Thunderstorm season is upon us are you prepared for a possible direct strike ? Last year we took a direct hit through the phone lines and I like to share with you what we should have done . First you can have lightening arrestors installed on your incoming power .You need good surge protector on all appliances , t.v. computors , ect .Check the ratings to make sure you have the right one .Do you have smoke dectectors in all the bedrooms , hall , basement , ect ? Have you checked the batterys ? Do you have fire ext. in the bedrooms , you should . Do you know how to use them ? How about the kids ? Do you have a way to escape from each second floor bedroom ? Home depot sells ladders that attach to the window sills and fold down . I also have a cell phone now , the min monthly is $9.95 not to much if you need help and your phone line is out .We were shocked at the damage that was done and how quickly the house caught fire and filled with smoke .It was the middle of the night , I had only been home from the hospital for a week after a c-section .Trying to get 4 children out of the house when its storming and filling with smoke is the scarrest thing .Hubby was trying to put out the fire . The worst is when you pick up the phone to call 911 and it's dead ! I hope this may help someone if it ever happens .

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), May 10, 2000

Answers

Wow! I never took a direct hit from a lightning bolt, but have been on the receiving end of a transformer blowing up on the pole...

For serious lightning protection for the entire house, from the incoming AC at the meter to phone to cable or satellite TV, contact Power & Systems Innovations. (800) 260-2259 or http://www.psihq.com

This stuff is high $$ compared to what you're going to find at Wal- Mart, but WELL worth it.

-- Eric Stone (ems@nac.net), May 10, 2000.

I got hit by lightening as a child -- I was washing dishes, and the lightening hit the ground, transmitted electricity through the groundwater to our well and pipes, and right out my elbow. I wasn't hurt, but it felt like someone had hit me really hard on the elbow, and I must have jumped three feet in the air. So after that, Mom didn't let us anywhere near the plumbing when we were having a storm, and I am equally leery of phone lines, etc.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), May 10, 2000.

Great topic. Just a few items to add.

Stay away from all things electrical, if at all possible. I had a friend in HS that was talking on the phone during a Tstorm and took a jolt directly to the eardrum. Lost part of his hearing but otherwise was okay, luckily.

As for surge suppressors....if you value your products, go ahead and spend some $$$ on good ones. If you can convince a store to allow you to do it, open up the suppressor in question and take a look at the insides. Cheap ones are just going to contain the power distribution strip and a couple of coils; they'll also be pretty light in weight. The good ones weight quite a bit and they will contain multiple coils and capacitors (capacitors are round cylindrical thingys that absorb electricity [the short explaination]). You might want to check around on the ham radio sites for some additonal tips on lightning protection. When you have $1000+ of equipment in one small cabinet, lightning protection takes on a whole 'nother meaning...!

If you happen to have all your electronic goodies in one area of the house and you want to do it _really_ right, get yourself a small UPS system. The UPS will buffer your equipment for all types of electrical spikes and surges. Even if you don't intend to run the equipment without AC linepower, they are some of the best insurance you can get that that can be purchased off-the-shelf.

FWIW, we live on the side of a hill with a 1000+ ft TV tower on top. We don't have FLASH.....BOOM, we have FLASHBOOM. I think we really hear the thunder as it echos _back_ up the valley and not on the initial event.

As with anything electrical, your mileage will vary... :-)

J

-- j (jw_hsv@yahoo.com), May 10, 2000.

UPS is good - saves losing computer work with power fluctuations too, like if you get a brownout or momentary power drop; and gives you time to close down the computer if you get a blackout. Also think about putting a surge suppressor in first - they're cheaper than UPS's if you get a BIG strike. Let the tens-of-dollars surge suppressor make the ultimate sacrifice, rather than the hundreds-of- dollars UPS or the thousands-of-dollars computer (allright, one or two tens/hundreds/thousands). ALSO make sure that whatever you get isolates the computer from the phone line as well as the power line.

And I agree with Patty - lives are hardest of all to buy replacements for.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), May 11, 2000.

Living nearly at the top of a mountain,we have had quite a few very close hits.Years ago,we were told that American black walnut trees,because of their deep tap root,were excellent lightning protection.We planted six around the house and they are now 60' tall.They also provide great nuts.We live on a farm and lose our power fairly often during heavy electrical storms.We have a industrial 1800 rpm,120/240/12 volt,10,000 watt standby generator and eight Dietz oil lamps,just in case.Without power,we can't operate our deep well(150').We feel we are well prepared for most of what Mother Nature has to offer.

-- farmerjoe (farmerjoe@webtv.net), May 15, 2000.

It doesn't take a lighting strike to start things smoking.

There have been several incidents when power has gone out in our area for an extended period. The problem occurs when the utility company re-applies the power. A surge comes down the line and cooks its way through the house. Older refridgerators, washers and dryers are particularly vunerable because more often then not, there is a buildup of dust and cobwebs around the electric motor. One family reported that their computer survived just fine when the power came back on because it was attached to a surge protector, but the 'fridge burst into flame!

Craig Miller

-- Craig Miller (CMiller@ssd.com), May 16, 2000.

A while back on This Old House, they talked about a surge protector that you can wire into your fuse box. They said it works very well & it protects the whole house. They said it was commonly available, just ask around at your hardware/home improvement store.

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), May 16, 2000.

Just a reminder --we have an antique, cast iron claw foot bath tub--I get out quick if there is a storm--as my Mother told of a woman being killed when lightening came in the house & followed the pipes to the tub she was sitting in---don't know if it is a true story or not -- but it sure gets me out of a buble bath fast! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), May 16, 2000.

If your taking direct hits from lightning then NO surge protector is going to help. surge protector basicly look for a high voltage and then short. On a mild surge the voltage is sorted, on a direct hit. The short is just jumped. Also no surge protector is any good unless its connected to a good ground.

FYI on cell phone, If all you need it for is emergencies why bother with the 9.95 cost. An unsubscribed phone is now required to be able to dial 911 without cost. If you dont have 911 then the local police number will be free.

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), May 17, 2000.

Sonda, I would bet that the story about the woman being killed in the bathtub is true. I don't think, though, that it would make any difference what kind of tub it was, because the electricity travels through the water in the pipes. If you look up the thread to my previous post, you'll see that I was "hit" by lightening while washing dishes -- was not in contact with the sink, just the water.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), May 17, 2000.

I once met a man who was hit by lightning while talking on the phone during a thunderstorm and was dead for 24 minutes. He came to in the hospital when they were pushing his gurney to the morgue. The doctors had given up on him. After talking to him, I NEVER talk on the phone or go anywhere near the waterpipes when I know there is a possibility of lightning.

-- Sandy (tripletreefarm@hotmail.com), May 18, 2000.