Lightning strike protection

[Scorpwars]

Hello! I am new to the boards after a lightning strike in the area came in through my cable coax and blew everything connected to my router, everything on an RJ45 is dead as. 
I am looking for a coax lightning surge protector and know its a 7mm cable coming in, has anyone else had this and recommends a device? I know the chances are low but I really could do without it.

Virgin were totally useless, still have no service or a working hub. They sent a new power supply that was pointless and lied about a technician visiting the box outside the house.

Im giving them a another week and im leaving

Thanks so much!

lee 

[jb66]

If a lightning bolt can come from hundreds of meters through the air from a cloud to the ground then there is no surge protection that's 100% effective.

[Scorpwars]

I know that. Does anyone have the answer about the coax surge protection?

thanks

[Tudor · Accepted solution]

The is NO surge protection against lightning, it said to be one billion to ten billion joules.

[grunkp]

You could buy ethernet surge protectors, one for each cable out of the Virgin Hub.

My solution was to purchase a couple of mains surge protectors, one of which also has ethernet surge protected sockets. The Hubs power is plugged into one surge protector, along with a few cheap peripherals. The second surge protector, has power for my router,switches,PC's, printer , cloud storage and web cams plugged into it as well as the ethernet cable from the Hub. The second ethernet socket is then connected to the router.

Maybe not ideal but it keeps me 'happy'

[Scorpwars]

Thanks for your reply, I am currently planning on doing that with 13a sockets on surge protection, the virgin hub is **bleep** so ill come out into a new router with the cat 5 lighting surge on. Im looking at something like this - 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bingfu-Lightning-Protector-Connector-Connections/dp/B09X2S4VSS/ref=mp_s_a_1...

I am never hard wiring a tv again. 🙂

thanks 

lee

[grunkp]

Not sure what Virgin will say about installing something like that !

Just out of interest, how close to you was the lightening strike ?

[Scorpwars]

Why would virgin care about anything? They didnt care about my appliances being blown up or care about getting me back online.

It hit the street and blew 3 houses tvs and everything connected via cat 5.

it sounded like a bomb exploding in the street.

[grunkp]

I'm sure that your not allowed to tamper with the Virgin Network. Must be in the terms and conditions.

But anyhow . I'd be surprised if a 13 quid device would protect anything from an almost direct lightning strike. Looking at the device specs they do not indicate the type of gas used (and there are various gases that can be used). Nor does it indicate clamping voltage, energy absorption/dissipation and response times. You need to see if the device is listed in the UnderWriters Laboratories (UL)  database and if the manufacturer gives a guarantee

You could try asking a Virgin engineer (or OpenReach)   if and what they use for lightning protection, - or a Mobile mast company.

[nodrogd]

Apart from a few companies like APC who I use, very few will guarantee protection against HV lightning spikes. I also have Ethernet protection. However, you will not be able to connect any kind of protection to VMs coax as it will cause network issues. Most cabinets are earth grounded, but a nearby strike entering a service duct can induce high voltage in all the cables it carries & all the houses that duct serves would be at risk if there was lower resistance at one of these houses connections than at the cabinet.