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"Lightning" Disconnection Normal I Guess

billnotben
Community Veteran
Posts: 7,689
Thanks: 2,164
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Registered: ‎23-09-2010

"Lightning" Disconnection Normal I Guess

I suppose getting momentarily disconnected during a thunderstorm is a pretty common occurrence.
I was online and looked out of my window to see a few lightning bolts streak across the sky (not the usual up and down) and a split second later I was disconnected. Judging by the boom it was around 1-2 miles away.
It came a little closer but the line never dropped again. I assume the electrical disturbance has to over the right part of the system to cause any problems (barring a direct strike on something of course).
9 REPLIES 9
Gus
Aspiring Pro
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Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: "Lightning" Disconnection Normal I Guess

After loosing a  PC and another router 6 years ago,  I always unplug my PC and router.  last August I wasn't home during one and my last router died during the thunder storm and recently found that my master socket was damaged also which BT replaced.
So you might be lucky and have not won the dying router lottery
FTTP 500 regrade from Tues 28th November
itsme
Grafter
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Registered: ‎07-04-2007

Re: "Lightning" Disconnection Normal I Guess

I lost an ADSL Router, Filters, Ethernet card and an VoIP ATA from a nearby storm.
billnotben
Community Veteran
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Registered: ‎23-09-2010

Re: "Lightning" Disconnection Normal I Guess

Now you're worrying me.
I was keeping an eye/ear on it and was ready to unplug if it got too close but how close is too close?
anniesboy
Rising Star
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Registered: ‎06-01-2011

Re: "Lightning" Disconnection Normal I Guess

Dont leave it too late, I followed your method and lost a router.
This might help http://www.isleofwightweather.co.uk/live_storm_data.htm
billnotben
Community Veteran
Posts: 7,689
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Registered: ‎23-09-2010

Re: "Lightning" Disconnection Normal I Guess

Interesting site.
Thanks for the link.
x47c
Grafter
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Registered: ‎14-08-2009

Re: "Lightning" Disconnection Normal I Guess

Many years ago in the days of 'dial up' a tree locally got a direct hit.
The tree looked like something had exploded in the middle and pushed everything outwards with bits of bark and wood splinters everywhere around.
As regards the computers locally......
Just about every single modem in I'd guess a 0.25 mile radius was blown
Fortunately I was just outside the zone of destruction.
Even further ago in time a building at work (with a lightning conductor fitted) got a full power direct hit.
That blew pretty well every PC in the building.
itsme
Grafter
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Registered: ‎07-04-2007

Re: "Lightning" Disconnection Normal I Guess

Silicon the best fuse known to man.  Grin
JayG
Pro
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Registered: ‎30-10-2011

Re: "Lightning" Disconnection Normal I Guess

About four years ago a bolt of lightning struck the telegraph pole which supplies my house (and others.)
Pretty annoying as I had previously disconnected the phone line and thought the storm had passed..............my cordless phone/answering machine, Belkin surge and lightning protection extension strip ( ::)) and the modem were all destroyed, but luckily not the PC.
(28 days later, after much digging of holes and eventual replacement of the telegraph pole we were finally reconnected, which is one of the reasons for my enduring love of all things BT!)  Roll_eyes
itsme
Grafter
Posts: 5,924
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Registered: ‎07-04-2007

Re: "Lightning" Disconnection Normal I Guess

You just reminded me as well the equipment listed above the telephone lead was plugged into a surge protector, part of a 6 way mains distribution panel. The telephone surge protector was also taken out, so ADSL router is now plugged directly into telephone socket.