Hey all,

 

Anyone else had any impacts with the lightning earlier this evening in Jhb?

I’m on the West Rand, felt like we took the hit directly it was that loud!

It seems like my Master SS 5kVa fell victim.

As well as Unifi stack, a TV, surround sound bar…man this is just BS!

There’s surge protection on the Main DB, yet the EL nor the Main breaker did not trip? 

I get to the inverters, the Master is non responsive, Slave appears to be functioning…decided to shut them both down. Give it a few mins and turn everything on again.

Master switches on all the indicator lights light up…then all go off and stay off. It defaults to the menu screen. The ESC button non responsive, the little I can navigate the menu…all settings are out of wack. Time mode, the inverter doesn’t even show its a parallel connected to the slave. Guess its toast then? Something like this covered under its warranty? It was installed in May 2023. Do I reach out to my installer or SS directly?

For now we are back on Grid power at least.

Sorry to hear about your losses, recently had an incident as well. 

Lightning damage to inverter isn't covered by the warranty (if they pinpoint it to be the cause of the damage). 

With a direct / nearby strike, no surge protection will help really. 

Edited November 7, 2024Nov 7 by abd7

https://www.sellyourpc.co.za/services/professional-inverter-repairs/

After Sunsynk, you could try these guys for a quote. 

5 hours ago, Carl Anthony said:

Hey all,

 

Anyone else had any impacts with the lightning earlier this evening in Jhb?

I’m on the West Rand, felt like we took the hit directly it was that loud!

It seems like my Master SS 5kVa fell victim.

As well as Unifi stack, a TV, surround sound bar…man this is just BS!

There’s surge protection on the Main DB, yet the EL nor the Main breaker did not trip? 

I get to the inverters, the Master is non responsive, Slave appears to be functioning…decided to shut them both down. Give it a few mins and turn everything on again.

Master switches on all the indicator lights light up…then all go off and stay off. It defaults to the menu screen. The ESC button non responsive, the little I can navigate the menu…all settings are out of wack. Time mode, the inverter doesn’t even show its a parallel connected to the slave. Guess its toast then? Something like this covered under its warranty? It was installed in May 2023. Do I reach out to my installer or SS directly?

For now we are back on Grid power at least.

Sorry to hear that is very unfortunate. Contact your insurance company this morning they should cover the damages. Go through all your electronic/ electric devices to ensure the inverter is not the only device damaged. My sister in law's house in Alberton had a direct hit last year. Big damages 3 tv's, alarm system,stereo,microwave ect ect and her Solis inverter and 2 batteries. It was scary one of the power outlets against the wall was blown completely out of the socket laying on the opposite side of the room with black carbon tracks on the tiled floor. Her insurance company covered the damages. Don't get any quotes until the insurance assessor has been out to your property. Good luck.

Edited November 8, 2024Nov 8 by TaliaB

Same happened to me in January this year, lost my inverter, both my batteries, Electric Fence Energizer, Alarm System, Gate motor and many more things. I don't think there is much to be done to protect your home from a strike like this it is very unfortunate, luckily Insurance covered everything and my batteries and Inverter could be repaired.

Make sure you go through your house and test every device you have, learned this the hard way.

Edited November 8, 2024Nov 8 by JacoG

Thanks guys for the horror stories 😆 but most importantly those outcomes is exactly what I am hoping for.

Logged the claims this morning, assessor will be coming around this afternoon to check the inverters. I'm not sure if the 2nd one is actually functional so hoping he can check this. Claims assessor for the rest of the electronics will come out on Monday. We have never claimed for electronics before so really hoping for an issue free claims process 🤞

The battery seems OK, obviously can't use it or charge it...but the Alarm light is not flashing and still showing normal run lights.

A few more items were added to the hit list that didnt make it, even Solar Assistant took a hit 🫣

 

Going through something like this is real balls-up.


Speaking of protecting against this in future, like what more can a person do?

Surge Protector is on the DB, I got freaking surge protection plugs practically everywhere as well...what's next then to get a lightning conductor installed on the property?

Is that even worth it? Is it really effective at directing that strike to the ground?

We are quite elevated so should I be looking at this?

7 hours ago, TaliaB said:

Sorry to hear that is very unfortunate. Contact your insurance company this morning they should cover the damages. Go through all your electronic/ electric devices to ensure the inverter is not the only device damaged. My sister in law's house in Alberton had a direct hit last year. Big damages 3 tv's, alarm system,stereo,microwave ect ect and her Solis inverter and 2 batteries. It was scary one of the power outlets against the wall was blown completely out of the socket laying on the opposite side of the room with black carbon tracks on the tiled floor. Her insurance company covered the damages. Don't get any quotes until the insurance assessor has been out to your property. Good luck.

Good to see you back online and in action 🙌

11 hours ago, Carl Anthony said:

Speaking of protecting against this in future, like what more can a person do?

If we're home when the lightning approaches, we "go off-grid" by dropping the double pole MCB from municipal mains, isolate the solar strings, and even switch off the electric fence and throw the three isolation disconnects to the fence.

If no one is home oops.

Hope your insurance fully covers all equipment and labor as soon as possible.  👍

On 2024/11/09 at 7:33 AM, TimCam said:

If we're home when the lightning approaches, we "go off-grid" by dropping the double pole MCB from municipal mains,... 

I think it's worth doing, but if lightning decides it wants to invade your house, the tiny gap from your breaker is unlikely to stop it. The best you can hope for is that most of its fury has found a path to earth somewhere else, so that there are "only" under a kilovolt at the utility cables, which the breaker can withstand. 

Edited November 10, 2024Nov 10 by Coulomb