Lightning Strike Yesterday!!! OUCH!

[Lone Gunman]

Well, it's been a few years since we got hit. After the last strike I reworked all the outside to inside dish and power connections (they were disconnected with no power on them when the lightning hit this time) and thinking nothing would happen?? About 5:30 EDT yesterday one main lightning bolt hit VERY close to my house and took out two of my three systems, my fiber broadband router, an 8 port ethernet switch, two computer ethernet cards, one of my 32" flat screen TVs, one FTA receiver and two Vbox controllers?? WTF???

And this is the second time this summer that a storm has messed with me as last time it cost me the final 2 episode recordings of The Blacklist?

Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed in the morning!!

 

[FTA4PA]

Sorry to hear it. Lightning sucks!

 

[KE4EST]

Wow, so sorry to hear.

 

[dfergie]

That sucks, in the mid 80's I woke up to a lightning strike 20' from my bedroom window, fiberglass dish had scorch marks, Sat-Tech receiver and LNA fried.

 

[Bassplayer 1964]

Sorry about your lightning strike! I had a very similar strike a couple of years back. I was watching metv at the time. This was around 5 am and I went on out to survey the damage got by OK with my stb and v box but lnb's and switches took the hit along with the ignition coils on my generator. Had another storm that took out the power for 3 of the hottest days that year. Miserable sleeping for me as I don't do heat very well... Hoe you can get back up and running quickly! I did a lot of extra grounding I hope does good here as well

 

[iBoston]

Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed in the morning!!

I know exactly how you feel! - I feel for you! Hope you get back to 100% quickly and smoothly.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Well, the "smoke" has finally cleared and here are the final results.

Parts lost, one 32" TV (not a smart TV), one FTA receiver, one Vbox 2 dish controller, one Gigaspire internet router, one Von Weise reed switch, one 8 port TP Link gigabyte network switch, two gigabit PCI network cards in PCs.

The part of all this that I do not understand is, there were NO connections to any satellite dish. A few years back I put plug in wire connectors on all the dish motor control. That and ALL the coax was disconnected from the dish so there was NO LINK TO ANY OF THE DISHES?? Yet I still lost a TV, an FTA receiver and a Vbox that were also disconnected from the 110v wall plugs??

And that Gigaspire router is connected to fiber internet cable that was run to my house with nothing metal but an 18/20 ga messenger wire that runs with that fiber but does NOT come into the house?? Both the router and it's 110v power supply were toast. Oh, and that router WAS connected to a 110v receptacle that is mounted on the bottom of one of my 200a service panel but NO breakers or the surge trap were tripped.

Good news is, I had "spare" parts for everything but the 32" TV, which only had ONE HDMI channel left after a prior strike years ago. I'm running the two FTA receivers and OTA antenna into the one working 32" that wasn't damaged.

Just saying..................

 

[FTA4PA]

The part of all this that I do not understand is, there were NO connections to any satellite dish. A few years back I put plug in wire connectors on all the dish motor control. That and ALL the coax was disconnected from the dish so there was NO LINK TO ANY OF THE DISHES?? Yet I still lost a TV, an FTA receiver and a Vbox that were also disconnected from the 110v wall plugs??

I haven't used a VBox in a few years. Isn't it correct that even if the coax to the dish is disconnected during a storm there are still the control wires to your actuator from the VBox that remain connected at all times? This 'path' into your home would be enough for lightning to find it's way to ground through your equipment.

 

[Lone Gunman]

I haven't used a VBox in a few years. Isn't it correct that even if the coax to the dish is disconnected during a storm there are still the control wires to your actuator from the VBox that remain connected at all times? This 'path' into your home would be enough for lightning to find it's way to ground through your equipment.

As I mentioned in my last post.......I have those wires where I can disconnect them at the plug in installed when storms are around or predicted. Picture a male and female 4 pin plug with one side of it mounted in the Vbox and the other connected to the dish. Maybe I can post a pic if you can't visualize that setup. ;-)

Just saying.................

 

[FTA4PA]

As I mentioned in my last post.......I have those wires where I can disconnect them at the plug in installed when storms are around or predicted. Picture a male and female 4 pin plug with one side of it mounted in the Vbox and the other connected to the dish. Maybe I can post a pic if you can't visualize that setup. ;-)

Just saying.................

No pic needed. Just missed the part about the control wires being disconnected too. Beats me how it fried everything then.

 

[primestar31]

Induced lightning pulse, if strong enough, close enough, and enough metal (wire) acting like an antenna is in the device, that can cause disconnected devices to fry.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Induced lightning pulse, if strong enough, close enough, and enough metal (wire) acting like an antenna is in the device, that can cause disconnected devices to fry.

Yeah, I kinda figured it was something similar to that. I was seated within 8ft of the carnage playing a video game on my computer so it's a wonder that I didn't get lit up. That computer locked up and I had to cut power then reboot and it did come back missing a PCI local network adapter. That and I wear hearing aids so it's a wonder they didn't get fried as well.

Oh well, one more like that one and I'm outta here cuz I'll be out of spares.
Just saying.....................

 

[primestar31]

Yeah, I kinda figured it was something similar to that. I was seated within 8ft of the carnage playing a video game on my computer so it's a wonder that I didn't get lit up. That computer locked up and I had to cut power then reboot and it did come back missing a PCI local network adapter. That and I wear hearing aids so it's a wonder they didn't get fried as well.

Oh well, one more like that one and I'm outta here cuz I'll be out of spares.
Just saying.....................

I wonder if lightning rods are still available, and could help?

 

[Comptech]

If you drive one in, make sure it is bonded with your main house ground rod. Otherwise you are asking for trouble.

 

[primestar31]

If you drive one in, make sure it is bonded with your main house ground rod. Otherwise you are asking for trouble.

Lightning Rod (on roof), NOT ground rod... Otherwise, yep, any additional ground rods MUST BE bonded to the regular house ground.

 

[Comptech]

I am from south florida originaly, lived in lightning alley on the north part of Lake O. big storms build up over the lake. I have seen lightning hit a palm tree in the front yard, run to a lamp post in the front yard then go to the house and cause major problems. The house across the street from me looked like someone took a trencher to his yard to the light, which only pieces were found and killed most electronic in his house. The ATT modem was melted to to the table it was on and smoldering.

 

[Comptech]

ATT found it easier to put the drop on the other side of the house and drive their own ground rod for the DSL service, wound up costing them alot of money. The insurance adjuster saw it the minute I showed what they did and ATT had to pay for the damage done. I am sure he is still a employee as they are all union.

 

[Comptech]

All six of my antennas and my two sat dishes are all grounded with 4 gauge wire to my house ground. But even that will not protect you from a direct hit. I still throw radio cables out the window when bad storms hit.