Do You Unplug Equipment During Thunderstorms?

Try your homeowner’s insurance!
Pensacola, Florida might be the thunder storm capital of the world. In the storm season, we get on average one or two a week.
My AV equipment was all on APS battery backup with added surge protection for power and all cables, e.g., antenna, internet,.into the system. So I had not been unplugging. A few years ago, a very violent nighttime lightning event and our house got zapped. Lost a nice Anthem preamp-pre-processer, a 32” Sony TV, and a satellite dish receiver.
I filled a claim with APS / Schneider and sent in the units I thought were protecting my system. APS did replace the battery backup surge-protector units. But claimed they did not fail
A friend suggested I contact my homeowner’s insurance company. I had little hope.

But my Tower Hill agent guided me through a claim process, suggesting I get an inspection from an electrical engineer. For abut $100, I got a certified testimony that my equipment was fried by an electrical surge. Yeah... it was a bit of trouble. But, after I paid a $500 deductible Tower Hill coughed up almost $6000!

We unplug now! 

[By the way... Tower Hill recommendation: We also got hit by Hurricane Sally September 2020. Our 22-year old house had very slight damage-- a few shingles loose and no breach of water into the house. But Tower Hill VOLUNTEERED to buy us a new roof, gutters on house and our outside shed. This was almost $30,000, but our cost was only a $500 deductible. I know insurance companies get a lot of DESERVED bad press. But for what it’s worth, we’ve found at least one that has been good to us]

I always unplug after each listening session. My system only takes 30-45 minutes to warm-up to its' enjoyable listening state from cold, so I never take the chance. the devastating consequences of a lightening strike are not worth the risk. Since my system is never plugged in while unattended, I don't have to worry about weather related anomalies that can damage/destroy my components while I'm not at home. I do have protection on the front end via Transparent Audio conditioning, but my amp and subwoofer are not protected, as they plug into a Shunyata Cyclops, which cleans up the power, but offers ZERO surge or lightening protection.

I formerly lived in Florida. Despite having a whole house lightning arrester and zero surge protection, I unplugged if the lightning is too close for comfort/

A direct or nearby strike can STILL fry things.

Short answer: YES.

@mytthor 

Unplug.

l agree with you. I always unplug between listening dates as it makes so much common sense. Leaving hi-fi on all the time invites trouble. If you are the sort of person who leaves the house regularly it probably doubles the risk of an embarrassing event. The ‘event’ does not just have to be a lightening strike but a catastrophic failure causing a fire.

It makes me wonder if insurance companies have some ducking and diving ‘riggle-room’ if a house burns down?
If the fire officers investigation discovers that the owner was out, the hi-fi was the seat of the fire, the owner admits…..’oh shucks, l always leave my hi-fi on because it sounds better that way’ how would the insurer feel about that?

As an observer, this scenario would just make me laugh. It would be so cringe worthy.

Yes, disconnect if you know its coming.  3 million volts is hard to stop but most damaging surges are a lot lower.  We have some sort of powerr event 2-3 times a month that are not 3 million volts.