asabase

The horror. I think my rommate is more pissed though since he's from Germany and was wanting to watch Germany play their next World Cup game this morning.

I knew a storm was coming and unplugged my computer. I usually don't do the TV and entertainment center since it's survived two close strikes before. Not this time though!

The DVD player was an Apex 600A. Just the fuse was blown so I think it will be ok.

I haven't looked at the TV yet (27" Samsung ~$300). I have a feeling it's toast though. When the lightning hit, it turned itself on and made a loud low frequency hum along with the pleasent smell of burned components. Joy.

What's weird is I have a feeling the lightning came in from the cable line since the power never even flickered and the cable was still out this morning. But the DVD player blew a fuse and my computer has a TV tuner that I didn't disconnect and it's still ok. Oh well, time to start saving for a plasma huh?

I don't think my other roommate was so lucky though. We share a internet connection and my computer said the network cable was unplugged this morning (goes to one of his computers - the server). And he's not the type of person to unplug stuff.

Danny_boy

I hope you have insurance.

asabase

I should be covered through my parent's homeowners insurance. My apartment was broken into last year and their insurance covered most of the loss then. I'm not sure if it covers lightning though.

thejammy

Personally I think it does depending on the policy. I think it falls under act of god or something like that.


I remember when I used to sell computers people used to pull that shiite on me all time. POWer Surges.....I have home owners insurance.

Groucho

This problem could have been prevented with a $20 surge protector. I know that doesn't help you now, but at least you know for the future.

Berkowitz

Two words:

Monster Power.

I have the 3500 and I laugh at lightning!

joelgee

Shocking.

asabase

Both the DVD player and the TV were plugged into one. They are mostly small MOVs and filter networks not capable of handling surge energies of over a hundred joules or so. They aren't any better than a regular power stip when it comes to a close by lightning strike. The surge protector is toast too BTW.

Anyway, I talked to my parents and I'm covered, but there is a $500 deductable. So $300 TV + $160 DVD player = asabase is screwed. Maybe is should 'break' my receiver and speakers too.

The DVD player and TV really are damaged too. I replaced the blown fuses in both the DVD player and the TV and both promptly blew them when plugged back in. I might be able to fix the DVD player. It has a fairly simple power supply, but the TV has all kinds of crap on it that will take me forever to track down the problem.

TheKobra

I would have to 2nd the Monster Power HTS5100. I have the same one. It is worth the $599.00 plus it adds filters to the a/v side. Check it out here.

TheKobra

[QUOTE]Originally posted by asabase
[B]

Both the DVD player and the TV were plugged into one. They are mostly small MOVs and filter networks not capable of handling surge energies of over a hundred joules or so. They aren't any better than a regular power stip when it comes to a close by lightning strike. The surge protector is toast too BTW.


Contact the surge protector company. The should replace your items for free.

asabase

Thanks for the reminder. With my luck it'll be a company that doesn't have an offer like that though. *asabase crosses fingers*

macsax

A quick check at some of your local electronics stores should show some good results for surge protectors. Good ones that cover several fronts and have a decent equipment replacement warranty usually start at around the $50 dollar range and go up from there depending on the number of outlets. It may seem like a solid chunk of change to some, but your math asabase hits the nail on the head. If phone lines and cable or satellite are involved in the system get one that covers those lines as well.

Check out renter's insurance. It's usually pretty cheap and you can keep the deductible down to a more manageable level.

asabase

Just to add insult to injury I talked to my other roommate to see if he had any of his three computers damaged. Only thing he said was broken was a hub.

I said, "No big deal, I have an extra one. Let me go get it."
He says, "What size?"
"8 ports, but one of them never worked in the first place."
"Was it blue? Did it look like this?"
"Dammit! I forgot I already loaned it to you!"

It was even plugged into his UPS too! He said it didn't even beep during the storm. At least I have that switch coming from Staples, thanks to dvdtalk.

I seem to be having rotten luck with electronics this week. My hard drive mp3 players screen has a row of pixels that decided to stop working this week too.

icondude

Make sure that any surge supressor you get is in a metal case. The plastic ones can catch fire and are a real hazard. The lightning strike and other power anamolies are converted to heat by components inside the power strip surge supressor and you don't want that housed in plastic! You have to look to find one in a metal case but I see them at Home Depot and Radio Shack.

asabase

I finally got my DVD player up and running again. The strike blew the switching FET and a zener on the gate.

Total cost for repairs:

STP4NB80 800V 4A FET $1.64
15V Zener Diode $FREE (had one in my junk drawer)
2A Fuse $FREE (had some laying around)

----------------
$1.64

The FET wasn't an exact replacement. For some reason they were using a 900V one to switch 170V and nobody sold one like it. I just got the closest thing to the orginal's Rds(on) and current rating I could.

The Zener was a guess too. The orginal didn't have any markings so I couldn't find a replacement. Just stuck in the only zener I had laying around.

I'm waiting on a $25 part to come in for the TV. It was a non-standard part and I had to get it directly from Samsung (through a TV repair place).

macsax

Nice work! Looks like you were luckier than most.

discostu1337

I'd just like to add my 2 cents on the Monster Power things. We went through 3 that we sold to a guy at work a few weeks back. The 1st one made a horrible loud buzzing noise from one of the outputs. The second one started smoking when we hooked it up in the store to test it. The third one also had the same loud buzzing, from a different port. I cannot recall the exact model numbers, but I know that they were not all identical models, as the 1st one was out of stock. We ended up getting him a much cheaper/better one from another company, which works fine.

asabase

Thanks, but I'd say what happened to my DVD player when it got hit happens to 90% of all the other ones that stop working. The surge rarely makes it past the transformer to the low voltage side.

gimmedvd

Aren't most surge protectors (cheep ones anyways) only good for one or two hits before they become just extra plugs?

asabase

Or less. They just have 1-5 MOVs inside and maybe a special fusable link. It works for minor line spikes but not a nearby lighting strike.

Sdallnct

If you no longer live at home it is doubtful your parents policy would cover you. Depending on the state and specific policy there may be exceptions for full time students and few other things.

However, even if it did you mentioned the TV was only worth $300.00. All "homeowner" type policies have a deductible. These will usually start around $250.00 (not to be to basic, but a deductible is the part the policyholder has pay. If your loss is LESS then the deductible, the insurance company pays nothing).

Also keep in mind that some policies are ACTUAL CASH VALUE. This means the policy will only pay WHAT THE ITEM WAS WORTH AT THE TIME OF LOSS. For example, if we assume a new TV like yours is $300.00, assume a TV has a life of 20 years, but your TV was 10 years old, insurance would consider the loss at $150.00. And yes you still have to consider the deductible.

Renters insurance is VERY important and all should have. It is a good value. And yes, most all policies cover DIRECT damage by lightning (there may NOT be coverage for power surges). Check with a local insurance agent for specifics and get you a policy...

asabase

I guess you didn't see my post earlier about being covered, but with a $500 deductible. I've made a claim on the policy last year when my apartment was broken into and some of my stuff was stolen.

In any case, I've fixed the DVD player and should be able to fix the TV as soon as the part gets in.

bgflores

Not weird at all. Lightning destroyed two cable modems on me in a month about a year ago. They were plugged into a surge protector which was plugged into a UPS. Only thing I can reasonably surmise is that the lightning traveled up the cable line into my modem.

asabase

Yeah, I didn't really mean for it to sound like it was uncommon. I've had to fix modems with blown diodes due to lightning so it's not just the AC that can be affected.

Turns out the surge destroyed stuff near the AC input, so it wasn't the cable but the power after all. Still haven't figured out how my hub bit it when it was plugged into a UPS. The strike could have induced some current in the CAT5, but none of the network adapters died so I'm just ??? over that one.