In
| BlankIs there anybody out there that can provide me with some advice
| on the testing of computer equipment for traces of lightning damage/
| power surge damage? We test computers for the insurance industry when
| a claimant makes a claim regarding "lightning damage/ power surge
| damage" to computers and computer peripherals.
In about fifteen years of computer servicing I have only come across a
handfull of lightning damaged computers, and of those several have
exhibited very clear signs of damage. One was quite spectacular with a
hole burned into an internal modem where several components just
disintegrated, and another showed signs of damage around the serial port
on the motherboard. In a couple of other cases I have been able to see
no clear signs of any damage, and could only rely on anecdotal evidence.
(For example, the day after a severe thunderstorm someone brings in a
computer which stopped working during the storm.) Thorough examination
of the motherboard may show signs of damage to some of the circuit on
the underside of the board, or there may be no damage evident at all.
I have only once been asked to give an insurance statement regarding
lightning damage to an external modem, and was quite happy to do so, as
my own external modem had been damaged the same day during a storm.
(Incidentally, that was the only time I have had such damage to my own
computers.)
Power surges may cause similar damage, but more often than not I have
found any damage to be in the power supply - I can not recall any case
where there has been motherboard damage which could be attributed to a
power surge.
Obviously my experiences may be different to others. I live in an area
which is not particularly lightning prone, and which has a relatively
stable power supply, so I can only suggest you rely on gut feeling in
the absence of any hard evidence of damage.
