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Lightning strike

Discussion in 'Everything Else (off topic)' started by DaveGunter, Jul 11, 2019.

  1. DaveGunter

    DaveGunter

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    This was last weekend, about 50 yards from the house. I was watching TV, the TV shut off immediately and now wont turn on, no other electronics that were plugged into the same surge protector were affected and nothing else in the house seems affected. We did not lose electricity. Weird that there are no char marks on the tree and there is no sign of the missing bark.

    20190711_160052.jpg
    20190711_160101.jpg

     
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  2. Midwinter

    Midwinter

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    Bummer about the TV. If the lightning didn't come through the power line, it might have hit your antenna, as well as the tree.
     
  3. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Looks like many of the lighting strikes I see. I can't remember ever seeing char marks on a tree? I see looks of lightning struck trees as a Forester.

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  4. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

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    New camp fire wood! That whole pine will die off now.

    Would be interesting to know moisture content. I've heard a lightning strike vaporizes all moisture in a tree.
     
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  5. Marshel54

    Marshel54

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    Had a similar thing happen many years ago with a Maple tree. Same thin strip running down the tree.
    Lost several things. What I remember losing was VHS machine, charger for my cordless drill along with battery and the base station for our cordless phone.
    The funny part was: It was spring time and I had purchased some peeps from the farm store. They were growing pretty good and I strung out some chicken wire around the tree to make a cage for them. Didn't loss a chick.
    Insurance paid for what didn't work and to take the tree down.
     
    Last edited: Jul 11, 2019
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  6. Well Seasoned

    Well Seasoned Administrator

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    Alittle too close eh? Did you double check everything else? I've seen in the fall pellet stoves, oil burners, stuff like that completely cooked, not known until there's a chill in the air.
     
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  7. Woodwidow

    Woodwidow

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    We used to see trees like that a lot when we hiked in the hills around our previous community. It was mainly in the alpine area. Sometimes it would wind down the tree not straight like your tree.

    Glad to know that the house didn't get hit and everyone is alright.
     
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  8. billb3

    billb3

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    Seems to be common with evergreens. Lightning likes water . Just enough dwell time and just big enough of a strike to travel down the vascular system quite rapidly creating steam/expansion blowing off the bark along the way.
     
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  9. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    Back when people still repaired electronics the local repair shop told me that TVs often take a hit that comes in on the antenna...exactly what happened to the one I had in his shop at the time...he could not put the smoke back in...we had renters insurance and the insurance company paid $350 of a $500 new TV. $150 deductible...boy, those were the days...
     
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  10. savemoney

    savemoney

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    I was outside near a tree in the campground we were staying in. Lightning hit a maple, tall but not substantial. A limb came down and damaged a truck about 50 away. I was outside wearing sneakers. No rain, I felt a tingling in my feet and legs. Made me feel a bit nervous. The tree was blown apart Lucky no one got injured, but it did a bit of damage.
     
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  11. DaveGunter

    DaveGunter

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    No antenna...I "needed" a bigger smarter TV anyway, the dead on is pre-smart TV

    OK, I don't know why I was expecting char marks...I guess just cause lighting catches stuff on fire, it was raining very hard at the time...so where does the bark go?...does it just get obliterated into a million tiny bits?...there was no evidence of it anywhere.

    The tree is a large white pine, it is intact otherwise, hoping it doesn't die.

    TV is the only thing, checked everything, no breakers tripped either...

    The strike mark does curl around the tree higher up out of view of the photo/video...I wonder if it was ground to sky or vice versa?

    Ah that makes sense about the bark and lack of char, the missing bark streak is not very wide.

    Probably not worth an insurance claim, I think my deductible is $1K, maybe if more stuff was broke, maybe just a notice to the insurance in case other stuff breaks in the near future.

    Yikes! I was expecting more damage/evidence here...like you described
     
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  12. Mwalsh9152

    Mwalsh9152

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    Had the same thing happen here a few weeks ago. Luckily, I haven't seen a single thing that failed yet.

    There was bark, and a chunk of pine in my front yard about 50 yards away from the tree. It blew the top 20' off the tree, and cracked tge remainder right down the middle.

    20190629_182921.jpg
     
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  13. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    Do you have a satellite dish? A strike in the area can come thru the dish, it concentrates the energy from the strike, just like it does the beam from the satellite. We have a high end surge protector/ voltage regulator...strike near out house, came through the dish, blew out one of the HDMI ports on the TV. Glad it had extra ports.
     
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  14. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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  15. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    I've never seen a tree hit, Seen the aftermath, but have seen a few boats over the years. This guy is "REALLY" having a bad day. Everything in this persons boat is complete "toast"!
     
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  16. Well Seasoned

    Well Seasoned Administrator

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  17. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    :jaw::bug:
     
  18. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    DaveGunter we had 2 red oaks get hit several years ago (their wood is still in the pile waiting to get burned). We did find some of the bark from those trees. The furthest was around 50 yards from the tree. Most was short strips of bark rather than one long one. We didn't cut those trees for maybe 3 years after it happened.
     
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  19. Chazsbetterhalf

    Chazsbetterhalf

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    Will your TV be covered under home owners or to much deductible?
     
  20. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    He said the deductible is too much. It would have to be one expensive tv to claim. Now a days there so cheap. And even if you spent $4000 15 years ago on a monster one now a days that same tv in a apart version is not even $1000. So not much point to claim it

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