On Tue, 29 Jul 2014 08:09:38 +0100, charles
wrote:


So should we disconnect stuff if there is a nearby electrical storm?
I am on cable so no dishes or aerials.
If the answer is yes, is that unplug as opposed to just switch off?

If you unplug during the storm, the lighting strike might come ast the
moment you have the plug in you hand, Not good.

Mother had a close call back in the 60's.
The house was almost the highest point on a hill and Lightning often
struck nearby, being on overhead lines the power often went so an oil
lamp was made ready and placed on the dining table which was close to
the window. Unplugging the aerial for the TV was std procedure but
Mother got it wrong one day and unplugged it from the socket and not
the less accessible back of the TV, the socket like many back in
early VHF days was mounted on the wooden window frame. It was about
15 mins later that arc leapt from the socket and hit the metal base of
the Aladdin oil lamp about 3 ft away which as Mother was sat at the
table made her jump a bit the lamp at least intercepting the arc
before it reached her.
Could not have been a direct hit but the old extra large VHF aerial
dad installed to get ITV before the area was officially covered
gathered a charge on more than one occasion,Mother never really
understood unplugging the aerial as on another occasion she unplugged
from the back of the set but being a tidy type rather than leave the
end on the floor coiled it up and placed it on the wide internal sill.
A while later Dad placed a cup of Coffee on the sill while doing some
p/work at the table not really noticing the aerial lead which having
been slightly knocked unwound itself from behind the curtain where
mother had hid it coming to rest in the saucer wet from some spilt
tea. Dad got stimulated by the coffee in a way never before when he
picked the cup up grounded the lead and saucer most of the coffee
being flung around the room. It was painful for him but quite funny to
watch.

G.Harman