[Bhaveshgor]

one minute the tv was working, but the next minute, the tv didn't work.
can anyone please help.
PS all the other electrical appliances are working.

[Nigel Goodwin]

You should turn your TV off, and remove the mains and aerial plugs during lightning - fairly obviously it has killed the TV, and depending how close the strike was it may well be non-repairable.

Best idea is to contact your household insurance, which normally covers such incidents (I've done MANY insurance estimates for lightning damage).

[gds1972]

If you plug something else into the socket the TV is plugged into does it work?
Has the electrics tripped at the fuse box?
Is there a burning smell near the TV?
Try changing the fuse in the plug.

[Bhaveshgor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gds1972

If you plug something else into the socket the TV is plugged into does it work?
Has the electrics tripped at the fuse box?
Is there a burning smell near the TV?
Try changing the fuse in the plug.

Quote:

If you plug something else into the socket the TV is plugged into does it work?

yes it does

Quote:

Try changing the fuse in the plug.

changed the fuse, the tv still doesn't work.

[iangrad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

You should turn your TV off, and remove the mains and aerial plugs during lightning - fairly obviously it has killed the TV, and depending how close the strike was it may well be non-repairable.

Best idea is to contact your household insurance, which normally covers such incidents (I've done MANY insurance estimates for lightning damage).

Many years ago I went to the remains of a house where the owner unplugged the aerial from the TV during a lightning storm and left the aerial lead dangling behind the TV

Lightning struck a direct hit to the roof and circa 500 million volts came down the aerial feeder and hear is the best bit because it had nowhere to go to earth via the mains wiring of the TV it set fire to the carpet and then the room burned up and eventually the house was toast as well .

The investigators said that if the aerial had still been attached to the TV the fire might not have started as the huge voltage spike would have bridged the mains on / off switch and gone to earth .

TV would still have been wrecked but the house could have been saved . Very extreme case but Never unplug !

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iangrad

Very extreme case but Never unplug !

So based on one 'possible' scenario, as opposed to the many TV's destroyed by lightning by not unplugging - it's VERY sound advice to unplug, and ignore this silly scaremongering suggestion.

[gds1972]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

So based on one 'possible' scenario, as opposed to the many TV's destroyed by lightning by not unplugging - it's VERY sound advice to unplug, and ignore this silly scaremongering suggestion.

Or use a surge protector?

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gds1972

Or use a surge protector?

They only offer a VERY minimal level of protection, but will give some degree of protection against mains borne spikes, but not against aerial borne ones.

And as for the old story "lightning never strikes twice in the same place" we had the exact same houses on the same street struck almost exactly 12 months apart - bit of a bummer!

[-GONZO-]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

They only offer a VERY minimal level of protection, but will give some degree of protection against mains borne spikes, but not against aerial borne ones.

And as for the old story "lightning never strikes twice in the same place" we had the exact same houses on the same street struck almost exactly 12 months apart - bit of a bummer!

That does all depend on what type of surge protector you use as some have aerial and satellite inputs/outputs too.

[iangrad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gds1972

Or use a surge protector?

Surge protector would be blown to bits by a bits by lightning strike !

[iangrad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

So based on one 'possible' scenario, as opposed to the many TV's destroyed by lightning by not unplugging - it's VERY sound advice to unplug, and ignore this silly scaremongering suggestion.

Its your house !

£399 TV versus a £399,000 house -- now which should I choose ?

But you are a experienced engineer and you will know the result's if that ones in a lifetime event happens .

[stevemorg]

I had the same trouble two years ago, i had just bought a yamaha amp and lg plama tv when building got hit, prior to hit unpluged aerial and tv but forgot to unplug the fm aerial both were fried now when storms are in the area i unplug everything and wait till it passes.

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iangrad

Surge protector would be blown to bits by a bits by lightning strike !

Spark gap surge diverters have been around for donkeys years designed to divert a direct strike on an antenna safely to earth. There are also gas tube diverters and non linear resistors. These are used at voltages up to 66kV to protect terminal kit from a overhead line strike.

Google Metrosil Surge Diverters.

Example of spark gap protection used to protect high voltage overhead line insulator strings (arcing horns)

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...0Q9QEwAQ&dur=0

[iangrad]

Got a feeling that the "surge protector" that he was referring to would have been a £15 job from PC world LOL

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iangrad

Got a feeling that the "surge protector" that he was referring to would have been a £15 job from PC world LOL

Indeed but a simple spark gap is the oldest surge diverter ever invented.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iangrad

Its your house !

£399 TV versus a £399,000 house -- now which should I choose ?

But you are a experienced engineer and you will know the result's if that ones in a lifetime event happens .

Perhaps you should try reading the quote you posted more accurately?, it said MAY have caused the fire (and even that was just someone's opinion).

But considering the fires commonly caused by a direct strike on the house it seems a pretty vague 'may' - it 'may' just as well have caused a more serious fire if the aerial was plugged in.

In the case of a direct strike the TV getting killed is likely to be the least of your problems?.

[-GONZO-]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iangrad

Surge protector would be blown to bits by a bits by lightning strike !

But then isn't that the whole point of using one.
Surely its better that the surge protector gets blown to bits rather than your TV?

[grahamlthompson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by -GONZO-

But then isn't that the whole point of using one.
Surely its better that the surge protector gets blown to bits rather than your TV?

Rather think that both may be affected

You need a fair amount of copper to carry the current generated by a lightning strike without it melting.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grahamlthompson

Rather think that both may be affected

You need a fair amount of copper to carry the current generated by a lightning strike without it melting.

Like I said higher up, they aren't to protect against 'strikes' but against mains spikes caused by a strike some distance away.

As such they provide an added layer of protection, so can help in some cases.

My younger brothers house was struck a few years ago, it blew a hole in the roof and vaporised a number of the rafters - needless to say every single electrical item (and he had a LOT!!) was toast. I don't think a cheap surge protector would have helped

[scruffpot]

We had a lightening strike many years ago however it was not on a device connected to any equipment e.g. aerial. But it was on the electricity pole at the end of our garden that carried a junction box.. There was a HUGE bang, sparks and flames everywhere..It blew our circuit breakers and they had to be replaced but all our electric devices survived. But the tree it fell into did not...

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scruffpot

There was a HUGE bang, sparks and flames everywhere..It blew our circuit breakers and they had to be replaced but all our electric devices survived.

You were pretty lucky!

[barbeler]

It might just be a safety cut-out device inside the TV. Sometimes, after leaving for a few hours you may find that it comes on again. I've had that happen with radios, when I've accidentally plugged in a mains adapter giving out too high a voltage. Hardly the same as a lightning strike, but I think if that had happened you would have noticed a few other symptoms, such as your hair standing on end.

[njp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by -GONZO-

But then isn't that the whole point of using one.
Surely its better that the surge protector gets blown to bits rather than your TV?

The typical domestic "surge protector" is a simple MOV (Metal Oxide Varistor) costing a few pence, that can shunt a few joules of energy.

Arguably pretty useless in all circumstances, and definitely useless against a lightning strike!

[Years ago, on Usenet, there used to be a chap who would magically appear, like the Candyman, whenever surge protectors were mentioned 3 times. He would then rail against them at great length. I always thought he had a point, despite clearly being mad, though he always failed to produce the data I asked him for. Consequently, I have never been able to establish, to my satisfaction, whether or not there is any point at all in cheap surge protectors. I'm minded to think there isn't, which is why I don't have any. Well, I do have one, but the MOV inside it sacrificed itself for the greater good many years ago, and everything just carries on working regardless...]

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by njp

I have never been able to establish, to my satisfaction, whether or not there is any point at all in cheap surge protectors.

The 'point' is that they give a little extra protection - it won't stop a direct strike, but 'may' prevent damage from a 'near-ish' strike.

I've seen ONE that did exactly that, it was the normal four way extension with surge protection, and was out of a fixed home on a local caravan park.

The customer bought the extension in, the TV (a portable CRT), and a set-top box - complaint 'dead after lightning'.

All that was wrong was the extension was fried, simply replacing the extension made everything work - and on taking it to pieces it had suffered a severe blast, and was badly burnt inside. So that one at least did it's job.

My view is don't buy them expecting it's going to give full protection, but it will (hopefully) give a little extra, and that little might be all you need.

[Wendolene]

I sure as heck wouldn't unplug anything DURING a thunderstorm. But I would before if I knew one was coming. Don't fancy that aerial down-lead in my hand at the wrong moment!