Repairing Lightning Damaged Tv's

[Sean O'Leathlobhair]

Protection is always possible. Ham radio operators in the
early 1900s would suffer damage. They disconnected the
antenna. Still suffered damage. They placed antenna lead
into a mason jar. Still suffered damage. They earthing the
incoming antenna wire. Damage stopped happening.

<snip>

So, I need an earthed coaxial socket. When a storm approaches, I pull
the aerial out of the TV and put it into the earthed socket rather
than just leave it trailing on the floor.

I read once that although disconnecting the aerial is good, you should
not do it when the storm is close. You would not want to be holding
the aerial lead when lightning struck your aerial. This seemed to
make sense, I regard myself as more valuable than the TV (I wonder if
my son would agree).

Actually in my case, the aerial first goes to an RF amplifier, then to
a digital terrestrial receiver and then to a video before it reaches
the TV. Conveniently, these devices are in increasing cost sequence
so the cheap ones are protecting the more expensive. If my aerial was
hit by lightning, would just the RF amplifier get fried or might the
whole chain through to the (multiple) TVs die?

Seán O'Leathlóbhair

 

[w_tom]

Even the National Electrical Code requires that your outside antenna
be earthed. Many installers don't bother if you don't complain. If
the outside antenna is not earthed, then there is where you start for
protection of your TV. Again, there are additional requirements as
summarized in previous posts. IOW minimum protection means your
antenna first meet NEC requirements. Does it?

 

[Asimov]

"Sean O'Leathlobhair" bravely wrote to "All" (21 Jun 04 03:16:24)
--- on the heady topic of "Re: Repairing Lightning Damaged Tv's"

SO> From: [email protected] (Sean O'Leathlobhair)

SO> I read once that although disconnecting the aerial is good, you should
SO> not do it when the storm is close. You would not want to be holding
SO> the aerial lead when lightning struck your aerial. This seemed to
SO> make sense, I regard myself as more valuable than the TV (I wonder if
SO> my son would agree).

Lightning doesn't have to strike for one to get a nice jolt. For
example, I recall one summer afternoon in the park, where there is a
beautiful turtle pond, a storm was approaching from the west. While
still perhaps a half mile away some chimneys of the homes near the
park started to glow strangely in the growing darkness. For anyone who
ever read Melville's epic "Moby Dick", the origin of the glow was
therein described as St. Elmo's Fire. Indeed as a storm approaches an
electrical gradient builds up between the ground and the cloud level
that will ultimately reach a breakover point. This breakover is the
cause of lightning. However until that point is reached, a tall
conductive structure can be at a very much higher potential than the
ground around them and if touched can give a jolt. Doesn't anyone
remember Benjamin Franklin's kite with a key on the string experiment?
Ground your antenna system. Use a knife switch like Uncle Fester!

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... Sattinger's Law: It works better if you plug it in.