Anyone here ever unplug their computer from both the electriical outlet and either the phone line or cable during an electrical storm?

I heard that you're suppose to, but I don't.

I was just curious, because we're having a thunder/lightning storm now.

 

I just leave it. I suppose there is a chance of damage, but if a lightning strike hits your house and fries your computer, I'd think the last thing you're worrying about is your computer.

You do have a surge protector, don't you?

 

I do not, but I do make sure all the lines going to my electronics go thru a surge protector. That includes power, phone, and satellite cables.
I do make sure that none of them are turned on during a storm.

 

i used to no care and just leave my comp plugged in throught the surge protector till my house go thit by lighting and fried my comp,now i unplug it from the wall every time a strong storm nears,dont wanna take any more chances

 

I don't think a surge protector will prevent damage from a lightning strike, too much juice! A friend of mine got a lighting strike at his house, it hit the direct TV dish on the roof and fried his big screen TV. Anytime there's a thunder storm, my Dad goes around the house unplugging everything, except the fridge, gotta keep the beer cold!

 

Yes. I do have a surge protector.

 

We have about 8 computers we never turn them off during a storm.. Trust the Surgey Protector..

 

No... that's what insurance is for.

On a serious note, the cheap 'power strip' surge protectors aren't going to help one bit in a lightning strike. They will be over loaded and fry what ever is attached regardless. Some of the upper-end surge protectors and UPS systems can handle a direct strike, but they are fairly expensive.

 

I lost a puter, two sat receivers, surround sound, and a dvd player to lighting. Unplug if you can. Yes I had a garrentied surge protecter try and collect on it!

 

My uncle messed around with the electrical system on my parent's farm, backfed 220 into the 110 line, made a big power surge, and it fried the power supply in my mom's computer, as well as melted the surge protector... they won't protect from everything, just lower level surges.

 

My computer is only a few months old and the guy at Best Buy said the new machines are touchy when it comes to power surges. He had a clipping by the power company suggesting people install backup power sources. Maybe he just wanted to make another $100. sale but I didn't want to take the chance and bought one because our power shuts off & on regularly. It also protects against lightning strikes for the computer and phone line. A electronics and computer Guru told me the money spent on a six pack will protect a computer as much as one of those surge strips. I saw where lightning hit a dead and loose phone line hanging in a tree, burn through every place where the line touched the aluminum siding, follow it past a window frame and burn off a hanger wire for the dropped ceiling in the basement. The wire was attached to a nail in the wooden joist. Not possible? I would have agreed...It was hard to believe it could follow that skinny wire with enough juice to burn through the insulation at the siding. I don't know where it went from there but we were lucky it didn't burn the house down.. I now pull the phone lines and power from the old machine during a lightning storm.....JMO...

 

If lightning can split a tree in half, I just can't see a surge protector protecting your equipment.

Think I'll unplug next time.

Better safe than sorry.

Home insurance won't cover squat. Act of god disclosure.

 

Lightning wasted my Netgear wireless router about two months ago.
That is one of the first electronic gadgets I ever lost to a storm. The chances are slim you'll be affected, but a close strike, especially right on the utility pole nearest your home could cause problems.
I have been seriously thinking about installing some surge protection at the electrical service entrance/breaker box. I don't trust our utility company ..PECO. they are always cost-cutting, giving money to stockholders and making the paying customers have to deal with poor repair service. I'm more afraid of losing electronics cause our transformers and underground wires under our street keep shorting out. We have had serious power problems in the last year and none of it is related to storms.

Personally, I would unplug any electronic gadget that costs so much you couldn't replace it easily. The problem is, you never know when the storm is coming or when your local lines will simply break down and fry.

2 years ago, everyone in the neighborhood came home to find the power had been off most of the day. A construction excavator touched a 40,000 volt wire with his shovel and knocked out a good size grid for a couple miles. After all was said and done, quite a few of my neighbors had lost expensive TV's, appliances, and other things like wireless phones. You just never know, so I guess it is good to install the best surge protection you can afford.

 

My pc has an APC UPS unit. My laptop, disconnected, unless in use.

The wife and kids.. . . . surge protectors. Granted, the surge protectors are not worth a fart in a windstorm, but, they (are supposed to) 'smooth out' the voltage.

Kinda like a crap shoot. What will the dice roll up?

Oh great. . . . now I'll fry my pcs. (Jinx.)

 

Well, I guess a surge protector won't do squat. But if lightning knocked out my computer, I'd probably be a little ticked off. If lightning struck during the day while I'm at work, there's nothing I could do to unplug anything at home anyway.