Lightning and mains power surge have been a source of much damage to TVs and electronic appliances in South African homes. Thunderstorms are more violent on the highveld than at the coast and lightning does not ask questions, it simply destroys all electrical devices that are in its path. The cost of repair to lightning damaged goods is high and often the damage is so severe that a repair is not possible.
So how do we prevent this? Firstly, we need to know more about what happens when lightning strikes. The electrical sockets in South African homes supply 220 volts alternating current and this is what your electrical appliance is designed to run on. However when lightning strikes power cables it produces a voltage much higher than 220 volts – many thousand volts in fact – and this high voltage is what causes the damage.
It’s important to realise that lightning does not have to strike your home directly to cause damage. It can strike the overhead Eskom or Municipal power cables kilometres away and travel through the electrical grid until it reaches the wiring in your home. Static electricity can be picked up by your satellite dish or TV aerial and an electromagnetic pulse can be picked up by any wires in your house, not just mains power wires. This means you should have measures in place to prevent lightning damage from all possibilities.
Here are a few tips to prevent lightning damage: When you notice a storm approaching, it’s safest to unplug all appliances and electronic devices from your electrical wall sockets. This is only temporary but can save you the hassle of an insurance claim and a few thousand rands excess payment. Fridges, dishwashers and tumble driers are more robust so people usually leave them connected but it’s best not to risk sensitive devices like TVs, decoders and sound systems in a thunderstorm. Remember to also disconnect the cables from your satellite dish or aerial, and not just the power cable.
If disconnecting from the mains power is not possible due to you not being home, you can fit Surge Protection Plugs to your appliances. These plugs are designed to stop the surge of high voltage electricity caused by lightning strikes on power lines getting through your home wiring and into your electronic goods.
For your DStv decoder, you can install an in-line Lightning Protector on the cable from your satellite dish which will prevent the high voltage from reaching your decoder and television.