Expert Advice

Contributor: Video Experts

Lightning, Cameras, Action…

It's your choice, a happy ending or a real shocker!

Lets face it, I don't think any installation out there could withstand a direct hit, it's the voltage surge or spike we have a chance to prevent. I will list and discuss some typical installation problems and their corrections.

There are four levels of component failure associated with "over-voltage", the first and most severe is non-repairable board failure. This usually is still smoking by the time you arrive and any repair attempt (if not in vain) would and most probably will fail in the near future. As almost all of the components on the board have been "touched" by the surge, and their values altered which will cause premature failure if not "buggy" operation.

Close up of a "hit" communication chip. Leads are vaporized and
damage had spread to other sectors on the board.
Next is singular component failure, where the servicing technician has evaluated the circuit surrounding the failed component and has deemed it untouched by the over-voltage.

The chip has virtually "popped". The damage surprisingly

had been contained to the single component and the main board was saved.
It's very important to check even the substrate (board) around the circuit as traces can be carbonized and become resistive.

This is a diode, still intact, but its leads are "carbonized".

The feed through (arrow) connects to the "inner" circuitof the board and the circuits resistance had increased,leaving this board unsalvageable.
Nearly the most common failure and I don't think lightning is always the culprit, is the fuse at the power input. This seems like a no-brainer, but its possible that the blown fuse is caused by the equipment's internal circuit drawing excess current due to failing components and or increased resistance from prior events (surges).

The most common and least expensive is software failure. This can be easily corrected by re-initializing the equipment. A reset should always be attempted before calling for service, as mostly all equipment is subject to voltage fluctuations, resetting should not be considered a failure more rather a nuisance.