Lightning- everything blown up - virgin washes their hands

[Gillyathome]

Can anybody help me with a contact number / email address for the zero harm division ?

the chief exec's office is blaming "god" for lightning blowing up my TV and Computer...

does "god" only pick on 12 virgin customers at the same time ?

I've never had such a poor experience from any customer care team. been bounced

from head office to cisas, pointless waste of time.... they can't help.

[techifan · Accepted solution]

dante01 as someone who is knowledgable regarding all things audio/HiFi etc i thought you may be interested to know of my practical example of what can happen if an isolator is not fitted.

Some years ago (NTL days) I had to call an engineer out to carry out some work and he for some reason removed the isolator from the incoming coax.

After he left I could hear a 50hz mains hum from my sub connected to my Yamaha RX V3087.

As you have probably guessed it was caused by the removal of the isolator and hence in doing so it caused a hum loop in the system.

Fitting an isolator cured the problem.

So they do have there uses but not necessarily for full on lighting protection.

[dante01]

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@techifan wrote:

dante01 as someone who is knowledgable regarding all things audio/HiFi etc i thought you may be interested to know of my practical example of what can happen if an isolator is not fitted.

Some years ago (NTL days) I had to call an engineer out to carry out some work and he for some reason removed the isolator from the incoming coax.

After he left I could hear a 50hz mains hum from my sub connected to my Yamaha RX V3087.

As you have probably guessed it was caused by the removal of the isolator and hence in doing so it caused a hum loop in the system.

Fitting an isolator cured the problem.

So they do have there uses but not necessarily for full on lighting protection.

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The isolator is mandatory and not optional. An installer is obligated to fit one or ensure one is present. They are not intended to prevent damage associated with lightning strikes and this is not why they are used or installed for.

[Gillyathome]

again , thank you all for your assistance.

i'm more than grateful. 

I searched for hours, looking for any kind of TRATEC recalls or warnings and didn't find anything.

so I suspect they are only swapped due to their age.

Gilly

[Gillyathome]

pictures explain more than words ever can....

[techifan]

Wow!! Thanks for sending us the pictures.

I see what you mean, that's some serious damage.

BTW,

What are the aerial arrays on the side of the house?

Looks like there is an aerial rotator with a quad beam antenna on top, takes me back to my radio ham days.

[Gillyathome]

it's was much more toasty in this photo.... I took me a week to realise how I got zapped

it was only me checking new reports for lighting that I found, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow..

http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/lightning-strike-sets-romford-house-on-fire-1-5537142

[techifan]

Sorry, I was editing my previous post as you were sending your post.

Did you see my query regarding the aerials on the side of the house?

[Gillyathome]

I don't have a scooby doo what they are,, i'm guessing some sort of HAM radio...? ariel buffs ?

the house is gutted totally inside, so the occupants had moved out.. I wish I could ask them the same question.

remember, that isn't my house, if u look at the photo with the red arrow, I live as far as that, down the next street.

[techifan]

Yes, sorry I realise now that it’s not your house.

However, I wouldn’t mind betting that the lightning struck those aerials and made its way through the cabling system. Being high up on the side of the house they would have provided a nice conductor.

Radio masts and towers have earth bonding fitted to help prevent lighting strikes causing damage.

[Gillyathome]

I had a chat with a neighbour while I was taking the pictures..

he told me, the fire brigade had 6 or 7 pumps there for 5 hours...

he lives opposite, he found the grey virgin junction box cover in his front garden after the internals exploded

he said the junction box internals where in flames when he first came out to look. 

it became an internal electrical fire that they just couldn't put out.

a 1mtr square hole was dug in the front garden of the house to access the really thick power cable to the entire street.

it was cut off for hours... none of the power issues affected me in my street thow.