Fried TV, My fault?

[LevesqueIsKing]

^Simply not true.

Logic>Dad

 

[austinAlan]

Here's what you should do. Call every TV repair person in the phone book and start asking them questions. Tell them what you've said here. Say also that you are trying to figure out if this TV is worth fixing, ie is it possible that the repairs are cheap, etc... Ask them if lightning can fry just one item on a power stick.

Also look up your TV model on electronics repair forums. I recently order new amplifier chips for my TV when it lost its ability to synchronize the colors. I then had someone solder them into the TV for me because I didn't want to get electrocuted. (TV's have some dangerous capacitors in them that can hold a charge long after they have been unplugged)

You may never "win" against your Father but at least you will have learned something about it. You can feel satisfied about that and you might even find a cheap fix for it.

 

[a30993]

Here's what you should do. Call every TV repair person in the phone book and start asking them questions. Tell them what you've said here. Say also that you are trying to figure out if this TV is worth fixing, ie is it possible that the repairs are cheap, etc... Ask them if lightning can fry just one item on a power stick.

Also look up your TV model on electronics repair forums. I recently order new amplifier chips for my TV when it lost its ability to synchronize the colors. I then had someone solder them into the TV for me because I didn't want to get electrocuted. (TV's have some dangerous capacitors in them that can hold a charge long after they have been unplugged)

You may never "win" against your Father but at least you will have learned something about it. You can feel satisfied about that and you might even find a cheap fix for it.

Well, I'll probably win over the fact that he won't let me hook up the Wii to another TV.. and I'm happy with that.

I keep saying

"You know dad, you've spent roughly 400$ on that Wii so far, it'd be a shame to just let it sit there...

Never to be used again...

My bro awfully likes to play Strikers.."


Just little pinpoints.

^^

 

[KrisKhaos]

He has a NEW argument against me.

He claims, that if it was lightning that killed the TV, then all of the things in the house would be fried, my computer, his computer, the Wii, my PS2, the other 2 TVs, everything electronic.

HALP.

Again, electricity will take the shortest path to ground, and that path isn't always so obvious. Sure, a direct strike where the entire amount of power from the lightning in theory could blow every electronic device in the home no matter if it was protected or not, however this is very rarely the case due many unknown attributes. Lightning varies in the amount of electrical power however averages something along the lines of 1 billion volts and 100 kiloAmperes, well exceeding the home specifications of the amount of power it is capable of safely conducting, and most of us know that.

Keep in mind however that the electrical energy of lightning is generated by means of a static charge, and upon discharge like any power source relies on the ionic charges of atoms (except lightning is usually negatively charged) to pass it's charge from one point to another then neutralizing the given charge.

So while electrical wiring is a proven conductor, our low power conductive channels compared to the power of lightning is limiting to the point so often that majority of the power from a lightning strike is still discharged by that of which created the transfer of electricity in the first place. This means that power lines, data channels such as telephone/television cable, and even pipes often only see but a fraction of that power.

Most lightning based damage to home electronics is caused by the excess power spiking the existing power and traveling the lines to the nearest ground. Please keep in mind what lightning uses a grounding conductor is completely random, and it depends on the current ionic charge of the area and the passing cloud as the two are attempting to neutralize itself out. Even underground pipes are utilized as conductors and the reason why we are told NOT TO SHOWER DURING ELECTRICAL STORMS!

Lightning traveled along this underground metal pipe.

Something else to consider is that in some cases lightning damage through the power lines occurs when the lightning power spike disrupts the given flow of AC (alternating current) power to the point the electronic device is unable to compensate, therefore some items give while others do not, and this all depends on how much power when and where it flows along the given circuit.

For your dad to attempt to predict the effects of lightning damage is not only illogical, but a bit absurd. Lightning is way too unpredictable to where it is going to strike and what will be effected when it does. Modern technology might gives us some warning, as we are able to detect excessive ion charges that will help us proximate a given area of a potential strike (see Thor Guard), however to predict what will and won't be effected is impossible until after the strike has occurred. Everything from houses, trees, and even the most unusual devices are rendered into static electric conductors - as of current there is just no way to predict what will and what will not be effected. Higher rated surge protectors and lightning grounds help, however ANY outside connection capable of conducting electricity from data lines to water pipes are often forgotten.

Lightning fishing rod damage - Top half of fishing pole hit by lightning. All resin has been vaporized and nothing is left but fiber that looks like cotton candy.

If the television failed during the passing of an electrical storm, especially if it went out right after a localized lightning strike, you can bet on the fact it was probably effected by lightning and not simply coencidence.

Your disagreement is noted. :lol: It's is possible the TV got zinged and the VG didn't, but in my experience VG's and computers seem to always somehow throw themselves in the path of the incoming spike (maybe they're just heroic?)

hahaha... I wouldn't call it "heroic" as much as I would call it subjective to ESD (Electro-Static Discharge). It's amusing how much power we generate walking around that we don't realize, as usually the only time we do is when we see or get that infamous static shock. Lightning works in the same fashioned however charges in a larger area. So even if a close strike near your home does not hit a power line or any other man-made electric circuit everything in your home (and including you) could have been utilized to store that static charge until enough was concentrated to complete the circuit and the lightning strike occurs, then everything holding that charge discharges. Since IC's (integrated circuits) are sensitive to static discharge, they appear heroic even if they wasn't hit in a more direct fashion. What is damaged and what isn't depends on how charged they was when they discharged and how much of a conductor they was utilized as by means of an "ionic channel". This is also why those struck or near a strike "feel the hairs on the back of there neck stand up" before a lightning strike takes place. Even when not hit, they still participated, and even those who didn't know it could have been part of the charge as well.

 

[[DT]]

Holy Smokes! +1

 

[zurukea]

I have 3 TVs in my room and 2 computers in the house. The computers never go off, the Tvs on everynight for hours, even during storms and i have no surgre protector. woudln' see how

 

[[DT]]

I have 3 TVs in my room and 2 computers in the house. The computers never go off, the Tvs on everynight for hours, even during storms and i have no surgre protector. woudln' see how

:crazy:

 

[RadNad]

Blame it on the dog.

 

[masonb15]

Leaving a TV on for too long will not fry it. If it was during a thunderstorm, did the electricity ever go out?

 

[Wiizel]

Lets not forget it was a Sanyo. The TV failed because it has cheap components.

 

[AceAlabama]

:scared: I had a 19 inch CITIZEN and a 50 inch Sony in the past 2 years.

The Sony fried by over-use.
It was projection LCD.
Unfixable due to all light components dying or whatever.

 

[gunsnroses]

(maybe they're just heroic?)
:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Deanis]

:scared: I had a 19 inch CITIZEN and a 50 inch Sony in the past 2 years.

The Sony fried by over-use.
It was projection LCD.
Unfixable due to all light components dying or whatever.

We have a PHILIPS 55" rear-projection and it fried itself after 8months. Still under warranty so we got it repaired. Of course I got blamed cos the Wii is hooked upto it. BTW rear-projection TVs are seriously unreliable and dont have long life-spans if used as a regular TV.
As for this dude's problem I'd say it was due to the storm. We had signs of our TV failing it didnt just die in one night and this has happened to 2 of our other TVs. For a TV to just no longer turn on at all, I'd say it was electrical damage, not from having it displaying a picture 24/7.

 

[SensesFail]

well i think your dad is just looking to point the finger at you, probably makes him feel better to have a reason to blame you for the loss of a television.

my parents got a t.v. for a wedding present 25 years ago. my sister is downstairs right now watching it as im writing this. so you leaving a t.v. on too much isnt going to break it, cause that old hunk of **** in my basement is on all the time, people sleep with it on, it gets left on for weeks straight on accident, etc.

and on a side note, i have a 27 inch sanyo flat screen that my friend gave me for free, its had a lot of use and its still perfectly fine.

 

[Brawny]

We have a PHILIPS 55" rear-projection and it fried itself after 8months. Still under warranty so we got it repaired. Of course I got blamed cos the Wii is hooked upto it. BTW rear-projection TVs are seriously unreliable and dont have long life-spans if used as a regular TV.
As for this dude's problem I'd say it was due to the storm. We had signs of our TV failing it didnt just die in one night and this has happened to 2 of our other TVs. For a TV to just no longer turn on at all, I'd say it was electrical damage, not from having it displaying a picture 24/7.

Don't listen to him! CRT's are still the most reliable types of TV. They're just bigger than an ox. And harder to move too.