Is it dangerous to be on the computer during a storm?

[yuki]

I don't know if these are related, but we had a thunderstorm here and some aging power cables underground started arcing and burned up. We lost power in my whole block, and when ConEdison fixed it, I discovered half of the appliances in my apartment were fried.

Surge protectors. I have a lot of them for this reason.

[Ad Bot]

[Inv3rted]

Surge protectors. I have a lot of them for this reason.

Yeah, but I don't expect the power in the middle of Manhattan to go out like that often.

[Rughugger]

Worst kind of storm we get are ones that just cause brownouts now and then. Otherwise, I'm on it the whole time in a storm. I aint' fraid of no lightnings.

[Muffinmix]

Did you see it? :o
What exactly happened other than you waking up?

Yeah I saw it, it was weird. I got a huge jolt as soon as it hit and suddenly I was up on my feet, completely awake. Then I tested the TV out to see if it actually happened, the TV worked but the colors were horribly distorted.

[Marcem]

Well for a start hear thunder turn pc off. hear more thunder un plug. lightning keep it off until storm goes away. If it goes over night keep it off. until tomorrow when it clears.

Oh and one time my computer got hit by lighting and i had to call someone to fix it.

Oh and it wouldnt turn on.

You're handicapped.  If it's just a wimpy one, I am still on, but if it's a severe, then I go.

[Muffinmix]

If the power goes out it's fine, but if it flickers it can forget your computer up pretty badly. Unless it has an external battery or something I'd turn it off when there's thunder outside.

[Saxophone]

Our house has 5 surge protectors.

One for our basement HDTV + Appliances.

One for the den TV + Appliances

One for the computer + Appliances

One for my room (TV, PS2, PS3)

One for my sister's room (TV)

[JD]

It's only dangerous if you don't have a landline.

[BobAndRob]

Surge Protector + UPS = threadPurposeDefeat()

[JD]

Surge Protector + UPS = threadPurposeDefeat()

And that.

[Saxophone]

This reminds me of a time where everthing in my uncle execpt the fridge, oven, Old Tv, and freezer got fried in a storm.

He was pissed.

[Kunit]

Well, the storm just hit here. Also, we just had a power surge.

Thunder, lighting, and rain, Oh my?

[pants1]

Just stay on. Go outside and tell the storm to screw off. Should work.

[redoctober2009]

loving DUH

[Miles72]

Funny you ask because a friend of mine had his motherboard zapped to oblivion by a lighting strike.

A surge protector should protect you from electrical surges, but against lighting? Who knows.

It should get grounded before it reaches your computer. so dont worry!