the storm was several miles off, just barley thundering. Got about $6000 worth of stuff. Got everything replaced and working on the insurance claim now. You never can tell about lighting.

Sorry about your damages. They say it can strike up to 10 miles away from a storm. I believe it!