sharlag
Drama Llama
I like my artsy with a little bit of fartsy.
Posts: 6,574
Location: Kansas
Jun 26, 2014 12:57:48 GMT
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Post by sharlag on Jul 21, 2016 20:30:20 GMT
Do you unplug things to protect them lightning? I'm talking about thunderstorms, not hurricanes.
What else do you do when it's stormy? In a tornado warning, I like to make sure everyone is wearing shoes in case we have to crawl out of the rubble.
ETA: I'm not an 'unplugger'.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 21, 2016 20:33:46 GMT
I unplug computers and tvs if the lightning flashes and cracks at the same time, our lights dim as the lightning strikes, or if our power keeps going on and off.
Tornado warnings that are actually close (sirens and such) and the kids go downstairs while DH and I go outside to look.
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Post by refugeepea on Jul 21, 2016 20:34:51 GMT
Not unless there's a severe warning. Even then, we turn things off, not unplug.
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Post by Dreamsofnyssa on Jul 21, 2016 20:35:16 GMT
I only unplug my laptop and I don't take a shower until the lightning is gone.
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Post by *KAS* on Jul 21, 2016 20:36:04 GMT
No, but judging by the lightning storm happening outside my window at work right this minute, I sort of wish I had! I already know my power is out at home though due to our neighborhood Facebook page. Ugh.
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Post by katlady on Jul 21, 2016 20:36:42 GMT
I don't unplug things. Sometimes, I do say to myself that maybe I should move away from the front window and not use my computer. But, thunderstorms are not very common here, and we don't have hurricanes or tornados. I don't really do to much different when we go on "storm watch", just make sure we have food for the day in case we don't want to go out.
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oldcrow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,828
Location: Ontario,Canada
Jun 26, 2014 12:25:29 GMT
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Post by oldcrow on Jul 21, 2016 20:40:28 GMT
No I do not unplug.
I think that about 95% of the plugs in my house require you to move or crawl under pieces of furniture. Storm would probably be over by the time I got to them all.
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Post by anniefb on Jul 21, 2016 20:41:31 GMT
If I'm at home and there's a warning about bad storms, I might unplug my laptop and other technology stuff. Otherwise, no.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jul 21, 2016 20:41:39 GMT
For most things, no. Only for the stuff that would be too difficult or expensive to replace, like my work computer, my cutter, etc. Even though insurance would probably pay to replace it, I'd have to pay a pretty high deductible and it would be a PITA to have to put the puzzle back together from various backups and to reinstall everything.
It takes five minutes to run down and unplug vs the countless hours it would take to put it all back together again.
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valleyview
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,816
Jun 27, 2014 18:41:26 GMT
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Post by valleyview on Jul 21, 2016 20:43:28 GMT
I don't unplug, but I do power off. I've lost two printers due to storm surges, so I try to be careful with them.
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Post by papersilly on Jul 21, 2016 20:44:20 GMT
no danger of that around here so no, I don't unplug. however, we are in earthquake country and having lived through enough of them, we make sure to have flashlights, covered shoes (to avoid broken glass), and corded phones (in case cell service is down) in the ready.
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Post by myshelly on Jul 21, 2016 20:51:00 GMT
No. I never unplug anything.
If there's a tornado warning we all wear shoes, the kids wear their bike helmets, and we get in the bathtub and put a twin size mattress over us.
When there's a tornado watch we prepare by lining the shoes and helmets up in the bathroom, lining the tub with a blanket, and putting the mattress in place.
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Post by annabella on Jul 21, 2016 20:53:12 GMT
My computer plugs into a surge protector outlet so I just hit the power button for that. I don't do it very often though because I live in an area of town where all the power lines are underground so my power never goes out.
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Post by KikiPea on Jul 21, 2016 20:54:23 GMT
Only the laptop. We do turn off the big TV, and both desktop computers. Everything else stays plugged in.
When our house was struck by lightening, it was through the phone line, so we are more careful with that.
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sharlag
Drama Llama
I like my artsy with a little bit of fartsy.
Posts: 6,574
Location: Kansas
Jun 26, 2014 12:57:48 GMT
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Post by sharlag on Jul 21, 2016 20:57:50 GMT
I'll just show my ignorance by asking how turning something off protects it? Doesn't the lightning surge through the wires whether something is turned on or not?
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Dani-Mani
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,706
Jun 28, 2014 17:36:35 GMT
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Post by Dani-Mani on Jul 21, 2016 20:58:39 GMT
I'd be unplugging all day six months of the year, so no.
In Iowa during a tornado warning I went to the basement. In FL, I continue whatever it was that I was doing.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 14, 2024 3:39:07 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2016 20:59:44 GMT
Would not matter as I live in an almost faraday cage.
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,177
Location: Western Illinois
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Jul 21, 2016 21:00:12 GMT
If there is a particularly bad storm or an actual tornado warning I usually will turn off my desktop computer. I don't generally unplug it, but might if I was very concerned. If it's a severe storm I will put on shoes or have them right next to me (I'm almost always barefoot at home), and make sure I have a flashlight I can quickly grab. We are also the type who tend to look outside or go out on the porch to see what's happening.
Thing is, it doesn't have to be a storm that causes a problem. My sister and brother-in-law had a weird power surge in their condo that took out a bunch of electronic stuff. Several months ago we woke up one morning to things clicking on and off and our iPhones beeping: there was a short down the line somewhere (not right near us since our lines are underground) and it was causing the power to go on, off, on, off every second or so. Because we had been asleep it took us a bit to realize what was going on. By the time I was trying to unplug the big TV the power went totally off. We were worried about how much might have gotten fried but the only thing we lost was the thermostat.
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Post by compeateropeator on Jul 21, 2016 21:01:00 GMT
Yup- computers and TVs. Not sure why other we always did growing up ( the TV we had no computer) and if I had a power surge and things blew up those are things I want to save.😄
ETA: I try not to use water or do things like laundry during a storm.
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freebird
Drama Llama
'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927
Jun 25, 2014 20:06:48 GMT
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Post by freebird on Jul 21, 2016 21:06:25 GMT
I'll just show my ignorance by asking how turning something off protects it? Doesn't the lightning surge through the wires whether something is turned on or not? Turning it off really does nothing. Unplugging it or having it plugged into a surge protector is what protects it. I think everything big and expensive i have is in a surge protector. My computer at home even has a power source surge protector so if the power goes out, it has about 1/2 hour of power depending on what's plugged into it. Had to get that when our lights flickered ALL THE TIME and would shut me off on even a nice clear day. Power company has that sorted now though.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 14, 2024 3:39:07 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2016 21:13:33 GMT
I have almost everything plugged to a surge protector so I don't go around unplugging unless it is a really severe storm. Then I might. Having a "brown out" is actually harder on the electronics as the lack of sufficient power can burn out the motors and a surge protector doesn't protect since there is no surge in power.
When on a tornado warning I do pack my "shelter bag" which is my meds, a change of clothes, a pair of heavy soled shoes and important papers including ones to prove I live here so if my house IS blown away I have some basic necessities, can prove the house is mine so I don't get arrested for looting and can walk out of the shelter. Also, my insurance won't replace medications that are lost to a storm.
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Post by littlemama on Jul 21, 2016 21:29:21 GMT
Not usually, but after I read this, I did u plug ds' laptop from the wall. Everything else is on a surge protectkr
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NoWomanNoCry
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,856
Jun 25, 2014 21:53:42 GMT
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Post by NoWomanNoCry on Jul 21, 2016 21:33:03 GMT
I don't unplug anything.
I also don't take any other measures for any other types of storms.
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Post by smannes on Jul 21, 2016 21:35:09 GMT
I only unplug my computer.
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Post by refugeepea on Jul 21, 2016 22:03:30 GMT
Turning it off really does nothing. Unplugging it or having it plugged into a surge protector is what protects it. I think everything big and expensive i have is in a surge protector.I was having a duh moment. I could not think of the word. I thought I got one of those plug thingies, you can plug lots of other things into and it's supposed to help somehow.
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momto4kiddos
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,151
Jun 26, 2014 11:45:15 GMT
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Post by momto4kiddos on Jul 21, 2016 22:16:00 GMT
My mother was an unplugger, but i'm not. Most of our stuff is plugged into surge protector strips. Seems like we have too many things for the outlets so we end up with strips, just as easy to make them surge protecting strips.
Thankfully we've never had a tornado warning because I would probably have a heart attack and be useless.
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Post by Linda on Jul 21, 2016 22:21:36 GMT
all the computers and the TV are plugged into surge protectors. My computer is plugged into a uninterruptible power supply. We have brownouts regularly and outages reasonably often.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 14, 2024 3:39:07 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2016 22:28:44 GMT
We don't get a lot of bad storms but when we do DH is an unplugger. I'm not - last big storm we had I stayed on my treadmill running through the whole thing. I thought my husband was going to have a heart attack from it.
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Post by Patter on Jul 21, 2016 22:41:33 GMT
I only unplug my laptop and I don't take a shower until the lightning is gone. Exactly that. But I also don't use the landline phone. My parent's house has been struck by lightening twice. One time I was there. It was awful, and I just just hung up the phone seconds before it hit. Scary, scary, scary.
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Post by Suziee2 on Jul 21, 2016 22:52:00 GMT
I am a chronic unplugger. Years ago, a good friend was a fireman told me to unplug when going out of town. One year, I was out of town by myself. DH didn't unplug. We lost a printer, monitor, tower, router and tv. Our cable company told DH he needs to unplug. Once a surge protector is hit, it is gone. He still won't. If it is storming in the middle of the night, I will get up and start unplugging everything.
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