"Schubert": I've heard it said that "sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't". Does that about size up your situation, before and after the 2-strikes? Joking aside, after our recent (in another A-gon post) discussion about your namesake, you're anything but nuts and if your are, you're my kind of nuts!
Seriously, while watching a Nova (I believe) show about lightning, a park ranger was struck multiple times (may have been 6 or 7), with no apparent lasting effects. But "Schubert", he probably wasn't a nut before the strikes...grin....
To paraphrase the Moody Blues: Isn't lightning strange....Indeed, after going through 2 near misses -- i.e. not a direct strike to the house, but hit the same tree -- the items affected and why, are really strange!
In the first strike, more circuit breakers were affected, but I was able to manually reset all and less equipment damage occurred. Previously, with the exception of a PC monitor, nothing in my audio or home theater rooms were affected.
Both times, a surge came through the phone/coax lines, frying Ethernet ports on the U-verse RG (Residential Gateway), but didn’t affect the TV side of the RG. Via ethernet cable, the RG was wired to my PC which, previously, lost either or both its Motherboard and CPU, but didn’t affect the PSU or video card. This time, the PC’s NIC network adapter was fried, but all else is running. A $30+ add-on card from NewEgg.com fixed the NIC issue. Moreover, this time, the PC was running when the strike hit! The picture on the monitor was sight to behold, but with no lasting effects.
This time, my wife was in her sewing room within several yards of the tree. Upon hearing the 3 separate, but almost simultaneous thundering (pun intended) reports, she let out a scream (only this time, I wasn’t tickling her fancy). She had her high-end computer-controlled sewing machine powered up along with two other machines connected, but none suffered any damage. Moreover her room was adjacent to the audio room, but closer to the strike.
Since my initial email, I’ve confirmed that I lost a Mac mini, a USB DAC, a Blu-Ray player and as previously mentioned, the Marantz Pre-Pro.
The security system tests ok, but one of the wall mounted sensors isn’t working. Plus, the home intercom is toast.
When the electrician arrives next week, something else may be found, but no other lasting effects have been discovered. However, I will be asking about ways to inhibit the effects of a near strike. Obviously, nothing will stifle a direct hit!