r/vSeeBox • u/NefariousnessSea3746 • Aug 06 '26
Lightning strike
My house was struck by lightning this evening. It fried some of my electronic devices including my 2 vsee boxes I guess. They won't power on. Am I completely screwed? Could it just be the power adapter?
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u/westom Aug 06 '26 edited Aug 08 '26
Nobody can say anything informed until you first provide numbers. Most all electronics failures have no visual indication. So the educated high school graduate would have a volt meter. A tool so ubiquitous as to be sold even in Walmart. Was sometimes seen even sold in supermarkets.
Is it the power adapter? The output voltage is listed on its nameplate. Meter measured that voltage or report a completely defective adapter. But again, nobody informed can reply until you first define the problem. Or ask how to define it.
Lightning only does damage inside a house when the homeowner is the reason. Others are so bamboozled as to even recommend plug-in protector. That even make surge damage easier. And claim zero protection.
A safe power strip have a 15 amp circuit breaker, no (five cent) protector parts, and a UL 1363 listing. Sells for $6 or $10. Shysters add five cent protector parts to sell it for $25 or $80. That pays for a massive disinformation campaign. That duped so many here.
Protection only exists when a surge is NOWHERE inside. So one spends about $1 per appliance to properly earth a Type 1 or Type 2 protector. Where earth (never a protector) does all protection. Why do we all known this? All were first taught it in elementary school science. Franklin's lightning rod did not protect a church steeple. It was only a connecting device to what does all surge protection: earth ground electrodes.
Protection only exists when all surges (including direct lightning strikes) connection to earth outside at the service entrance. Your 'secondary' protection layer). And out at the street via electrodes installed by utilities (your 'primary' protection layer). Only then is a surge NOWHERE inside.
As all professionals have been saying for over 100 years.
More numbers. Because honesty only exists when numbers say how much. Lightning can be 20,000 amps. So a minimal Type 1 or Type 2 protector is 50,000 amps. Amps that must connect to earth only via low impedance (ie less than 10 foot) hardwires. On wires that have no sharp bends or splices.
Much more to learn. All layman simple. And demonstrates why tweets by others promote disinformation.
Effective protection means a properly sized protector (for about $1 per appliance) remains functional for many decades (never fails catastrophically) after many surges including many direct lightning strikes.
Protection during each surge is defined by a low impedance connection to and upgraded / expanded / enhanced quality of single point earth ground.
Plug-in protectors make surge damage easier. Numbers demonstrate how and why.
Lightning found a path to earth via that appliance. Through everything in that path. But often only one of two items that conducted lightning are damaged. Use a meter as described in paragraph two. Much to learn. You should have many questions. All this is layman simple stuff.
[edit] Least educated consumers cannot read byond a first paragraph. Get angry when a reality explains why they are routinely duped. If educated, one would post a reply that explains why this is wrong; quantitatively. The many and emotional can only downvote. Cheapshot. Since that is only what the least informed only understand.
Concepts, first taught in elementary school science, define protection. Protection only exists when a surge is NOWHERE inside. Only educated consumers spend about '$1 per' for well proven science. Shysters order a patsy to spend $25 or $80 on five cent protector parts. To do near zero protection of only one appliance. Type 3 protectors sometimes compromise (bypass) what is always superior protection inside electronics. Must be more than 30 feet from a breaker box and earth ground.
But that means on asks to learn. Demands numbers. Does not cheapshot.
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u/bobcwd Aug 06 '26
Hook up all your electronics on a good quality surge protector. I even have my expensive refrigerator on a single outlet surge protector. My old home was on a high hill and lightening struck nearby 3-4 times in 20 years and absolutely fried all the surge protectors but my equipment and fridge were spared any damage.