Lethal Thunderstorms & IPO units 1

[AvayaRedDude]

I had a customer contact me that an IP Office unit is not working after a major thunderstorm hit the location. Everything is working fine but not the IPO control unit. Well the thing is working for about 10 minutes, then reboots and there is an odery smell. This one was an SOE control unit.

I had another case about a year ago, same thing happened, that one was an IP 403.

Is there a trend? I am going to suggest using VOIP, if this happens again, I can get a softswitch and immediately redirect them to phone home to a SIP system.

 

[AACon]

Trend? Only on systems that are not properly grounded....

-Austin
ACE: Implement IP Office

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

Lightning will turn anything inside out, grounded or not. it depends if its a direct hit or not, or perhaps a spike came up the lines, or via the mains.

perhaps it was just the SOE's time to go..... it had a good life.

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[mattKnight]

perhaps it was just the SOE's time to go

that one was an IP 403.

They both have had a good innings (went EOS 6+ years ago)

And the only trend I see is that there has been a trend in thunderstorms recently

Take Care

Matt
I have always wished that my computer would be as easy to use as my telephone.
My wish has come true. I no longer know how to use my telephone.

 

[Gunnaro]

The "trend" started when we moved on from vacuum tubes
IPO's should be connected to an UPS with line protection.


Kind regards

Gunnar
__________________________________________________________________
Hippos have bad eyesight, but considering their weight, it’s hardly their problem

 

[tlpeter]

True but that does not prevent strikes though trunks or phones.

BAZINGA!

I'm not insane, my mother had me tested!

 

[Gunnaro]

Oh, I should have been more specific about lines.
Protection on both power and telco lines, copper or alu.

I prefer Eaton powerware 5110 for smaller systems.

Kind regards

Gunnar
__________________________________________________________________
Hippos have bad eyesight, but considering their weight, it’s hardly their problem

 

[AvayaRedDude]

I need to clarify a few things (looks like I am coming off as an airhead, which I am not.)

The system was tied to an UPS, not sure if it was adiquate (3.5 max)
There wasn't any grounding because where the wiring closet is, there isn't anything to ground the thing (like a water pipe, etc.)
The phone trunks was thru a Comcast cable connection (wasn't protected for reasons I do not know)
Everything else (which a reason why I said a "trend") was working fine. Cisco routers, big scale ProLiants, desktops, AC adaptor WAPs and others didn't get the hit.
Before I get attacked again for using "trend" this storm was one of the biggest we had in my area last night. Even papers fell off a shelf with one big boom. It was a light show. Other t-storms wasn't as signifcant as this major storm

"Lightning will turn anything inside out, grounded or not. it depends if its a direct hit or not, or perhaps a spike came up the lines, or via the mains.

perhaps it was just the SOE's time to go..... it had a good life."

this answer makes the most sense. Thanks

 

[tlpeter]

If it was that big hit it was probably a direct hit on the phone line or even a cable to a different building.

BAZINGA!

I'm not insane, my mother had me tested!

 

[AvayaRedDude]

it must have something to do with it being an app (as in appliance) architecture.

Are the Gseries/Aura gateways have the same vulrernabilty (even if everything is as protected as possible?)

 

[Gunnaro]

The phone trunks was thru a Comcast cable connection (wasn't protected for reasons I do not know)

There is your answer, the IPO had one unprotected connection that the other equipment didn't have.

Last week we had the worst thunderstorm in years.
Non of my IPO's went down (OFC, they are properly protected), but I helped out another BP replacing a system that took a real good blow to the BRI ports, fried the motherboard, Combo card and ISDN units.



Kind regards

Gunnar
__________________________________________________________________
Hippos have bad eyesight, but considering their weight, it’s hardly their problem

 

[smokinjoe2938]

I myself just today had to replace a IP Office 500 v1 due to a very bad lightning storm last night, it does not matter if you have a UPS line protectors etc.... if lightning strikes close enough it will take everything out, it travels through the ups line protectors etc.... and yes all these system were properly grounded.sometimes you get lucky, other times you do not. Remember electricity takes the least path of resistance.

acss sme acis sme acss cm 5.2.1 acss cm and cmm acss aura messaging.

 

[amriddle01]

Not much can withstand millions of volts of electricity, even a near miss is tens of thousands, especially with many long runs of copper cable branching out from something and cable runs from outside all converging at one point. Nothing else in the typical comms room tends to blow as they don't have that issue

 

[Gunnaro]

Well, we can debate this forever.
Up here commercial buildings must have lightning protected outer surfaces (roof, sides and foundation), so even a direct hit of 1.21 Giga Watt goes straight down to mother earth

Two realy nice things about having proper protection:

a) If anything blows up, you're in the clear.

b) Insurance cover the cost of new equipment and install.

Kind regards

Gunnar
__________________________________________________________________
Hippos have bad eyesight, but considering their weight, it’s hardly their problem

 

[smokinjoe2938]

Marty! were in big trouble we just got hit by 1.21 giga watts now were back to the future! great line Guannaro! a star for the humor

acss sme acis sme acss cm 5.2.1 acss cm and cmm acss aura messaging.

 

[Gunnaro]

Ha ha, thanks!

Kind regards

Gunnar
__________________________________________________________________
Hippos have bad eyesight, but considering their weight, it’s hardly their problem