[NoMoSno]

Originally Posted by MrFlorida

I haven't seen a TV repair shop in years, are they still around ?

Yes.
Ace Hardware in Wildwood replaced a power board for $125.
Much cheaper than replacing the TV.

[Jeffery M]

[QUOTE=Laker14;2079624]During yesterday's storm I was watching TV. We had a really close lightning strike. The flash and crack were instantaneous. Not sure where it hit, but I don't think it was my house.
The TV went blank. All other appliances, including WiFi continued to function. The TV, however, did not respond to resuscitavive efforts.
I popped the back off, and nothing looks fried.

Seco Energy also has a Whole-home surge protector that is connected to behind the electric meter into your main electric panel. It costs $6.00 a month on your electric bill. Also it helps to have lightning rods even if it is not a direct lightning strike. I don't know if a TV warrenty will cover the damage from something like that. The problem with repairing an electronic device like a TV is you that you might get away with replacing a component such as the power supply and you'll be just fine. However, there is often something else in the TV that may have sustained damage from the lightning strike and goes out later. That happened to me with a Macintosh computer. The power supply went out and I had it replaced under warranty. A couple of weeks later a video component of the computer started acting up with a permanent herring bone pattern on the screen. The computer had run past the warranty period. It would have been an expensive repair that was not worth it, and no telling what else might have been damaged. So I tossed the computer. It certainly is understandable if you bought a new $5,000 flat screen TV that you would rather try to repair it. However, a TV costing $500, I myself, would not bother, I'd just buy a new one.

[jarodrig]

Originally Posted by NoMoSno

Yes.
Ace Hardware in Wildwood replaced a power board for $125.
Much cheaper than replacing the TV.

ACE HARDWARE repairs TV ‘s ??

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Jeffery M

Get a new TV. The cost of a repair is not worth it. It would be advisable to get a high quality surge protector (Not a cheap one) for your electronics. The higher the joules the better. Seco Energy also has a whole house surge protector that is connected to behind the electric meter into your main electric panel. It costs $6.00 a month on your electric bill.

The TV is only 4 months old. It is still under warranty.

[OhioBuckeye]

You should always unplug sensitive appliances. We had a dryer knocked out by lightning. Hope you had the right Ins. on your TV or you’ll get stuck buying another TV out of your own pocket. We didn’t, but our credit card company bought us another one just because we bought it with their credit card. Samsung one yr. warranty was worthless, we had it for 11 months & they’re warranty was pro rated, it still would of cost us almost $400. $300. for circuit board & $100. labor. What a rip off!

[NoMoSno]

Originally Posted by jarodrig

ACE HARDWARE repairs TV ‘s ??

Yes.
The one in Wildwood does.
This was a few years ago.

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by Laker14

I look at these systems as "risk mitigation". Just the way my seatbelts and airbags don't "guarantee" I won't get hurt or killed if I have a car accident, I believe they increase my odds for survival. I always buckle up. I've never seen a warranty that comes with a new car that declares a guarantee of survival, yet I think seatbelts and airbags are a good idea.
It's hard to know what is a complete, or nearly complete, waste of money.
I see quite a few homes with metal spikes sticking up along the roof lines, which I assume are lightning arrestor systems. I have no idea what they cost, and how much added protection they provide. I may look into them though.
A golfing buddy of mine, when I told him about my TV, told me that when he lived in Texas he once lost all of the appliances in half of his house to a lightning strike.
Now that it's happened to me, I am more curious about how these things work, and how I might reduce the risk going forward.

After six homes within three miles of me were struck last summer, I had a lightening protection system installed.

Several of the strikes were at the metallic gas line in the attic near the meter connection in the garage.

The cost was a little more than my insurance deductable.

Many of the key Villages buildings (e.g pump houses, offices) are protected.

One of the advertisers here has a good reputation for installation.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Jeffery M

Get a new TV. The cost of a repair is not worth it. It would be advisable to get a high quality surge protector (Not a cheap one) for your electronics. The higher the joules the better. Seco Energy also has a whole house surge protector that is connected to behind the electric meter into your main electric panel. It costs $6.00 a month on your electric bill.

You can also purchase from Seco and pays for itself in a few years.

However from reading this thread is it worth buying?

[Chellybean]

There is a guy on Classified that Sells APC's on the classified at a resonable price. I have them on all my expensive electronic devices. If you get a Lightning strike it Takes out the APC before it hits the device.
I have them on all my electronics. As for lightning rods on peoples home, why would you want to attract lightning to your home, JMHO

[DonnaNi4os]

Originally Posted by Laker14

During yesterday's storm I was watching TV. We had a really close lightning strike. The flash and crack were instantaneous. Not sure where it hit, but I don't think it was my house.
The TV went blank. All other appliances, including WiFi continued to function. The TV, however, did not respond to resuscitavive efforts.
I popped the back off, and nothing looks fried.

Anyone out there have any experience with trying to have a modern TV repaired? Or is this just throw away item now?

Lighting is a huge problem to appliances especially if the strike is close. I have a whole house power surge protector, installed by SECO, as well as a surge protector on each electrical appliance in my house. That includes my garage door opener as well. I also have a surge protector for the cable line to my router. Every barrier helps prevent what you have experienced. In addition I have a surge protector on my AC unit that SunKool installed. Despite every precaution, if the strike is close enough there is the real risk on damage to your appliances. I’m sorry this happened to you, especially with a new tv.

[Laker14]

Originally Posted by Chellybean

There is a guy on Classified that Sells APC's on the classified at a resonable price. I have them on all my expensive electronic devices. If you get a Lightning strike it Takes out the APC before it hits the device.
I have them on all my electronics. As for lightning rods on peoples home, why would you want to attract lightning to your home, JMHO

what does APC stand for?

[Laker14]

VillageTinker, what is your opinion on the lightning arrestor systems I see around the neighborhood? I'm talking about the ones with the metal rods that stick up along the roof lines?

[BobnBev]

Be sure to check your sprinkler's timer and your garage door openers. Voice of experience speaking.

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by DonnaNi4os

Lighting is a huge problem to appliances especially if the strike is close. I have a whole house power surge protector, installed by SECO, as well as a surge protector on each electrical appliance in my house. That includes my garage door opener as well. I also have a surge protector for the cable line to my router. Every barrier helps prevent what you have experienced. In addition I have a surge protector on my AC unit that SunKool installed. Despite every precaution, if the strike is close enough there is the real risk on damage to your appliances. I’m sorry this happened to you, especially with a new tv.

Agree.

If you have A SPA, wise to add a surge protector there also..

[Skip]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

I am going to ASSUME the TV was connected to a cable for the television signal. If this is the case the a surge probably came in through the cable to the TV. If you have an external tuner (like Comcast, or Spectrum, etc) test that device to see if it is working. Also, see if the TV has a fuse. Finally, unplug the TV wait several minutes, then plug in again and see if it resets and comes back on.
If all of this fails, then as suggested above contact the manufacturer and the store you bough it from to see about repair or replacement.

Correct. I had a lightning strike about four years ago. The lightning hit the tree in our backyard and spread through the roots in the ground. It actually exploded roots in the lawn. Wow, what power. The current came into the house on the burried cable service not the power service. At the time we had a Comcast Set Top box. It took out that Box and also took out the HDMI input in the HDTV the Box was connected to. The other HDMI input still worked. Called Comcast and they came out and replaced their Set Top Box. The tech assured me, there will be no charge for the visit, it was their problem. We never said the word "lightning". Yet when my bill showed up the next month, Comcast charged me $80 for the service call. It took me 3 months to get that charge removed. They kept saying that the tech coded the call "customer charge" even thought they had a record of their equipment being replaced. Went all the way up to regional VP in Jacksonville before that $80 was removed.

In Florida, any time severe storms are forecast, we shut down and UNPLUG our computers, TVs (now on WiFi) and MY Router and any other expensive equipment from the phone, cable or electric outlets.

BTW, Surge Protectors DO NOT protect against lightning strikes. It goes right through them.

Word to the wise...
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