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 

[ALF28]

I always have 13A 240v multi power blocks with surge protecton fo my hub, router, V6 box, computers and TV and they are cheap to buy, some also include ethernet protection sockets but I use wifi most of the time and when I did use ethernet surge protection I had some connection issues.

Electrical Cabinets can have lightning protection devices  connected to an earth rod, I used to work on instrument telemetry cabinets and they did have lightning protection but the cables still  got  damaged and needed repair.

Also large commercial/industrial buildings usually have lightning protection systems connected to earth rods, I used to design them myself, but houses do not have this protection.

If there is a storm/lighting it is wise to unplug sensative equipment for the duration, I do that but if a surge is via the co-ax cable then that is virgin's responsiblity.

There are devices available to protect co-ax cables, but I am not sure if they need to be installed on broadband, ariels,satellite TV etc. as I have never tried one.

see

Answered: Why Do Surge Protectors Have Coaxial? (smarthomeprotector.com)

alf28

[Scorpwars]

Virgin wouldn’t even say the words lightning strike Nevermind accept responsibility. “damage of the kind you have experienced”is as close as they went. It came through the coax and blew everything connected via the cat5 right through the house.

 After two weeks of calls they finally sent me a new hub.

[nodrogd]

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@Scorpwars wrote:

Virgin wouldn’t even say the words lightning strike Nevermind accept responsibility. “damage of the kind you have experienced”is as close as they went.

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No, they won’t, as won’t power or other utility companies due to the dreaded “act of god” clause in contracts.

You can try, but be prepared for the long haul. Below is a classic from the archive on the subject.

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Forum-Archive/Lightning-everything-blown-up-virgin-washes-their... 

[Roger_Gooner]

If you know that a big electrical storm is coming your way then remove the coaxial cable from the wall socket and pull the plugs from the electrical sockets. It's better than doing nothing and then moaning that everything got fried and that it's taking ages for VM/BT/Sky to replace their equipment.

[Scorpwars]

Haha hindsight huh, iv never heard of it happening so why would it be on my radar to do so? 
[REMOVED]  Thanks

[MOD EDIT: Inappropriate language removed. Please refer to the Forum rules and guidelines]

[xboy]

Well you've heard of it happening from the OP and now you'll hear about it happening to me. Lightning struck the main cabinet near me and blew up the node AMP next to my house which spiked down the coax blowing my upstairs and downstairs TIVO boxes and all the HDMI ports connected to them. Port 3 on my £4,000 SONY IMAX 77" TV - BLOWN, TIVO/DVD INPUTS on my DENON £1,000 AMP - BLOWN! 55" Bedroom TV card - BLOWN! My nanny cam recorded the event. The only thing that didn't blow was the router/hub which has an inline isolator fitted, the TIVO boxes do not. Which address do I use to ask for compensation please?

[goslow]

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@xboy wrote:

Well you've heard of it happening from the OP and now you'll hear about it happening to me. Lightning struck the main cabinet near me and blew up the node AMP next to my house which spiked down the coax blowing my upstairs and downstairs TIVO boxes and all the HDMI ports connected to them. Port 3 on my £4,000 SONY IMAX 77" TV - BLOWN, TIVO/DVD INPUTS on my DENON £1,000 AMP - BLOWN! 55" Bedroom TV card - BLOWN! My nanny cam recorded the event. The only thing that didn't blow was the router/hub which has an inline isolator fitted, the TIVO boxes do not. Which address do I use to ask for compensation please?

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I know of two people who have had kit destroyed by electrical 'events' during storms. Dealt with via home insurance IIRC.

Before considering a route for redress via VM for this, have a look at this 46 page blockbuster topic from the past on the same subject

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Forum-Archive/Lightning-everything-blown-up-virgin-washes-their...

Final outcome unknown but, based on the contents of the topic, suspect it was unlikely the OP got anything meaningful from VM out of it.

Edit: Can see the link above was already mentioned at #13 by nodrogd