Lightning Strike

This past weekend I pulled my back out putting in a water pond in my
backyard. When it was installed I have to admit that I did find it
relaxing to sit on the back porch and listen to the water while doing
my devotionals. I actually felt pretty good about how it was turning
out.

Until Monday night...

Sherry and I were sitting downstairs watching the Tour de France when
suddenly lightning flashed outside the window and the thunder crashed.
It was a direct hit. It had hit my water pond! The pond was actually
lifted out of the hole and the water was just about all gone.
Fortunately we hadn't put fish in it yet or else we would be eating
fish sandwiches!

I have reinstalled the pond and checked into what contributed to my
shocking experience.

Could it be that by leaving the pump on during an electrical storm
that a negative charge was created that the lightning was attracted
to?

On 23 Jul 2003 21:13:22 -0700, (BargainTraveller)
wrote:

This past weekend I pulled my back out putting in a water pond in my
backyard. When it was installed I have to admit that I did find it
relaxing to sit on the back porch and listen to the water while doing
my devotionals. I actually felt pretty good about how it was turning
out.

Until Monday night...

Sherry and I were sitting downstairs watching the Tour de France when
suddenly lightning flashed outside the window and the thunder crashed.
It was a direct hit. It had hit my water pond! The pond was actually
lifted out of the hole and the water was just about all gone.
Fortunately we hadn't put fish in it yet or else we would be eating
fish sandwiches!

I have reinstalled the pond and checked into what contributed to my
shocking experience.

Could it be that by leaving the pump on during an electrical storm
that a negative charge was created that the lightning was attracted
to?

I cant answer your question but i had to say, WOW!

That is a shocking story, glad you were inside. I leave my pump on 24/7 as
they say, no direct hits yet. Lots of lighting storms to, but I do have a
plug in box with a breaker in the box itself as well as the master breaker
for the house. I don't think anything would of stopped that from happening.
Don't give up on the pond they are wonderful it's where I meditate and pray.
Kc
"jammer" wrote in message
...
On 23 Jul 2003 21:13:22 -0700, (BargainTraveller)
wrote:

This past weekend I pulled my back out putting in a water pond in my
backyard. When it was installed I have to admit that I did find it
relaxing to sit on the back porch and listen to the water while doing
my devotionals. I actually felt pretty good about how it was turning
out.

Until Monday night...

Sherry and I were sitting downstairs watching the Tour de France when
suddenly lightning flashed outside the window and the thunder crashed.
It was a direct hit. It had hit my water pond! The pond was actually
lifted out of the hole and the water was just about all gone.
Fortunately we hadn't put fish in it yet or else we would be eating
fish sandwiches!

I have reinstalled the pond and checked into what contributed to my
shocking experience.

Could it be that by leaving the pump on during an electrical storm
that a negative charge was created that the lightning was attracted
to?

I cant answer your question but i had to say, WOW!

That is a shocking story, glad you were inside. I leave my pump on 24/7 as
they say, no direct hits yet. Lots of lighting storms to, but I do have a
plug in box with a breaker in the box itself as well as the master breaker
for the house. I don't think anything would of stopped that from happening.
Don't give up on the pond they are wonderful it's where I meditate and pray.
Kc
"jammer" wrote in message
...
On 23 Jul 2003 21:13:22 -0700, (BargainTraveller)
wrote:

This past weekend I pulled my back out putting in a water pond in my
backyard. When it was installed I have to admit that I did find it
relaxing to sit on the back porch and listen to the water while doing
my devotionals. I actually felt pretty good about how it was turning
out.

Until Monday night...

Sherry and I were sitting downstairs watching the Tour de France when
suddenly lightning flashed outside the window and the thunder crashed.
It was a direct hit. It had hit my water pond! The pond was actually
lifted out of the hole and the water was just about all gone.
Fortunately we hadn't put fish in it yet or else we would be eating
fish sandwiches!

I have reinstalled the pond and checked into what contributed to my
shocking experience.

Could it be that by leaving the pump on during an electrical storm
that a negative charge was created that the lightning was attracted
to?

I cant answer your question but i had to say, WOW!

BargainTraveller wrote:
This past weekend I pulled my back out putting in a water pond in my
backyard. When it was installed I have to admit that I did find it
relaxing to sit on the back porch and listen to the water while doing
my devotionals. I actually felt pretty good about how it was turning
out.

Until Monday night...

Sherry and I were sitting downstairs watching the Tour de France when
suddenly lightning flashed outside the window and the thunder crashed.
It was a direct hit. It had hit my water pond! The pond was actually
lifted out of the hole and the water was just about all gone.
Fortunately we hadn't put fish in it yet or else we would be eating
fish sandwiches!

I have reinstalled the pond and checked into what contributed to my
shocking experience.

Could it be that by leaving the pump on during an electrical storm
that a negative charge was created that the lightning was attracted
to?


--
Lightnin seems to hit whereever so I dont think anything you did or dint
do would have mattered, your just lucky it didnt blow all the
electronics in your house too ( i got hit and the surge came in phone
lines and elec lines and fried every apliance I had )




John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

never miss a good oportunity to shut up

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

johnrutz wrote:

Lightnin seems to hit whereever so I dont think anything you did
or dint do would have mattered, your just lucky it didnt blow
all the electronics in your house too ( i got hit and the surge
came in phone lines and elec lines and fried every apliance I had )

My pond is on a GFSC (sic?) protected circuit. The only other thing on
that circuit are the other outdoor outlets.

Most people don't seem to be aware these days that surges can come
through phone lines and cable lines. I've known a few people who have
had their computers fried via a lightening strike carried into the
computer by the modem via a plugged in phone line. A lot of surge
suppressors these days have connectors for coax and / or telephone lines.

In our house phones, all cable connections, and electronics are on good
surge suppressors. A UPC protects the office computer equipment and the
laptop has a portable surge protector that stays permanently plugged
into the charger. My general rule of thumb is that if a surge
suppressor offers an equipment damage guarantee, it's decent. Problem
with real cheap ones is that they may not react quickly enough to stop
damage.

Guess I'm showing the conputer/electronics geek in me again. Mea culpa.

Susan
shsimko at duke dot edu

Susan H. Simko wrote:
johnrutz wrote:

Lightnin seems to hit whereever so I dont think anything you did

or dint do would have mattered, your just lucky it didnt blow
all the electronics in your house too ( i got hit and the surge
came in phone lines and elec lines and fried every apliance I had )

My pond is on a GFSC (sic?) protected circuit. The only other thing on
that circuit are the other outdoor outlets.

Most people don't seem to be aware these days that surges can come
through phone lines and cable lines. I've known a few people who have
had their computers fried via a lightening strike carried into the
computer by the modem via a plugged in phone line. A lot of surge
suppressors these days have connectors for coax and / or telephone lines.

In our house phones, all cable connections, and electronics are on good
surge suppressors. A UPC protects the office computer equipment and the
laptop has a portable surge protector that stays permanently plugged
into the charger. My general rule of thumb is that if a surge
suppressor offers an equipment damage guarantee, it's decent. Problem
with real cheap ones is that they may not react quickly enough to stop
damage.

Guess I'm showing the conputer/electronics geek in me again. Mea culpa.

Susan
shsimko at duke dot edu



-- all my electronics -- entertainment center,phones and computer are on
either tripple or quadrupls surge protectors due to the COOP's clunky
switching or our summer thunder storms, a couple months ago my power
pole got a direct hit, blew the transformer all over the yard
every thing in the house survived,





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

never miss a good oportunity to shut up

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

John:
This question may be outdated by new regulations and modern technology but,
was there any discharge of PCB's due to the explosion of the transformer?
BK
"johnrutz" wrote in message
...


Susan H. Simko wrote:
johnrutz wrote:

Lightnin seems to hit whereever so I dont think anything you did

or dint do would have mattered, your just lucky it didnt blow
all the electronics in your house too ( i got hit and the surge
came in phone lines and elec lines and fried every apliance I had )

My pond is on a GFSC (sic?) protected circuit. The only other thing on
that circuit are the other outdoor outlets.

Most people don't seem to be aware these days that surges can come
through phone lines and cable lines. I've known a few people who have
had their computers fried via a lightening strike carried into the
computer by the modem via a plugged in phone line. A lot of surge
suppressors these days have connectors for coax and / or telephone
lines.

In our house phones, all cable connections, and electronics are on good
surge suppressors. A UPC protects the office computer equipment and the
laptop has a portable surge protector that stays permanently plugged
into the charger. My general rule of thumb is that if a surge
suppressor offers an equipment damage guarantee, it's decent. Problem
with real cheap ones is that they may not react quickly enough to stop
damage.

Guess I'm showing the conputer/electronics geek in me again. Mea culpa.

Susan
shsimko at duke dot edu



-- all my electronics -- entertainment center,phones and computer are on
either tripple or quadrupls surge protectors due to the COOP's clunky
switching or our summer thunder storms, a couple months ago my power
pole got a direct hit, blew the transformer all over the yard
every thing in the house survived,





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

never miss a good oportunity to shut up

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

bobkiely (Remove NOSPAM) wrote:
John:
This question may be outdated by new regulations and modern technology but,
was there any discharge of PCB's due to the explosion of the transformer?
BK

no even tho we are rural as heck here they did get rid of all ther old
pcb transformers and mine was installed in 99


John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

never miss a good oportunity to shut up

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

bobkiely (Remove NOSPAM) wrote:
John:
This question may be outdated by new regulations and modern technology but,
was there any discharge of PCB's due to the explosion of the transformer?
BK

no even tho we are rural as heck here they did get rid of all ther old
pcb transformers and mine was installed in 99


John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

never miss a good oportunity to shut up

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com