Lightning and PC

[bright.ton42]

Does anyone know if just running my laptop on battery means it's safe from strikes?   We've got a day of thunder and lightning ahead

and I'd really like to use it. 

[debra9275]

I might be wrong here Bright but I think the main danger with using a PC is the internet connection and the power supply.

I'f you're using a battery lap top that's safe and so is Wi-Fi

I just use my PC regardless, naughty I know 

last night sitting on the veranda watching the lightning, I noticed every time we had a good lightning strike my solar lighs all came on for awhile. I thought that was interesting lol

[lloydslights]

Edited: Re the Solar Lights.

Noticed the same here, Debra a few weeks ago.  Thought I was seeing things.

DEB

[debra9275]

me too 

weird isn't it ?

[bright.ton42]

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@debra9275 wrote:

I might be wrong here Bright but I think the main danger with using a PC is the internet connection and the power supply.

I'f you're using a battery lap top that's safe and so is Wi-Fi

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Ah good.    Thanks.   

[cherry*135]

I think any electrical'electronic equipment plugged in, could get fried by lightening strikes.

[polksaladallie]

I would advise to unplug the cable from the power source (which should be a surge arrestor board) to avoid damage to that.  Because they cost a lot to replace.  Like $90 to $150.

[gleee58]

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@am*3 wrote:

I think any electrical'electronic equipment plugged in, could get fried by lightening strikes.

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I think the worry is not the equipment as much as the person.  In the old days the warning was not to get on phone during lightning because it could strike the copper cable and fry the person on the phone.    

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/mythbusters-database/phones-and-thunderstorms/

The MythBusters zapped a makeshift house with 300,000 volts of electricity to chart lightning's potential path from the ground wiring to the phone held by ballistics gel dummy Buster. The gel inside Buster shares the same electrical resistance as human flesh, and a heart monitor hooked to him measured how big of a zap his body received from the hot phone.

When they released the electricity, it quickly hopped from the phone wiring to Buster's heart, blowing out the monitor device. Since the machine maxed out at 40 milliamps, the amount of electricity pulsing through the conduit must've far exceeded the lethal 6-milliamp mark.

Unfortunately, this myth also has been confirmed the hard way: About two people die from lightning strikes through phone lines each year.

[cherry*135]

Electrical equipment is a concern with lightning strikes. I dont think insurance covers fried electrical appliances/equipment from lightning strikes either (Act of God).

I think there is still has a notice near the front of the telephone book advising not to use a landline in a storm.

Telephones and Lightning

If you are using a landline to phone through a report to the Bureau, wait until the thunderstorm has passed, as you can receive a deadly electric shock or deafening sound blast when using a landline during a thunderstorm.

If an emergency occurs requiring the use of a landline during a thunderstorm, keep your call brief, don’t touch any metal, brick or concrete, and don’t stand barefoot on concrete or tiled floors.

As long as you follow these procedures, it is safe to use a mobile or cordless phone indoors. However, a mobile or cordless phone should not be used outdoors during a thunderstorm, as holding any object with metallic components increases the risk of being struck by lightning.

bom.gov.au

ZAP, CRACKLE POP

The current in a lightning bolt can produce tens of thousands of amps and exceed 100,000 volts, says Phung, explaining that voltage is the electric potential (pressure) difference between two points in a circuit and current is a flow of electric charges.

"Even an indirect lightning strike near a power line is enough to induce a surge and substantially boost electrical pressure beyond the 230 volts most households receive from their mains supply inflicting serious damage on electrical devices," he says.

"Either the conductor (wires) heat up and burn, effectively frying your device. Or the excessive voltage causes the insulation that separates the conductors to break down resulting in a short-circuit fault.

If your computer is plugged into a wall socket that's switched on, even when it's in standby or sleep mode, it's vulnerable. That's because the lightning current can travel through the power cord or any other cable connected to your computer, says Phung.

"So if you think a storm is coming, you should physically disconnect your computer from the mains socket to protect it from a lightning surge," he says.

Dr Toan Phung from the University of New South Wales was interviewed by Kathy Graham.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2013/06/11/3760939.htm

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