[TenTec] Orion 2 lightning rule

[Bill Rowlett]

Rule #3:  UNPLUG the power supply/power strip when not in use during the 
storm months.


kc4atu


>From: "Stephen M. Shearer" <wb3lgc at verizon.net>
>Reply-To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment <tentec at contesting.com>
>To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec at contesting.com>
>Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 2 lightning rule
>Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2005 12:33:04 -0500
>
>You asked: This is what I supplied to the insurance companies (note ARRL
>insurance was purchased 6 days before the strike).  I was at the BSA
>Jamboree at the time. My wife and cat were at home at 5am when the strike
>hit.  I had two (2) leaks in the gas stove.  One was a 1/32" hole in the
>flex gas line.
>
>DETAIL of Lightning Strike:
>
>The lightning strike hit the center [actually one end] of the WB3LGC/G5RV
>antenna in the back yard and vaporized the ladder line feeding both sides 
>of
>the antenna [the steel copperweld wire was vaporized, but left the plastic
>jacket].  The lightning followed the coax cable to the free end of the 
>cable
>in the basement shop/radio shack.  On the way to the basement, the 
>lightning
>took a side trip [blew a hole in the coax and house] to the power/circuit
>panel, via the house wiring. This same discharge path also found the
>underground cables feeding the detached garage.  The circuit panel had
>breakers tripped for the kitchen and the bathroom.  One likely discharge
>path, via the ground wire in the romex cable, is the kitchen circuit 
>feeding
>the stove and the path to ground via the black pipe gas line.  This could
>[did] account for the small gas leak at the stove.  In the basement, the
>lightning discharged through a metal workbench with a metal top [the coax
>was on the concrete floor].  A portable TV on top of the bench became fried
>[a number of holes zapped in the bench] and the major source of smoke that
>set off the smoke detector in the shop and at the top of the basement
>stairs.  The TV and everything that was plugged into the common power strip
>also became "toast".  The power strip fed both UPS's, a wireless telephone,
>a power supply for the Orion radio, a computer and monitor [replaced with a
>nice laptop].  The final path was through the heavy ground strap attached 
>to
>the Orion radio to the 5/8" copper water line feed for the house.  The 
>phone
>line in the basement is a direct feed to the office computer on the second
>floor.
>
>73, Steve WB3LGC
>The Orion took its hit via the 12V power line and the case (jumping from 
>the
>workbench to the UPS to the Orion).  New Lightning Rule #2;  Ground the
>un-used coax in the shack or before it gets to the shack [it might have
>helped].
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: tentec-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:tentec-bounces at contesting.com]
>On Behalf Of Peter Burbank
>Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2005 11:53 AM
>To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment; 'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'
>Subject: Re: [TenTec] Orion 2 lightning rule
>
>
> >
> >Btw: New Lightning Rule #1;  A well grounded rig will provide a path for
> >lightning even if the antenna coax is disconnected from (and separated
>from)
> >the radio.
> >
> >73, Steve WB3LGC
>
>Steve, have you been able to trace the lightning path or any particular
>reason why
>it hit your rig?
>73 Pete NV4V
>
>
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>
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