Lightening hit house

[elvis_931]

Anyone have a template I could use for documenting the info from these tests?

 

[brian john]

IM me with an email address, I can forward them on Monday when I get in the office.

 

[elvis_931]

This is strange. I went to the house and I checked the light and switch that were bad from the lightening first. The cover on the switch had a chunk blown out of it. I read the voltage on the hot leg: 18.5vac to ground with switch in the off position. I turned the switch on and read 8vac to ground. So I figure I have an issue with the wire that I need to track down. I go to the light fixture and check the voltage at the socket:120vac with the switch on. I put a new bulb in the fixture cause the existing one is blown. The switch still reads 18vac/8vac but the light is working on 120vac. The switch cuts the light off and on like it is supposed to!

 

[stickboy1375]

Is there a neutral at the switch box? Might have a bad ground...

 

[brian john]

I check that ground as noted or get to a neutral conductor.

2. If the results seem too good to be true, bad or strange in any way, check EVERYTHING.

 

[petersonra]

With that said, I suppose there's 3 approaches to remediating lightning damage.

• repair/replace whatever is visually damaged only
• megger all the circuits and make the repairs
• rewire the whole place

There is a fourth alternative, which I would guess is the most common approach. Do nothing unless something has completely failed.

 

[brian john]

There is a fourth alternative, which I would guess is the most common approach. Do nothing unless something has completely failed.

Bob We have people that take that approach, but in my expierence, either the electrical inspector, fire marshall or insurance company push for one of the 3 Marc noted.