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wrote:

I'm a retired railroad signal ape and can say, that bolt that got me
wasn't anywhere near the strongest, but was a good solid stike
anyway, the next two were more typical. There's been several times
I opened a signal case full of relays and lightning arrestors, to
"hunt down the signal trouble" and "couldn't see anything in the he
case" because it was -all- one flat-black color. It looks creepy as
anything.

Anyway, I figure I only -got- about 1%.

It -felt- like the whole friggin thing tho!

Believe it?

Alvin in AZ

This computer, the on I'm running right now (750Mhz AMD K7 T-Bird),

net ID lazarus, was struck by lightning about three years ago (2003).

Well, it actually hit outside on the driveway, but a lot of my electronics
got fried - including this computer!

Power had just gone off, but the cpu was on battery - shutting down - when
it hit.

When the lights came back on (reset all the breakers) the VCRs and TVs (2)
were all gonzo, but the computer tried to start up - and then
Smoked!
Badly!
Stinky Black power supply smoke!
Along with a bright yellow glow from the back of the box!

I remember being dumbstruck thinking "It normally doesn't do that...",
before swatting the switch off.

Which did cause the "glow" to go out immediately, but it just rolled smoke!

A few days later, figuring "what the heck" I swapped out the power supply,
and the machine came up an ran, sort of. Cad was no problem, but it would
hang up on things it used to do just fine... couldn't dial!

I did a careful visual exam of the motherboard and found every one of the small
electrolytic capacitors had the tops blown off. Little round tops hinged over
to one side and the stuffing's oozing out - like tiny spinach cans in a Popeye
cartoon.

So I made a list, found all the right caps (which all looked a lot better quality
than the originals, btw) and very carefully replaced them one at a time.

And finally replaced the modem to get back on line.

And it rocks on...
But under a new name: lazaruz

For what it's worth?

That was out in the country - local shore power not exactly always stable.

I had a battery backup on the cpu/monitor (with surge suppressers)
Surge suppresser on the master power switch box.
Surge suppresser on the printer power outlet strips (2).
Surge suppresser on the laptop circuit (Laptop not connected at the time)
All in one room.

And the phone line physically disconnected.

Yet it still somehow fried the modem...

Now somebody explain that one!

Richard