On Jul 3, 2:17*pm, "Roberts" wrote:
I live halfway up a hill and suffered either a direct strike or very close -
how can you tell the difference? The video recorder was first in line and
got the full treatment. The insides were melted and the digital display
blown right across the room.

If you had that damage, it was not a nearby hit. It was the surge
or 'follow through current' due to that surge.

Nearby strikes may cause a long wire antenna to have thousands of
volts. So many believe this to be destructive. Then we simply connect
that surge via an NE-2 glow lamp. The milliamps conducted by that
tiny lamp reduced that thousands of volts to near zero. Why? Because
nearby strikes are easily make irrelevant. Notice that every car
radio and mobile is destroyed by a nearbly strike? Of course not.
Damage from nearby strikes is found in myths. Made irrelevant by
protection routine in all electronics.

Routine is to have direct lightning strikes and no damage. Some
foolishly believe disconnecting is effective. Not reliable. Not
necessary. Your damage is do to surge energy permitted inside the
building. That damage sounds too great to be lightning alone. Again,
a reference to 'follow through current'.