Lightning strikes..

[guydewdney]

Im normally UPS'ed up to the hilt - but as Im trying to sell the hosue I have had to 'de-clutter' - which aslo involved UPS removal..

And the next-door-but-one house got hit by lightning - took half the roof off.

So - one dead TiVo (BooHoo ) and one dead modem / routher thingy.

Next door needs a new washing machine now..

anyone else get hit?

Ive been back online for an hour or so...

 

[imadoofus]

Back at the beginning of week before last (19th June?) I was in an office, and just opening the window, when the building was struck at around 8:10am. It came down the lightning conductor about six feet from me. Did £45,000 of damage; no 'phones for a week, UPS batteries blown out... Turns out the lightning conductor didn't go to earth, it just let the basement go live (1930's building, where all the services run through the basement).

And it left me feeling distinctly odd all day.....

PJ

 

[glojo]

Shocking news all round, thank goodness none of you were injured.

It was re - volting of me to make light of what could have been a very serious incident, but watt do you expect from someone so un politically correct

I hope I haven't caused offence,

Bye for now,
John

 

[andy_k]

John, I'm not sure whether I'd call that post of yours illuminating or shocking

Andy

 

[splang]

He is a comedian without c'oampere - a real bright spark...

 

[pammy]

oh ha ha

Our next door but one was struck about 4 years ago now. We got a jolt from it too. Cost us a TV, Video & Phones, but fortunately the PCs were OK

 

[david_h]

my modem and network card on my PC got fried day before yesterday by lightening, I'm back on a usb style modem for the moment.

 

[guydewdney]

my modem and network card on my PC got fried day before yesterday by lightening, I'm back on a usb style modem for the moment.

and no doubt have your PC hacked by now... Get a modem / router instead... much safer

 

[Shude]

one dead TiVo (BooHoo )

Now there's a reason to cry!

You can still buy them if you look around, ebay has a few and there is a company that sells pre-modded ones for premium prices, expensive but they usually have stock. Good luck!

 

[BTB 500]

Guy at work had his PC fried.

Never needed UPS at home but I do have a surge protectors on all the PC stuff and TV/video/dvd/PS2.

 

[masqueraid]

About 6 years ago at Easter, kids were watching Men in Black on the video & the house was struck via the TV aerial (poor reception area so it sits about 10ft above the chimney). One almighty bang!

Fortunately had already put in-line fuses but it killed the video.
Kids only realised something was up when the picture didn't come back & thought it was part of the "amazing" special effects on the film!

 

[janner]

A strike killed 91 sheep earlier this week on a farm in Devon as they sought shelter under a tree.

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=141529&command=displayContent&sourceNode=141513&contentPK=14847652&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch

 

[BTB 500]

A strike killed 91 sheep earlier this week on a farm in Devon as they sought shelter under a tree.

Saw that in the paper today - weird!

 

[PJH]

Lightening hit a golfer in Clacton who was holding a umbrella.

 

[Ian B Walker]

A strike killed 91 sheep earlier this week on a farm in Devon as they sought shelter under a tree.

And left a very frustrated Welsh farmer






(Apologies to the Welsh, I just couldnt resist that)

 

[DieselE]

Im normally UPS'ed up to the hilt - but as Im trying to sell the hosue I have had to 'de-clutter' - which aslo involved UPS removal..

And the next-door-but-one house got hit by lightning - took half the roof off.

So - one dead TiVo (BooHoo ) and one dead modem / routher thingy.

Next door needs a new washing machine now..

anyone else get hit?

Ive been back online for an hour or so...

In the light of your other thread, I suggest you improve the accuracy of your praying/wishing. The wrath of God or whatever was supposed to be visited on your next door neighbour not anyone else.

 

[glojo]

In the light of your other thread, I suggest you improve the accuracy of your praying/wishing. The wrath of God or whatever was supposed to be visited on your next door neighbour not anyone else.

Ouch...meooooow!!!

John the innocent

 

[blassberg]

He is a comedian without c'oampere - a real bright spark...

he should be put in a cell, charged and reported to the ohm office if he puts up any resistance. If out of shape some circuit training may be in order or other kind of torch-ure. For pennance get him to find out how many passes Ferdinand made inthe World Cup (or other Rio-stats)(potentially there is a difference between the two). Sorry but do find electricity puns a turn-on.

Regards,
Cool Homme

 

[DieselE]

he should be put in a cell, charged and reported to the ohm office if he puts up any resistance. If out of shape some circuit training may be in order or other kind of torch-ure. For pennance get him to find out how many passes Ferdinand made inthe World Cup (or other Rio-stats)(potentially there is a difference between the two). Sorry but do find electricity puns a turn-on.

Regards,
Cool Homme

You obviously work in current affairs then.

 

[Satch]

You obviously work in current affairs then.

Oh dear oh dear. Do none of you lot have an ohm to go to?

Anyway, many years ago I lived in Zimbabwe and the daily paper used to publish a running total of lightning deaths in the rainy season. Some absolutely huge storms that I have never seen the like of since but there are features that help makes Zim. the world lightening death record holder on top of all their other troubles :

"Lightning figures recorded in Zimbabwe (150,873 sq. miles-
390,761 sq. km.) were higher than those recorded in the whole of the USA.
(3,537,441 sq. miles- 9,161,972 sq. km.) where, according to the Lightning
Safety Tips Board of America, the phenomenon kills an average of 73 people
per year.

Since the surface area of Zimbabwe is many times smaller than that
of the United States, these statistics stick out prominently on the global
scale. "Even when comparing us to our neighboring South Africa, whose storms are just as fierce as ours, we still find that it has a record of a total of
400 fatalities in 10 years," Manatsa says.

The high lightning toll in Zimbabwe could in part be explained by the prevalence of granite outcrops all over the country. The University of Zimbabwe established that as granite is mildly radioactive, emits Radon and discharges Gamma rays up to the clouds, the air over granite outcrops is more easily ionized. Smoke trails from open fires, large open areas devoid of any cover and sheltering under large single trees during storms all add to the risk."

Pity one has not landed on Mugabe before now.