Three electric wires enter your house. One connects to
earth ground. How are the other two wires earthed? Not
earthed if a 'whole house' protector is not properly
installed. Two of the three AC electric wires (not earthed by
a 'whole house' protector) carry destructive surges (such as
lightning) into a building; finding earth ground,
destructively, via household appliances. In most homes, only
one of three AC electric wires is earthed. In some homes,
even that ground is missing or compromised.

It has been routine for generations to earth direct
lightning strikes without damage. However homes were not
designed to protect transistors. Unfortunately we still build
new homes without superior and inexpensive earthing. So we do
the best we can as an after thought. Still that after thought
is sufficient to earth direct strikes without damage. But
that means every wire - all three electric - both telephone
wires, etc - make a short connection to the same earth ground
either by direct connection or via a surge protector.

"CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert" wrote:
Your house should be protected from lightning strikes and this has
nothing to do with surges. Is your satellite grounded? I don't know
the codes but I am almost positive it should be. Everything outside of
my house is grounded, and even on my last house which was build in
1920s. That way it would have never entered your house. There is NO
protection from a direct lightning strike. That the GFCIs tripped was
probably from noise due to the hit, but not likely a real hit. In fact
you probably got a sympathetic stroke anyway, a direct hit would have
blown some 8hit up. Including yourself.

How do you know where the stroke came in and how it travelled?
Lightning just wants to get to earth, surprising it would get to the
main box, then go back into the house again.

Anyway, that dish should probably have a ground line on it. Tying to
ground outside of the house.