| Author |
Message |
    
Leonard
Intermediate Member
Username: Leonard
Post Number: 144
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2005 - 8:09 am: | 
|
I now know how a few members feel in the forum.
Four weeks ago I took a direct hit on my I-Max 2000 coax was out the window,but the lightning came back into the window.
I still have splinters of fiber glass all over my roof.
smoked my computer,2 tv's,1 RCI 2980 WX,2 DVD player's 1 vhs,cable modem cable router,and one garage opener.
It's going to be a while before the base is back up and running again.
But I still have a 2950 DX in the truck yet and a 2970 for a back up so not all is lost.
Also I have a new computer to boot now.
So I can really relate to the ones that have been zapped by mother nature.
Kinda like a wake up call that for sure!!!!!!
Hope to catch some of you on the net some time it has been totally dead here in Minnesota.
Till next time you all take care.
CEF#189 Len So,Minnesota
|
1861
Intermediate Member
Username: 1861
Post Number: 297
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2005 - 8:48 am: |
|
did you figure out what the lightning used for a path into house ? if i understand , the coax was disconnected and thrown outside . |
Leonard
Intermediate Member
Username: Leonard
Post Number: 145
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2005 - 6:13 pm: |
|
1861 I had the coax out side of the window and the screen.
I think it came back into the house from a gap that was at the botom of the window by the coax.
And it came in between the conmputer and a TV and hit the chains on the ceiling fan and poped the light on the other side of the living room.
I was standing in the kitchen and saw the sparks fall from the ceiling fan.
|
Starface
Intermediate Member
Username: Starface
Post Number: 148
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2005 - 6:46 pm: |
|
thank God you are ok tho....
We here in central Florida have whats call a Zap Cap ... in goes on the meter box and the meter hooks to it... if lighting hits it don't let it come into the house and if it does they replace everything that got damage up to a total of $100,000.00 ....might try calling you elecitic co and see if they have something like that in your area... it cost me $6.00 a month to my light bill but I rather pay that and know if anything takes a hit they replace it.
Till next time
Starface CEF#476
Dixie CEF#611
Southeast Net Control
Auburndale,FL |
Road_warrior
Advanced Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 764
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2005 - 10:04 pm: |
|
Sorry to hear about your Lightning Strike.
Good Luck on getting things put back together.
During Lightning Storms i unplug my coax
waterproof the connector and put it far
from the house. I also unplug everything
in the house, except refridge. |
Road_warrior
Advanced Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 765
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2005 - 10:20 pm: |
|
Added to my last post: When i place my coax
outside away from the house, i run a
copper jumper wire from coax to a groundrod.
|
Yankee
Advanced Member
Username: Yankee
Post Number: 840
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2005 - 11:08 pm: |
|
Darn Leonard, I hate to see this happen to anyone. I know the feeling it happened to me years ago, back home in upstate New York. Starting over is not easy for anyone. At least no one was hurt and all the stuff you lost can be replaced a little at a time. Best of luck getting back on the air and may God's blessings be with you and your family.
Carl CEF-357 |
Kb9umt_don_123
Junior Member
Username: Kb9umt_don_123
Post Number: 21
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2005 - 11:12 pm: |
|
Leonard,
First sorry for your radio, electronic and antenna loss due to the direct hit...do you think anything would have stopped this direct hit?
You would really have to spend lots of money to protect your equipment and even then if you know anything about this subject the unexpected could still happen...lightening can due wierd things before it finds ground.
Starface mentioned a Zap Cap...let's look at a few things about these (not to down play protection but also to let you know it's a money maker for the electric company). Let's look at some numbers:
Let's say that your local electric company has a coverage area of a 50 mile radius and in that has around 500,000 customers. Let's also say that about 5% (5% of 500,000 is 25,000 customers) of these customer install a Zap Cap on their electric meters at a montly cost of $6.00 a month...humm...that would be a cost of $72 a year per customer x 25,000 customers (5%) to total about $1,800,000 a year income to the electric company for the protection of these Zap Caps at the electric meters. That's lots of cash! Now keep in mind that they only pay out replacement costs to damaged 'motor driven equipment' of a surge that passes through the meter...that is via the meter only. I would beat to say that there are very few claims on this..maybe even less than $100,000 worth a year while they pocket the rest. They say you have just as much a chance to get hit by lightening than to win the lottery....it's just a rare thing so play the lottery.
de kb9umt Don
http://www.HamRadioHelp.com |
Capt205
Junior Member
Username: Capt205
Post Number: 32
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2005 - 11:13 pm: |
|
ZAP CAP!!! wouldn't be without it. Also if you get the powerstrips and outlet protectors, there is additional protection/$$$$ coverage from the electric company.
Next investment for me....Polyphasers |
Leonard
Intermediate Member
Username: Leonard
Post Number: 146
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Friday, August 19, 2005 - 8:08 am: |
|
Thanks for all the suport here.
I do not think a zap cap would have help because it came in through the window.
I had a surge protector in line but that was not hit?
But it was a strange feeling when I saw a some sparks fall from the ceiling fan and the light bulb blew out of the light on the other side of the room.
I do not know who was scared more my dog or my self.
And yes I did play the lottery but *sigh* I did not win I guess getting hit by lighting is better than winning the lottery.
But again I do have a 2970 and a tripp lite power supply and about 200 ft of coax all I need is the antenna.
Wich to buy I do not know research to find a good one.
Again Thanks to all.
Len CEF#189 So,Minnesota |
Marconi
Intermediate Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 469
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 01, 2005 - 6:20 pm: |
|
What happened to the coax? Was it loud and did your hair stand out from your body. That happened to me. The coax was also outside and the current destroyed the antenna, and the coax. The bolt went from the end of the coax and into the ground to the metal water pipe coming into the house from the street. It dug a trench about 6'-8' long and got into the ground side of all circuits that were tapped into the cold water pipes. They use to ground appliances that way in the old days before three wire service. Stuf in the new part of the house with three wire service was not affected.
If the coax was even close to your water or the regular ground for the house AC service, then it may have gotten in the house that way also. I had light bulbs blow up also, window glass break, and sheetrock cracks develop. It was bad. |
