Lighting storm strike in back yard should I disconnect my system?

[N.Sreefer]

Were having a crazy lightning storm and a strike hit my back yard very close to my house it was very close to the room with my tank and I'm wondering with all the equipment on the system if it increases the risk of a strike on my house. Anyone an electrical expert on here is it worth the risk to my livestock to just turn everything off?

 

[Uncle99]

Just don’t turn everything off, at least one small pump for movement.

Its the safe bet.

 

[N.Sreefer]

Okay ill leave the return pump going and unplug everything else I normally wouldnt be concerned but 2 buildings have been hit by lightning that I know of its a pretty crazy storm. My lights would be off soon anyway but im not sure how things will fare without heaters

 

[vetteguy53081]

I personally have had similar and have a generator. I let everything run as it was and nothing happened. You dont want to shut down components nor prematurely placing tank, bacteria and oxygen at risk. Even if there were a strike, you will have no power regardless.

 

[Uncle99]

Okay ill leave the return pump going and unplug everything else I normally wouldnt be concerned but 2 buildings have been hit by lightning that I know of its a pretty crazy storm. My lights would be off soon anyway but im not sure how things will fare without heaters

I doubt the storm, or the electrical part anyways will last very long.....while I doubt you have another strike, I would hate to have your equipment get fried.....
Plug her all back in as soon as the lighting passes....

 

[Uncle99]

That storm should have passed you now, fast moving and yes, quite violent. Another thin band will pass around 11:00pm for maybe 30 minutes.
Good luck.
North of you is SNOW.

 

[N.Sreefer]

Thanks ya it just stopped I will just leave most of it unplugged just in case. Thanks for the advice everyone fingers crossed things arent 2 messed up by morning.

 

[DaneGer21]

I was out of power for 9hrs today. Multiple trees on power lines across town. I was at work the whole time, we’ll I left just before, and got home just after haha

Tank dropped 6.5 degrees and the house 4 degrees; biggest thing is to get things back to normal SLOWLY, just like when it drifted downward.

 

[Uncle99]

Thanks ya it just stopped I will just leave most of it unplugged just in case. Thanks for the advice everyone fingers crossed things arent 2 messed up by morning.

I’d plug that back in now.
We need heat and flow at min if there’s minimal risk of a hit, which the radar says is the case.
Keep her stable wherever, whenever possible.

 

[blasterman]

Turning stuff off doesn't help. Lighting strikes will arc past power strips, fuses and simple switches.

You need a pretty robust power interrupt circuit to guard against a lightning strike. A home depot power strip doesn't qualify. Also, today's sophisticated reef gear uses a lot of IC components that can't take high voltage surges like a good old magnetic ballast could.

For a home the best protection is a proper ground circuit with heavy copper grounding to earth. Apartment buildings and condos tend to distribute high voltage spikes reducing the odds of your stuff getting nuked because there's so much other stuff on the circuit that's a more tempting path to ground.

Still, if lightning bolts are smacking flag poles down the street I would treat your reef gear like your computer. Physically unplug those $1200 worth of Radions from the wall until the sirens stop blaring if you want to be safe.

I'm not am electrician, but worked with at of them in data centers and listened to them.