Lightning strike?

HANDY12 · Post by **HANDY12** » Sun Sep 24, 2023 11:22 am

HOUSE HAS HAD LIGHTNING STRIKE. PLUG BLOWN OUT OF SOCKET, C/H BOILER FUSE BLOWN., 2 TVS SCRAP ETC ETC. WHAT ELETRICS TEST SHOULD I BE ASKING FOR AND IS THERE A STANDARD / SPEC TO REFER TO INSURERS, WHO ARE BEING DIFFICULT, AND REFUSING TO PAY FOR ANY TESTING. TA IN ADVANCE.

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sun Sep 24, 2023 11:56 am

Stop typing in capitals would help. (It's considered to be SHOUTING)
You may believe you had a lightning strike, but if you had (Only seen it once) you would have nothing left as it would have been vaporised. What you have had is a proximity strike. The only testing is does it switch on and work

Scotty001 · Post by **Scotty001** » Sun Sep 24, 2023 12:13 pm

Someone-Else wrote: ↑Sun Sep 24, 2023 11:56 am The only testing is does it switch on and work

If it doesn't work then what tests should the op look at having done? They mention they had a plug blown out of a socket and other items are now scrap.
Is it safe to just plug something else into the sockets where the plug blew out and the other sockets where the electrical items are now scrap, to see if that item they plug in works?

In a slightly different scenario if there's been a neutral fault on the mains distribution network (which causes damage to a properties internal electrics) , a 3rd party company is called in to carry out wiring tests from the consumer unit to all switches and sockets, then repair / replace any damaged equipment (inc appliances). I know this could be different as its 100% known that both live and neutral were energised
with a proximity strike is it possible that the neutral was also energised?

Someone-Else · Post by **Someone-Else** » Sun Sep 24, 2023 2:47 pm

If an appliance / device that did work now no longer works it should be tried in a known working socket, if it still does not work said appliance /device should be disposed of and replaced, the reason is that it will cost more to test it with test kit* than it will to replace it. Also most appliances are built to a low cost, so again sad but true, cheaper to replace than repair.

aeromech3 · Post by **aeromech3** » Mon Sep 25, 2023 4:14 am

In olden days: we had a lightning strike near our villa, the power surge, as I suspected, blew the fax machine. I have a surge protector for my PC now, but don't have a lot of faith in them and as most of my electronics are +15 years will not spend to upgrade the whole house supply.

ericmark · Post by **ericmark** » Tue Sep 26, 2023 7:15 pm

I can see problem, loss of PEN and lighting strike will both cause damage, but loss of PEN down to supplier to rectify and lighting strike your insurer.

The lighting will boil any water with such ferocity that it will cause structural damage. Unlikely to be limited to electrical goods, and loss of PEN is likely to effect more than one house in the street.

In the main it is the insurers who will send some one to inspect, and assess the damage, they don't need to use third party inspectors, but this is so rare unlikely to get answers from a forum.