We recently went out on a lightning surge call and found several open circuits generally at weak links in the system (stab lock connections and wire nuts). The system had been jolted pretty severly. We noted blackend connections at various splices and devices. I have never seen such significant damage from a surge of this nature. Should a further evaluation of the system be performed? I have suggested running a high voltage insulation test to .5KV. I can not assure the customer that the system doesn't have additional potential problems.
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Lightning Surge Damage
- Thread starter todzski
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hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: Lightning Surge Damage
That would be a good start but getting into the attic or crawl space to see if insulation on the wires is damaged will be the tuff part. We get a few calls from lightning strikes a year and the first thing I do is to look for the strike point. Once that is known then any wiring in that vicinity should be checked throughly then fan out from there. If your going to do this type of work you need the right tools and one of them is a camera that is on a flexible shaft that you can run down into the walls and into ares that you normal could not see into. If the strike is large enough I have seen it blow insulation clean off the romex and leave the wires intact and megging them didn't show anything so the best piece of equipment you could have is your eyes and or something that will act as your eyes. There are companys that do rent this type of equipment but I couldn't tell you how much.
Just be carful that you don't over look somthing as once you work on this job you can be responcable if the house later burns down. I'm not trying to scare you but that's what your up against.
I just did three last week and one house was hit with a positive strike (The most damaging)
Just make sure that you know what to look for.
check each circuit as you can have shared neutral blown open grounding conductors open. Then comes all the electronics, Ie: Smoke detectors, GFCI's, Etc...
That would be a good start but getting into the attic or crawl space to see if insulation on the wires is damaged will be the tuff part. We get a few calls from lightning strikes a year and the first thing I do is to look for the strike point. Once that is known then any wiring in that vicinity should be checked throughly then fan out from there. If your going to do this type of work you need the right tools and one of them is a camera that is on a flexible shaft that you can run down into the walls and into ares that you normal could not see into. If the strike is large enough I have seen it blow insulation clean off the romex and leave the wires intact and megging them didn't show anything so the best piece of equipment you could have is your eyes and or something that will act as your eyes. There are companys that do rent this type of equipment but I couldn't tell you how much.
Just be carful that you don't over look somthing as once you work on this job you can be responcable if the house later burns down. I'm not trying to scare you but that's what your up against.
I just did three last week and one house was hit with a positive strike (The most damaging)
Just make sure that you know what to look for.
check each circuit as you can have shared neutral blown open grounding conductors open. Then comes all the electronics, Ie: Smoke detectors, GFCI's, Etc...
charlie tuna
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
Re: Lightning Surge Damage
thats why they call lighning "unpredictable"...
i have seen it do a minimal amount of damage visually, yet damage every item that was "on line". i have also seen it blow equipment off a wall and not effect sensitive electronic equipment nearby? i look at everything i can see, and test every outlet and appliance,operate everything. i do not certify anything,only specify my findings. i explain to the owner that other things may show up from this strike that are operation at this time. remember "unpredictable"
thats why they call lighning "unpredictable"...
i have seen it do a minimal amount of damage visually, yet damage every item that was "on line". i have also seen it blow equipment off a wall and not effect sensitive electronic equipment nearby? i look at everything i can see, and test every outlet and appliance,operate everything. i do not certify anything,only specify my findings. i explain to the owner that other things may show up from this strike that are operation at this time. remember "unpredictable"
A
a.wayne3@verizon.net
Guest
Re: Lightning Surge Damage
To those who followed my tract to oklahoma to build and wire a church in 4 days.When i got home a breaker was tripped in addition 2 tv`s a dvd/vcr player,stereo, a phone,all bulbs out.That`s the power of that bright stuff we awe at has.
To those who followed my tract to oklahoma to build and wire a church in 4 days.When i got home a breaker was tripped in addition 2 tv`s a dvd/vcr player,stereo, a phone,all bulbs out.That`s the power of that bright stuff we awe at has.
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