15 Jul
2001
15 Jul
'01
1:37 a.m.
I did not suffer a lightning strike, but rain blew a
surprising distance
in an open window across the room on my UPS and shorted it out during a
particularly bad T-storm. Fortunately I was in the next room when it
happened since it emitted impressive sparks.
I'm the same way! If something's going to go shpritzenshparks, I love
to be there to see it. Sort of like train wrecks, I suppose (about 100
years ago, the Big Attraction at the Kentucky State Fair was an exhibit
where they collided two steam locomotives head-on!).
About 15 years ago, while in an altered state, a severe thunderstorm
brought down a 440v (480V? 700V?) line down into pooled water at the end
of the street. So much was going on that the utility didn't catch this
for maybe 30 minutes.
At the pole to which it was still connected, a few sparks were going
on, and the lights of nearby homes, which were pretty dim due to the
voltage drop, were gradually getting brighter as the voltage would rise.
Then, it would rise enough that it would discharge down the felled line
into the polled water. I was pretty close; when it discharged, it was
like a lightning strike, except with a LOUD 60hz hum. Incredible..
Yeah, and dangerous too, but I'm not interested in living in a
Safe World.
Regards,
-dq