Lightning is one of the most common causes of a power surge. The biggest threat posed by lightning is not what it can do to your house, but rather how it can damage your electronics. Most home electronics are protected from surges from outside sources, such as lightning strikes. However, they are not protected from surges generated by inside electronic devices, like televisions and computer monitors. When you connect your TV to an electrical outlet, it’s also connected to all the other devices in the same circuit. If there’s an issue with one of these other devices, like a broken lamp socket or a damaged surge protector, that will show up on every other appliance in the same circuit. Due to this common issue among electronics during thunderstorms, people often wonder if is it safe to watch television during a thunderstorm. While watching TV isn’t necessarily dangerous if you have your TV plugged into a device that has its own built-in surge protection, you should still unplug everything once the storm passes and check for any damage afterwards.
Is It Safe To Watch Tv During A Thunderstorm?
Yes, it is safe to watch TV during a thunderstorm. However, you should avoid standing near windows and doors during a storm. If you are in a room with metal appliances or wiring, unplug them to avoid any potential electrical shocks. And finally, never go outside during a storm.
How To Tell If Your Electronics Are Damaged
Inspect your electronics for apparent signs of damage
If you have an old hoverboard lying around or a laptop you no longer use, bring it in and have it inspected. Inspectors can find damage that you might not be able to see. Electronics are relatively fragile, and even if the box says it’s “shock-proof,” it doesn’t mean that it can withstand a blow from an elbow or a pencil.
Get to know your electronics’ symptoms
Before you start diagnosing your electronics, you need to know what the different symptoms are. This will help you determine what the problem is. Symptom Explanation – Your device is not turning on. This is probably a battery issue. Try a different outlet to see if it will work. – Your device is giving off a buzzing/rattling sound or is making a grinding/clicking noise. This could be a fuse issue or something more serious, like a broken circuit board. – Your device is not working. This could mean that the battery is low on charge, that the fuse is blown, or that there’s a problem with the circuit board.
Take pictures of the problem areas
If you have an old hover board lying around or a laptop you no longer use, bring it in and have it inspected. Inspectors can find damage that you might not be able to see. Electronics are relatively fragile, and even if the box says it’s “shock-proof,” it doesn’t mean that it can withstand a blow from an elbow or a pencil. If you take pictures of the problem areas, you can later link the pictures to your warranty claim. You can also use these pictures to help you determine if the issue is with the device or if it’s a problem with the power supply or cable. You might also want to keep a record of the temperature of where you are when the issue occurs. If you have a baby monitor or other device that you can keep an eye on and record the temperature, put that information in your records as well.
Check for fuses or circuit boards
This part is important! If you have a device with no power at all, then you have to test for fuses first. You can test with a multi-tester from your local hardware store. If you don’t have any fuses in your device, then you can test for a blown circuit board. You can do this by turning on the device and observing the behaviour. If it works, then the problem is with the circuit board. You can then check your device’s manual to see if there are any reset or troubleshooting steps that you can try. If your device doesn’t have a manual, then contact the manufacturer to see if they have any troubleshooting help.
Turn on the device and observe the behaviour
Before you start diagnosing your electronics, you need to know what the different symptoms are. This will help you determine what the problem is. Symptom Explanation – Your device is not turning on. This is probably a battery issue. Try a different outlet to see if it will work. – Your device is giving off a buzzing/rattling sound or is making a grinding/clicking noise. This could be a fuse issue or something more serious, like a broken circuit board. – Your device is not working. This could mean that the battery is low on charge, that the fuse is blown, or that there’s a problem with the circuit board.
Confirm there is no power at all – Check with a meter
If you have no power to your device, then the first thing that you want to do is to confirm that there is no power at all. This is important because if there is power and the device is damaged, it could worsen. You can do this by taking a look at your power outlet and determining if there is a light or a device plugged into the outlet. If there isn’t, then there is no power entering the outlet. If there is power, then you can check with a voltmeter to see if there is any power at all going into your device. You want to make sure that there’s no trace of power going into your device.
Try to revive the device – Reset it and test again
If you’ve exhausted all of your troubleshooting steps and you still can’t get your device to work, then you can try to revive it. You can do this by resetting your device. Some devices have a button on the back that you can push to reset them. Others require you to remove the battery and reset the device by holding down a certain key or combination. Once you’ve reset your device, then you can test it again. You want to make sure that there’s no power going into your device.
Tips For Safely Watching Television During A Thunderstorm
- Make sure all of your electronics are unplugged and turned off before the storm hits.
- If you have a TV, make sure that it is in a location that is shielded from direct lightning strikes.
- If you have a device that uses batteries, make sure to keep them charged and disconnected from the AC power during a thunderstorm.
- If you are using an electronic device outside, be aware of the dangers of being struck by lightning and take appropriate precautions, such as using an anti-lightning device.
- If you are inside and there is a power outage, make sure to have a flashlight and a phone charger available in case your electronics need to be revived.
Conclusion
It is important to remember that power surges during thunderstorms are extremely rare, but they can still damage your electronics. Unplugging every device in your house when a storm is forecasted is the safest way to ensure that your electronics are protected from lightning. It is also important to unplug your TV from the wall when not in use to protect it from damage by a power surge. If a storm is forecasted and you are planning on watching television during the storm, it is important to plug in your television as soon as possible once the storm passes to protect it from a power surge.
