GFCI fried by lightning

[omgwtfbyobbq]

The strike was within a mile, probably a bit less than a half mile away, and it I think it made the speakers in the room "talk" a bit. How does that end up frying the GFCI? Do newer models offer some protection against this?

 

[MikeMl]

I had a strike about 1/8mi from my house, and before I was done, I had to fix the phone line, the burglar alarm system, a TV, several dimmers, my Ham rig, underground low voltage wiring, and a few other things. AFAICR, the total bill was about $2500. If all you lost is a GFCI, I'd say you were lucky.

 

[ben7]

GFCI's actually contain electronic circuits! If you put your ear up to them, you can hear them beeping very quietly.

 

[rfs100]

ust sems strange that out of everything electronic in your house, thats the only thing thatb fried. This may be one of those cosmic coincidences, and the GFCI fried for some other reason.

 

[omgwtfbyobbq]

It could be, but it would be one hell of a coincidence. I had turned off a computer connected to the GFI'd branch an hour or two before the lightning hit. Outside of a coincidence, I'm wondering why no other devices containing electronic circuits were fried.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

It could be, but it would be one hell of a coincidence. I had turned off a computer connected to the GFI'd branch an hour or two before the lightning hit. Outside of a coincidence, I'm wondering why no other devices containing electronic circuits were fried.

I would have thought, fairly obviously, that the first thing the mains bourne spike hits is the GFI - and it's done you a big favour by failing and protecting other equipment in the house.

 

[omgwtfbyobbq]

The GFI is wired in parallel w/ everything else AFAIK, why would it be the first thing a spike hit?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

The GFI is wired in parallel w/ everything else AFAIK, why would it be the first thing a spike hit?

Its not wired in parallel, everything is fed through it - so it's the first thing a spike hits.

 

[ben7]

GFCI's actually have a small MOV inside them, usually they burn after a big SURGE, and a little smoke comes out of the GFCI.