Voice mail?
Final cloud?
What side of Johnson County?
Where is Johnson County?
Better question . . . Huh?
Got'er did, now I sit waiting
- Thread starter Rick
- Start date
Voice mail?
Final cloud?
What side of Johnson County?
Where is Johnson County?
Better question . . . Huh?
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
Not sure I was as close as Rick, but was close enough once (about 80 to 100 yards) to hear the crackle and sizzle of the bolt when it made contact with a power pole. Felt the electricity in the air.
They make a tool that fits on the end of a paint roller extension that grabs a bulb and can install or remove it. I have no trouble accessing my 16' tall bulbs without a ladder.
Pistolero
Well-Known Member
Spent many years in my youth in rural central Florida. If you ever see one of those
color contour charts of "thunderstorm frequency" we were dead in the middle of the
most frequent thunderstorms in the country, big red blob in north central to westish Fla.
My Navy Dad would call the afternoon thunderstorm "the duty thunderstorm", pretty regular
in those days, a bit less so now that there are fewer hurricanes to keep the lakes as full and
ground as wet. Mostly local moisture storms, not frontal.
That part of Florida, the power company is REALLY, REALLY good at protecting lines from
strikes. If they weren't they'd have been out of business. Wife's uncle was the local power
guy with the bucket truck, resetting popped breakers and fuses on top of the poles.
I never knew all that they did, but all the local power lines, even to one house, had a top
ground steel cable/line on standoffs on top of the pole, and to the next pole, and so-on all down
the line. Hot phases were 4-6 ft lower, depending on pole height, but FAR from the top
protective "lightning grabber" which was grounded with a big wire to a ground rod at
every pole at a house, and about every 2nd or 3rd out along the highway.
Probably had a lot more stuff, but we got hit like you describe - "boom-flash" seemingly zero
seconds split time, so VERY close, many times. Almost never had electrical damage, although
we had no AC, and tube type B&W TV, and regular filament lights, plus a few long tube fluorescents
in the kitchen, so pretty old school stuff, naturally pretty surge resistant. No modern solid
state stuff anywhere - wasn't invented yet, maybe transistor radio. Sure makes you
J - U - M - P !!!! though!
Did lose the well pump motor once. REALLY good
ground for that one!
Would homeowners insurance cover the AC? Could be control system, but good chance the compressor
is toast (literally) which is NOT cheap. Hope insurance covers it.
Bill
color contour charts of "thunderstorm frequency" we were dead in the middle of the
most frequent thunderstorms in the country, big red blob in north central to westish Fla.
My Navy Dad would call the afternoon thunderstorm "the duty thunderstorm", pretty regular
in those days, a bit less so now that there are fewer hurricanes to keep the lakes as full and
ground as wet. Mostly local moisture storms, not frontal.
That part of Florida, the power company is REALLY, REALLY good at protecting lines from
strikes. If they weren't they'd have been out of business. Wife's uncle was the local power
guy with the bucket truck, resetting popped breakers and fuses on top of the poles.
I never knew all that they did, but all the local power lines, even to one house, had a top
ground steel cable/line on standoffs on top of the pole, and to the next pole, and so-on all down
the line. Hot phases were 4-6 ft lower, depending on pole height, but FAR from the top
protective "lightning grabber" which was grounded with a big wire to a ground rod at
every pole at a house, and about every 2nd or 3rd out along the highway.
Probably had a lot more stuff, but we got hit like you describe - "boom-flash" seemingly zero
seconds split time, so VERY close, many times. Almost never had electrical damage, although
we had no AC, and tube type B&W TV, and regular filament lights, plus a few long tube fluorescents
in the kitchen, so pretty old school stuff, naturally pretty surge resistant. No modern solid
state stuff anywhere - wasn't invented yet, maybe transistor radio. Sure makes you
J - U - M - P !!!! though!
Did lose the well pump motor once. REALLY goodground for that one!
Would homeowners insurance cover the AC? Could be control system, but good chance the compressor
is toast (literally) which is NOT cheap. Hope insurance covers it.
Bill
$1000 deductible with the home owners insurance, damage ran about $600-650. Compressor is fine but the mother board was toast. Second thunderstorm in a 2 1/2 weeks and the power is out again. Was an hour and 45 minutes the last time, 50 minutes and counting this time. Lights, water pump, A/C,TV, internet, phone all working fine. I'm starting to be glad I put that large pile of hundreds outside alongside the garage. Very handy.
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I'm starting to be glad I put that large pile of hundreds outside alongside the garage. Very handy..
Actually it was Lowes. When they put the unit on sale at 10% off the previous sale price Rick just couldn't find it in his heart to say no. Installing a stand-by generator was on the todo list from the time I bought the place and it's one more thing checked off that #$% ever growing list.
When they put the unit on sale at 10% off the previous sale price Rick just couldn't find it in his heart to say no. Installing a stand-by generator was on the todo list from the time I bought the place and it's one more thing checked off that #$% ever growing list.
I was well aware of the water pump which is the reason the generator was on the list from day one. Was a matter of biting the bullet and spending the money. With the sale price that Lowes had I figured I would never see it cheaper than that. May still go with a wood or pellet stove or possibly a fireplace insert but will most likely go with a propane heater now that I have the propane installed.
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Back in the mid 90s we had a major snowstorm in late October. Lots of trees down. Many had no power for a week. Amazingly the older people fared the best. They grilled steak because a propane grill doesn't need electricity and the steak was going to thaw anyway. Throw a couple extra blankets on the bed to stay warm and keep on living.
Definitely depends on long the power is out. The water company pressurizes the lines with electric pumps, little doubt major suppliers have back up power but smaller towns may well not. Area wide outages such as an ice storm and you won't be doing much flushing either.
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I'm spending money on a retaining wall right instead. Old one was 30+ years old and made of old railroad ties. They were rotting and falling apart.
This is NOT a DIY project for me. I lack the equipment or the skills to operate it.
At the highest point the it is right at 6 ft. The retaining wall blocks are 125 pounds each. My back aches just looking at them.
This is NOT a DIY project for me. I lack the equipment or the skills to operate it.
At the highest point the it is right at 6 ft. The retaining wall blocks are 125 pounds each. My back aches just looking at them.
smokeywolf
Well-Known Member
Looks more like the beginnings of a new castle wall. What's next, a mote?
Very wise to get away from railroad ties. Limited life and ants love them.
Judging by the size and design of those blocks they'll hold back many times more dirt than your purpose calls for. In cases like yours, overkill is almost never a mistake.
Very wise to get away from railroad ties. Limited life and ants love them.
Judging by the size and design of those blocks they'll hold back many times more dirt than your purpose calls for. In cases like yours, overkill is almost never a mistake.