Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Kramer Chins]

Well after our recent storms the other night,  it seems a few of my X10 modules no longer work....... We never lost power, but had several power spikes....

  My DS7000 seems to be toast. All zones were wiped out, and when I try to reprogram it nothing happens.
Also it seems my VA12a or my VR36A (maybe both??) were toasted also. Now when I try and view my cameras all I get is a BLACK screen.

Any ideas on if they can be saved? Or how to check them to make sure they are fried?

I have a back up DS7000 that I use just for Smoke/Fire and Water Leak alarms, but now I won't know if I should call the Police, Fire Dept or Plumber..... I also have a VA11A (will this work with Vista??)

And one more thing......... What can I do to keep this from happening again?

[dave w]

And one more thing......... What can I do to keep this from happening again?

Individual surge protectors or "Whole House Surge Protector". Most power companies offer a whole house unit.

Must have been some serious spikes. Most X10 stuff using reactive supplies have a 250 or 600V MOV for protection. 

Was it ONLY X10 stuff that blew-up?

[Kramer Chins]

No.... Got my Magic Jack and my Ethernet Board also.... Now I have to use my wireless adapter on my desk unit until I get another board.

Yes it was some MAJOR Lightning, wind, rain, hail..... And it all happened before I could get home and disconnect everything

[JeffVolp]

If it was just powerline transients, a good whole-house surge protector might have prevented any damage.  Look at the 51110-PTC made by Leviton.  We use that here, and it is compatible with X10 communication.  That version also includes surge protectors for phone and satellite lines, which are other routes for a lightning transient to get into your home.

Nothing can prevent damage from a nearby or direct lightning strike.  Back east we had a bolt hit a tree maybe 50 feet from the house.  It blew off bark along one side, and blasted up some dirt near the base.  We believe a fork of that bolt hit the driveway about 10 feet from the house, as evidenced by a gray circle about the size of a dinner plate in the otherwise black asphalt coating.  When that hit, the alarm system (not X10) started to scream.  The sensor for a door in the wall nearest the strike had been welded closed.  The alarm system was totally confused, and had to be reprogrammed.  However, nothing else that was plugged into the AC powerline was effected in any way.

Jeff

[HomeAreaNetwork-HAN]

Hello all 
No need to pull your hairs  , bang the wall    and have sleepless nite, for your grievances.  You can search for Cal-Lab Lightning Isolator  for your above issue remedy. IF set up correctly, all the problem, issues, on surges and lightning surges will be long gone. Cheers!      Best regards - HAN
   

[HA Dave]

A year ago last spring lighting struck my yard. Thank God... no one was injured.

I lost a 36 inch TV.. and the tuner on a 32 inch [it now can't find lower channels]. All my cameras died! Some modules seemed damaged.... but spinning the little wheels around (and/or changing house/unit codes) seemed to clean the contacts enough to make them work.

Some things... seemed OK... but died a short time later. All in all... it was heart breaking in some ways for me.

A lighting strike... is an awesome amount of power. It isn't a spike.. or a surge. Of course Isolators or resistors, protectors should be used. But storms can always present an irresistible amount of force.