is it bad to use electronic stuff during a heavy thunderstorm?

Question

my mom keeps tellin me this

Answer 1

There is potential danger of being spoiled by high voltage reaching the electronic circuit of the equipment through electrical wires. All this happens if the electric wire picks up electricity from lightening during thunderstorm. But it is very rare.

Answer 2

It is very bad to use electronics during heavy thunderstorms, even if you have surge protectors. Surge protectors are not lightning arrestors. Surge protectors respond to an increase in voltage in around 1/5,000 to 1/10,000 of a second depending on the price and quality. Lightning voltage rises can occur as fast as 1/100,000 of a second, and will fry anything connected to it. Not to mention the fact that even if your surge protector were to break in time, with that high of voltage, it is actually able to arc across the gap and kill your electronics anyways. The best option you have is to disconnect anything you really like during a thunderstorm.

Answer 3

Probably the worst thing you can use is the telephone. I have see ones blown apart from an electrical charge during a thunderstorm. Although I can't substantiate this, I have been told - in college meteorology class - that more people are killed during thunderstorms while they're talking on the phone than from any other cause.

Answer 4

If your TV is on and not protected by a surge protector, and lightning strikes a nearby power line, the surge will likely damage or destroy the TV. If you carry a radio out in the open with its antenna extended, you are carrying a lightning rod, and you increase your risk of lightning damage. If you're walking around with an MP3 player in your ear, you may be rude and oblivious to the world and may walk in front of a moving bus and be killed, but it won't affect your lightning risk. Those are my best answers, lacking a more precise question.

Answer 5

It's pretty rare, but every once in a while you see some lightening traveling into homes through phone or other electrical wires. Surge protectors should be good enough for most cases.

Answer 6

IF the power goes out, about 20 seconds after it first goes out, the system sends a large shock through the wires to see if it can jump start itself, that can damage a lot of stuff

Answer 7

yes, it's dangerous. Power surges can enter your house and injure you. Electronic equipment is susceptible to even tiny power surges, so your electronics are at even more risk.

Answer 8

Yeah because they let out Electromagnetic waves that can attract a lightning bolt to strick you or hit near you causing death