Do you disconnect and shut down your PC during a thunderstorm?

If you don't, you might want to reconsider.:o

I use cable broadband, and the line goes from my home to a telephone pole. Lightning struck close by it one day, and it traveled into my attic, popped the circuit breaker for the A/C's air handler, went through the cable modem (frying it), and then fried the network card in my PC.:x

Fortunately, that's all it fried. The cable company replaced both the modem and my network card for free.:)

Not to mention the loud crack sounding next to my PC that scared 10 years off of my life.:o

Now I disconnect the modem and shut down my PC every time thunder starts.

Naw. It is so rare and I've got insurance.

Also I backup my data that is not plugged in regularly.

no:lol:

Well my multi-socket adaptor has protection from power surges and stuff like that but its not enough so I try to not have it turned on if there are lightinings.

I don't, but my parents do. They had a nice one that got fried, and is now useless.

Nope. The propability of lightning hitting house where I live is too small to make me move from the chair:P

Nope. The propability of lightning hitting house where I live is too small to make me move from the chair:P

shinian

I have a laptop. 8)

Only if it's close enough.

Always.

I use my laptop, as for anything else expensive I use a surge protector.

I have a laptop. 8)

Theokhoth

No

No

shoot-first

I run everything electronic (including my cable and internet) through good surge protectors, so I don't need to unplug everything.

I run everything electronic (including my cable and internet) through good surge protectors, so I don't need to unplug everything.

Guybrush_3

Surge protectors aren't going to protect against a lightning strike. Lighning will jump that centimeter-wide gap between the contacts without even trying. Surge protectors protect from power surges within the electrical grid, not from lightning strikes.

Nah, it's a laptop so I usually disconnect the charger and go in another room. :o I hope the lightning can't get me through my wireless network! :P

I'd rather die in front of my pc than turning off the power!

[QUOTE="Guybrush_3"]

I run everything electronic (including my cable and internet) through good surge protectors, so I don't need to unplug everything.

br0kenrabbit

Surge protectors aren't going to protect against a lightning strike. Lighning will jump that centimeter-wide gap between the contacts without even trying. Surge protectors protect from power surges within the electrical grid, not from lightning strikes.

Really? because once in a thunderstorm there was a lightning strike near my house, and my sister's tv got blown out (no surge protector) and mine was fine and it was only like one room over.

Nope i live on the edge :D

[QUOTE="br0kenrabbit"]

[QUOTE="Guybrush_3"]

I run everything electronic (including my cable and internet) through good surge protectors, so I don't need to unplug everything.

Guybrush_3

Surge protectors aren't going to protect against a lightning strike. Lighning will jump that centimeter-wide gap between the contacts without even trying. Surge protectors protect from power surges within the electrical grid, not from lightning strikes.

Really? because once in a thunderstorm there was a lightning strike near my house, and my sister's tv got blown out (no surge protector) and mine was fine and it was only like one room over.

It just took the path of least resistence. It didn't need to split and go two ways. But yeah, NOTHING will protect you from a lightning strike except unplugging your electronics.

They'll protect you from surges from lightning strikes further down the line, but if that main bolt goes into your house it's going to come out somewhere, and a surge protector isn't going to stop it.

[QUOTE="Guybrush_3"]

[QUOTE="br0kenrabbit"]

Surge protectors aren't going to protect against a lightning strike. Lighning will jump that centimeter-wide gap between the contacts without even trying. Surge protectors protect from power surges within the electrical grid, not from lightning strikes.

br0kenrabbit

Really? because once in a thunderstorm there was a lightning strike near my house, and my sister's tv got blown out (no surge protector) and mine was fine and it was only like one room over.

It just took the path of least resistence. It didn't need to split and go two ways. But yeah, NOTHING will protect you from a lightning strike except unplugging your electronics.

They'll protect you from surges from lightning strikes further down the line, but if that main bolt goes into your house it's going to come out somewhere, and a surge protector isn't going to stop it.

good to know

one time lighting hit the power station, went thru the power lines, to my house, went through my attic and my computer, came out the monitor, and fried my chair. it happend just as i was about to sit on it and iw as like "whoa"mramz88

Electricity does strange things.

I was once stationed at a radar installation 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle (part of U.S. air defense against Russian aircraft intrusion). One of our radar scopes was on the fritz, so a maintenance guy came in to fix the power supply underneath the scope.

He got slammed back about 20 feet, like the Hulk had knocked him for a loop.:P The high-voltage current went through his ring finger then curved back out of his index finger. Holes were on the end of each finger.

We immediately summoned the medic, who treated him and said he was fortunate the path wasn't through his heart.:o

I dont think i ever experienced a thunderstorm

There was a huge storm yesterday here in Toronto and some even sighted a tornado, I don't usually turn of my PC during a thunderstorm, but I had to yesterday.

This is so weird. There was some lightning in my area and I had to go unplug my dads computer. :lol:

But I only disconnect if it's really bad lightning and thunder.

Nope, My circuit breaker prevents overvoltage.

No I'll just fix what ever breaks. Seriously we get storms so often that I barely pay attention to them any more.

I don't usually use to shut it down but now I use to since my xbox got the red ring of death lol

Did you have a surge protector?Engrish_Major

Nope, My circuit breaker prevents overvoltage.

samuraiguns

[QUOTE="Engrish_Major"]Did you have a surge protector?markop2003

[QUOTE="Engrish_Major"]Did you have a surge protector?markop2003

I know that a UPS is just for when the electricity is out but just wondering.