Flash Bang
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Similar thing a few years ago. Lightning strike about 3 houses away. EMP fried the controller for the gas water heater mounted on an external wall. All my toys, TV (including masthead amp) etc survived unscathed. There are a couple of villages in my area that are notorious for lightning strikes (ironstone capping over sandstone). They also have aerial telephone cabling (mine is underground). Back in the days of 56k modem cards in PCs I had a nice side hustle in replacing them (and banging Windows' head together to make the new one work).
Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994. So does this signature. me, 2012
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A lightning strike was very close at 6:30 this morning - the flash and bang were simultaneous. Multiple circuit breakers popped, the cable internet modem is out (I'm using my phone as a hotspot), both the TV its cable box are out, and the well electronics are out. I can't see any spot (tree, roof, ...) that was the local end of the strike, but it sure was loud! The dog gave me a dirty look like it was my fault :)
Some years ago during a lightning storm I had just turned around toward the room after looking out the window and heard a slight sizzle. I knew instantly what it was as I had in school a few years prior delivered a small report re/ lightning for a Meteorology class. It must have been the so called "leader wave" which I had learned precedes each strike. Sure enough an instant later BOOM and the room filled w/ light. It must have been just a few feet away just outside the window. If I had not turned around I don't know if I would be able to type this now or maybe I would have a better story to tell. - Cheerio Below is my "Signature" apologies if offends My sympathies to the SPAM moderator "I once put instant coffee into the microwave and went back in time." - Steven Wright "Shut up and calculate" - apparently N. David Mermin possibly Richard Feynman “I want to sing, I want to cry, I want to laugh. Everything together. And jump and dance. The day has arrived — yippee!” - Desmond Tutu “When the green flag drops the bullshit stops!” "It is cheaper to save the world than it is to ruin it." "I must have had lessons" - Reverend Jim Ignatowski / Christopher Lloyd "Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force, but through persistence." - Ovid, Roman poet "... as likely as lightning striking a leprechaun whilst riding a unicorn." Personal Web Page https://mypaltrythoughts.blogspot.com
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Peter_in_2780 wrote:
There are a couple of villages in my area
How many villages? :laugh:
Several villages in the area, just two with lightning notoriety. ;P
Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994. So does this signature. me, 2012
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Some years ago during a lightning storm I had just turned around toward the room after looking out the window and heard a slight sizzle. I knew instantly what it was as I had in school a few years prior delivered a small report re/ lightning for a Meteorology class. It must have been the so called "leader wave" which I had learned precedes each strike. Sure enough an instant later BOOM and the room filled w/ light. It must have been just a few feet away just outside the window. If I had not turned around I don't know if I would be able to type this now or maybe I would have a better story to tell. - Cheerio Below is my "Signature" apologies if offends My sympathies to the SPAM moderator "I once put instant coffee into the microwave and went back in time." - Steven Wright "Shut up and calculate" - apparently N. David Mermin possibly Richard Feynman “I want to sing, I want to cry, I want to laugh. Everything together. And jump and dance. The day has arrived — yippee!” - Desmond Tutu “When the green flag drops the bullshit stops!” "It is cheaper to save the world than it is to ruin it." "I must have had lessons" - Reverend Jim Ignatowski / Christopher Lloyd "Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force, but through persistence." - Ovid, Roman poet "... as likely as lightning striking a leprechaun whilst riding a unicorn." Personal Web Page https://mypaltrythoughts.blogspot.com
Went to bed last night and thought "Hey, this is rather warm". Add to the damage one water bed heater thermostat. The heater was stuck on all day yesterday. Ugh.
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A lightning strike was very close at 6:30 this morning - the flash and bang were simultaneous. Multiple circuit breakers popped, the cable internet modem is out (I'm using my phone as a hotspot), both the TV its cable box are out, and the well electronics are out. I can't see any spot (tree, roof, ...) that was the local end of the strike, but it sure was loud! The dog gave me a dirty look like it was my fault :)
When I as a kid we were camping in a trailer in the mountains and it was storming late at night in bed. Then all of a sudden - {FLA-BOOOOM}.....{THUD}. When we got up the next morning we saw about 30 feet away from our trailer the top 20 feet of a tree laying on the ground that wasn't there the night before. That is TOO close to a lightning strike.
Kelly Herald Software Developer
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Similar thing a few years ago. Lightning strike about 3 houses away. EMP fried the controller for the gas water heater mounted on an external wall. All my toys, TV (including masthead amp) etc survived unscathed. There are a couple of villages in my area that are notorious for lightning strikes (ironstone capping over sandstone). They also have aerial telephone cabling (mine is underground). Back in the days of 56k modem cards in PCs I had a nice side hustle in replacing them (and banging Windows' head together to make the new one work).
Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994. So does this signature. me, 2012
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When I as a kid we were camping in a trailer in the mountains and it was storming late at night in bed. Then all of a sudden - {FLA-BOOOOM}.....{THUD}. When we got up the next morning we saw about 30 feet away from our trailer the top 20 feet of a tree laying on the ground that wasn't there the night before. That is TOO close to a lightning strike.
Kelly Herald Software Developer
I have some pictures somewhere of a tree that was hit by lightning about a kilometer away from where I am. Damned thing looked like it got sliced in half vertically along its entire height. I'd post links, but I don't have an account on any site that allows uploads. "Loud" doesn't begin to describe it.
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A lightning strike was very close at 6:30 this morning - the flash and bang were simultaneous. Multiple circuit breakers popped, the cable internet modem is out (I'm using my phone as a hotspot), both the TV its cable box are out, and the well electronics are out. I can't see any spot (tree, roof, ...) that was the local end of the strike, but it sure was loud! The dog gave me a dirty look like it was my fault :)
My step-dad, a Renaissance man masquerading as an electronic engineer, worked on a number of projects with fun names. One of which was the Flash Bang project. It got its start as the cannon for a local cardboard boat derby. A piece of PVC pipe, a piece of rubber over one end, and a cap over that with a hose leading to a pressurized air tank. Open the valve on the tank, the cap filled with air, and the rubber eventually burst throwing the ammunition (stale muffins) at their adversaries. The final version used a steel pipe, a superfast valve, and a high-power compressor. The ammunition was a bag of titanium dioxide (a white powder), and it made one hell of a bang. This version was sold to the U.S. Army as an artillery simulator. It was much cheaper and safer to operate than 'blank' artillery rounds.
Software Zen:
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Went to bed last night and thought "Hey, this is rather warm". Add to the damage one water bed heater thermostat. The heater was stuck on all day yesterday. Ugh.
I highly recommend that everyone fully disconnect any old copper connections that are out of service. Check your dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer, garbage disposal, garage door opener, etc Underground sprinklers if you have them. I had one valve burned open like your water bed thermostat. Some chargers may no longer work. I have been hit by 2 close strikes and lost stuff each time. I am just glad my internet is fiber optic now. One bolt travelled into my house via copper internet/legacy phone. The other travelled in via copper internet cable TV.
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I highly recommend that everyone fully disconnect any old copper connections that are out of service. Check your dishwasher, clothes washer, dryer, garbage disposal, garage door opener, etc Underground sprinklers if you have them. I had one valve burned open like your water bed thermostat. Some chargers may no longer work. I have been hit by 2 close strikes and lost stuff each time. I am just glad my internet is fiber optic now. One bolt travelled into my house via copper internet/legacy phone. The other travelled in via copper internet cable TV.
Leaves me wondering -- what do you "see" when lightning comes in over fiber optic? :)
