I've Died & gone to hell (so to speak)

[freetobegay]

My house was hit by lightning this afternoon, took out three computers, my router & DLS modem! I won't get my new DSL modem till Thursday & I just can't enjoy myself with a dial-up connection so I will be scarce until Thursday (as some here cheer). I will try to log in once in a-while to see whats happening, since this is where I get most of my news from.

Also just want to say will miss all of you till I get back on-line normally!

[ewagner]

1. Sorry to hear that

Surge protectors are a joke aren't they?

[Robb]

3. That's such a bummer

...although I am a dialup person myself. Of course I live in the sticks. My surge protector is me running to unplug the world whenever the wind kicks up. :)

[pagerbear]

2. I hesitate to say this, but

...one would think someone who has three or more computers, a router, and a DSL modem, would have something to protect against lightning strikes. But what do I know? Is there anything to protect against lightning strikes?

[freetobegay]

5. I have everything on surge protectors!

The way it was explained to me was: The lighting came through the phone line into my modem & traveled that way. Hence bypassing all surge protectors! The router practically melted!

If anyone can tell me how to protect my phone line, I'm all ears!

[Spinzonner]

11. Most High-end surge protectors

Have a pair of plugs - one line-in, the other line-out - for a phone/modem line.

Also, high-quality protectors and UPS's will also often have a multi-1000 $ insurance associated with them in that they will pay for the equipment replacement if it is damaged due to surges.

There may be some exceptions and restrictions regarding terrorism and some acts of God so read the fine print.

Personally, I favor UPS's for many reasons and many are not that expensive anymore and are probably even better in lightning-prone areas (I'm not in one.)

I prefer APC brand but there are others.

[freetobegay]

12. Not only do I use surge protectors

I have a main surge protector on the house that the Electric Company installed. Thay have already asked me for receipts to cover the cost of the damage to my equipment.

Also you cannot put a phone line into a surge protector that is being used on a DSL modem (so SPRINT my ISP provider tells me).

[lapfog_1]

13. Optical line isolators - EOM

[bigwillq]

4. Well I hope you're ok and

that your computer gets fixed as soon as possible. Were do you live?

[freetobegay]

6. Fort Myers, Florida.

And yes thanks for asking, I am ok.

[sasquatch]

7. Is RR in Hell?

Who's he with?:evilgrin:

[starroute]

8. We just got a cheery little email from our ISP

Saying that surge protectors don't work against lightning, and they do enough repairs on lightning-blasted machines to know it. They say you should unplug the power cord and the phone line whenever lightning comes close.

[Mikimouse]

9. Oh OK, I had a terrible moment when I thought you had gone into GD...

:evilgrin:

[DemoTex]

10. That's my big fear here in the #2 lightning county in the US.

Hillsborough (Tampa) is #1. Transylvania (western NC mountains) is #2. I have three computers and a very elaborate ham radio station, all very vulnerable to lightning. I have surge protectors on the AC lines and lightning arrestors on the antennae coax cables. The best protection - by far - is to unplug your gear and disconnect antennae and phone lines (especially the phone lines!). It is a habit of mine to disconnect everything whenever: 1. I hear thunder; 2. I see cells on the radar repeater, or; 3. I leave the house for more than a day. I also carry insurance on my computers and ham gear.