Must be away

[Priestess]

Today, we had a lightening storm and my apartment took a direct hit by lightning.
The bedroom has a small hole blown in the wall, the garage took serious damage.
Four surge protectors are burned out, the broadband cable modem is dead, so is
my normal phone modem. I'm using a very old one 14400 modem now. The television
screen was magnetized as well. All this equipment was behind surge protectors and
not even turned on.

I feel weird too, just like the last time I was close to a lightning strike, about
10 years ago. I hope to see you all soon. Bye for now.

[fraulein_Maria]

[QUOTE=Priestess]Today, we had a lightening storm and my apartment took a direct hit by lightning.
The bedroom has a small hole blown in the wall, the garage took serious damage.
Four surge protectors are burned out

>>>> i hope they were belkins. they warrenty there products for lightening strikes and will pay if you apply. <<<<

[neko2]

Your average surge protector is worthless against lightning. Most of them use metal oxide varistors or avalance diodes which just burn up when hit by lightning. Actual protection from lightning requires large inductors or gas-discharge tubes. You can buy these kinds of surge protectors, but they generally cost $100 or more. Even if you have an adequate powerline surge protector, it won't do you much good if the system is not properly grounded, or if the data lines (DSL, cable) are unprotected.

[fraulein_Maria]

[QUOTE=neko2]Your average surge protector is worthless against lightning.

>>>> true. but i use belkins because there warrenty is to REPLACE my equipment up to $100,000 dollars worth. if her home electronics were fried while using a belkin, she can have them replaced.... for free. <<<<

Most of them use metal oxide varistors or avalance diodes which just burn up when hit by lightning. Actual protection from lightning requires large inductors or gas-discharge tubes.

>>>> actual protection would be to get her landlord to install a lightening rod. since he/she is required by law to do so, this is as simple as showing him/her your receipt for the damages and asking (nicely :) no reason to be hostile) for him/her to please comply with the law. <<<<<

it won't do you much good if the system is not properly grounded

>>> or if the home/apt. is not properly grounded. most homes/apt.'s have only one ground. 2-3 is what's necesarry for today's hi-tech homes/apt.'s. tis a simple thing really to install an extra one or two at home. talk to your landlord about protecting HIS/HER stuff to get one for yourself. <<<<<

[Priestess]

It's sort of frustrating being here on such a slow modem :(

To answer questions. Yes, there is a lightning rod, so either
it failed or else it was overwhelmed. The ground indicators on
the ruined surge protectors were all burned out.

Some of the crt screens weren't even connected to power, but
they still got color patterns magnetized into them. I tried to
deguasse them with a magnet. It seems to have worked on all
but one. That must have been a huge electro-magnetic pulse, but
all I can say for sure is that I could feel something when it
hit.

Maria- the other time when I was almost hit by lightning was
at work, so no connection besides the coincidence of it being me.

[Priestess]

The folks who's connection I'm sharing have had the broadband fixed, so no more needing to go online by modem. Though I still need a replacement newer phone modem for all the faxing I do. Doctors generally refuse to communicate by email.