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unplug computers when you hear thunder?

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Originally posted by: Instagib
Originally posted by: baffled2
Originally posted by: Instagib
Originally posted by: baffled2
UPS's are our friends, this lan goes down only for maintance /upgrades 🙂
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That still won't protect you when lightning strikes.
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That's what I have insurance for 🙂
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You think Jerboy does though?
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lol, please... I was just answering the question that was asked, I also backup my books and other important data to cd 3x per week, a direct strike would be a major PITA but wouldn't result in horrific
losses aside from downtime which would actually be minimal as I've always got at least one system
around here not running at any given time.

 
I've lost a few things due to lightning. One particularly frightening episode was a storm that came up rather quickly. I got up after shutting down the computer to unplug it when lightning snaked out of the wall. The flash was intense. That strick fried my entire phone line (had to replace the whole thing) and the modem.

Another time I woke up and it was storming. I could hear crackling inside the walls and around the outlets. It fried two tvs that night.
 
I've replaced (tech support) 50 or 60 modems due to power surge over the phone line but only one or two PS's due to the idiot luser bypassing the UPS for some unknown reason....

As long as there is a surge in place and it is a quality power supply I doubt you have anything to worry about. do unplug modem lines though....
 
Originally posted by: Jerboy
Insurance? 😉

Oh puhleeeez my computer is old and it is most likely not worth much more than $200, not including monitor .
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Oh course you don't have insurance, you don't really "own" anyhing, I bet your parents probably do
though.


I have not only my own systems here but frequently those blonging to other people, insurance is a must, not to mention air conditions, tv's gaming consoles, microwave, expensive fridge and a pile of other electronic stuff that would cost plenty to replace 🙂
 
If you have broadband internet then thunderstorms are the best time to be online because everybody that believes in the myth(most people) are turning theirs off so you can use all the bandwidth available
 
I don't unplug the 4-5 computers I have up, but I also have a "rider clause" on my homeowner's insurance. $200 deductible on all my computers, monitors and equipment, with a max of $20,000 of coverage. (As compared to $500 on everything else.)Let that lightning strike and fry all these monitors and computers. I'll walk away with about $8000 to replace my computers and monitors.
 
i answered no because i have UPS battery back up on ALL my pc's
they are worth it, a normal surge suppressor won't do crap during lightning
 
I normally don't unplug unless its a bad storm. A few rumbles in the distance dosen't bother me. If the lightning is flashing every 5 seconds, I'll unplug them 🙂
 
I don't unplug, my surge protector has insurance on it, so if it screws up new comp 😀 anyways, whenever I am at my aunt and uncles place and a thunderstorm comes up they insist on turning off all appliances, not unplugging them, simply turning them off, like they think by turning it off there isn't still a physical connection that the lightning could run up, so we sit there doing nothing until the storm passes by...
 
Depends a lot on where you live. If you live in the middle of a city, I would only worry about it if the lightning was striking very nearby. If you live in an isolated area on a mountain though, unplug the power cord and the phone line, someone I know has had 2 modems fried by lightning strikes.
 
I don't unplug. I have insurance.

And Jerboy, when you own a home and property you'll learn that replacement value insurance would actually let you replace that 600MHz system with a new system in the event it gets hit by lighting. My coworker's house just got hit and she's getting all her old P300 systems replaced with 2GHz machines.

Of course, the more insurance claims you make, the more likely your insurance will want to dump you and raise rates for the rest of us. Don't get it in your noggin to abuse it.
 
We rarely get thunderstorms here in Portland, OR but unless it sounds like a rock concert outside I DO NOT unplug because:

1) Computer/monitor/DSL is plugged into my APC Back-UPS 650 Pro UPS.
2) I have $16,000 renters insurance (only got it because I receive a discount along with my car insurance with American Family Insurance)
3) My roommate has renters insurance so if #2 doesn't cover it, this will.
4) If my equipment gets fried that gives me an excuse to get a new system.
 
Just had another thunderstorm like an hour or two ago.. I heard the thunder rumbling, then saw it was raining like hell outside. The rain just stopped and sky is starting to clear up though 😀.

Clouds are making it's way out and the sky is becoming blue 🙂

 
I don't know where you are at - but may I suggest grabing a long piece of metal and standing on the roof until the next storm...
 
It's funny how many people will actually remember to shut off the PC, but forget about the modem/cable/dsl. I've heard of surges going through cat5 to damage NICs on multiple networked PCs.

Where I'm at, we get thunderstorms only a couple of times a year, so I don't worry about it.
 
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