Oops. I might have cooked it.

[2twisty]

Well, not completely.

Had an electrical storm recently and a close lightning strike took out many devices connected via ethernet.  Looks like the ethernet port on my Classic 150 is a casualty, as well. 

The Classic works just fine, but I have no ethernet connectivity. 

Is repair an option or am I stuck with no ethernet until I purchase a new Classic?

[TomW]

Not sure on the repair option.

I would ensure that everything else in the ethernet network is functioning, like hubs, router, etc before I declared The Classic ethernet port  dead.

Maybe try a different port on any equipment it is jacked into?

Try a direct connection to a computer via ethernet.

Just suggesting you exhaust all other possible causes before condemning The Classic.

Tom

[2twisty]

Sadly, I've already done all those things. No link from the Classic.

Fortunately, everything else on the Classic is working.

In that storm, I had about 4 (or was it 5) ethernet ports on varied devices get killed.

I firmly blame the deaths on the fact that I had just installed a grounding rod and grounded the house.  It provided a path for the surge.

In the 2 years prior without a connected ground, we had many close strikes with zero damage.  Then, in the 6 months that I had the house grounded, we had 2 strikes fry equipment. I have since disconnected the ground.  Thankfully, I live in an area with no electrical code enforcement (middle of nowhere) so I can get by with it.

It's been a few months since the disconnect and a few close strikes since then with no additional damage.  Only time will tell if un-grounding was the right call.....

So, It looks like I may be sunk when it comes to Ethernet.  Boo.  Haven't checked the USB connection since then, but I bet it's still good.  In the strike, only ethernet ports were damaged. 

[Westbranch]

2Twisty said
"I firmly blame the deaths on the fact that I had just installed a grounding rod and grounded the house.  It provided a path for the surge."

Can you elaborate a bit on the suspected path.

I currently (pun ) have a similar ungrounded system and am preparing to ground it when the main array goes up next year... now I am wondering..... we are in a low lightning area, but this summer was a real boomer so to speak.

[2twisty]

My data is entirely anecdotal.  So, please take it for what it's worth. There's not really much more to tell other than since grounding I had 2 events that caused hundreds of dollars of damage each.  Since removing the ground (and before grounding) I have had several close strikes (much like the ones that killed equipment) and had NO damage.

Please do your own research before deciding not to ground your system.  The grounding is often the only thing that can save you from electrocution.  I've been told that if you don't ground the system, you should make sure that ALL power in the house is GFI protected, either by replacing outlets or using GFI breakers.  I may (someday) replace the main breaker with a GFI so that the whole house is protected.  However, the GFI outlets I have here like to pop now and again for seemingly nothing, so I hope that the whole house GFI is not so sensitive.

I'd love to hear a well-reasoned explanation of why you MUST ground.  As it stands, my house it not unlike my cell phone.  It's a free-standing, battery-operated unit.  My cell phone doesn't spontaneously explode (I don't have a Note7), so why would my house?

[Westbranch]

the AC grounding , as I understand it, is to keep you from getting shocked, or more, etc from a short in the wiring of your house. GFI is a step up on the grounding, to protect you in the shower while shaving    or the like with a much more sensitive sensor...

dc grounding  is, to me , to give lightning a (hopefully) better path to somewhere, other than your AC circuit, for dissipation.
To protect your DC equipment one needs to use SPD's at key points, that will clamp the max voltage at a level the equipment can survive... ie 150V, 300V or?

What I was asking for was placement of SPD's and where you think the path was. Like PV to MNDC/ Combiner to CC to inverter , etc etc etc...

[2twisty]

I believe that the grounding rod (and grounding wire) was the path.

Nothing on the DC side was damaged at all. Sadly, I don't have any SPDs, which I know I need to get.  So placement is something I've never researched.  Sorry.

[CDN-VT]

I had 2 events that caused hundreds of dollars of damage each.

SPD's are good protection & I've been amazed at some of the systems I have seen & asked about .
They DO NOT want to hear about lack of SPD's or understand.

Now Overkill pix I'll post after the type is posted

VT
Posted the chain Link cover must cut out the harvest %.

[Halfcrazy]

Generally speaking when the Ethernet port is wiped out by lightning it is repairable BUT the cost can get close to the cost of a control board. Email me ryan@midnitesolar.com and we can discuss options

[australsolarier]

lightening protection:

for example in switzerland every building is required to have a lightening rod, or else the building will not be insured.

take the other extreme, australia, never seen a lightening rod here. and there is not a particular higher rate of lightening damage.

facit: the flashes know where the lightening rods and protections are and seek them out. must be more challenging to do damage on protected things.

i have lived at the edge of the escarpment and during thunder storms you sit right INSIDE the action. there was arcing between power points, the old kind telephones rung in rhythm with the flashes. and no damage to electronics. (mind you at the time there was not that much of electronics) sometimes the phone went out, but the problems was some km's away. the flashes also hit at random into the paddock, totally ignoring the trees.

just saying.

admittedly them midnite bulbish flash protection devices look really good.

[russ_drinkwater]

Here in aus where I live the entire hill behind the house is iron stone and is used as our "lightening rod" and we have never had
a strike during many a wild storm. Though trees hit with lightening splinter and explode ( water being super heated and vapourized I suspect), so being hit is not on my list of things to do!
Little wonder electrical goods give up the ghost if hit.