Insurance help needed - Electrionics!
Discussion
Here we go.... My plasma got taken out by lightning about 80 minutes into the FA cup final. Basically a big flash outside and then a vertical black band appeared.
It's been off to be examined and the local AV company says it's normal wear and tear. Now it's only 13 months old for starters, but that's another point.
What I gather has happened from another AV forum is that one of the plasma display panel drivers has gone phut.
Obviously I'm going to contest this.
How can the engineers say it's wear and tear when I've already told them the fault coincided exactly with the lightening?
Any electrical component can fail if taken over voltage. The weakest link will always fail, and it looks like it's the panel driver in this case.
What are my arguements to support my objection? At the moment it's just a phone call with the handling company, but forewarned is fore armed.
I really can't be arsed with this aggro today :irked:
It's been off to be examined and the local AV company says it's normal wear and tear. Now it's only 13 months old for starters, but that's another point.
What I gather has happened from another AV forum is that one of the plasma display panel drivers has gone phut.
Obviously I'm going to contest this.
How can the engineers say it's wear and tear when I've already told them the fault coincided exactly with the lightening?
Any electrical component can fail if taken over voltage. The weakest link will always fail, and it looks like it's the panel driver in this case.
What are my arguements to support my objection? At the moment it's just a phone call with the handling company, but forewarned is fore armed.
I really can't be arsed with this aggro today :irked:
BliarOut said:
It's been off to be examined and the local AV company says it's normal wear and tear. Now it's only 13 months old for starters, but that's another point.
Can't you reject it under the sales of goods act and send it back to where you brought it from (I could be wrong though). A reasonable time for a tv to last would be 3-5 years (min) I would have thought. (Could be wrong though) In which case it hasn't been manufactured correctly.
(All of the above is off the top of my head and I could be wrong though)
but still 
If a decent argument gets you nowhere I would be sure to get it stated that wear and tear was the cause of the failure - then take it up with the manufacturers.
I remember reading that the minimum time limit for something to function correctly under EU rules was now 2 years - regardless of what the 'guarantee' says. Perhaps contact trading standards for some info?
I remember reading that the minimum time limit for something to function correctly under EU rules was now 2 years - regardless of what the 'guarantee' says. Perhaps contact trading standards for some info?
I think I'll ask the inspecting company if they're happy their diagnosis will stand up in court, as if they say it's wear and tear I may have to call them as a witness 
BliarOut said:
Insurance companies examiners are saying that because the power supply is intact it's inconsistent with lightning damage......
I need counter arguements, quick!
Could a sag and surge do it? These are delicate components here
Heelp
In that case go down the not fit for purpose route with the manufacturers!
)Get a localised weather report for the day it happened, to show that lightning was in the area.
Also, your aerial should be blackened where the lightning struck - a piccie of that may help.
Check your aerial co-ax, particularly around any sockets - any melting/blackening, and get piccies.
Take it up with the manufacturer - if its a good company, they may repair it as a goodwill gesture - many companies are very good about this.
Also, your aerial should be blackened where the lightning struck - a piccie of that may help.
Check your aerial co-ax, particularly around any sockets - any melting/blackening, and get piccies.
Take it up with the manufacturer - if its a good company, they may repair it as a goodwill gesture - many companies are very good about this.
BliarOut said:
Induced current coming down the coax lead wouldn't help...
No coax... Only connected via cable TV through a tuner. The only route in to the panel was through the mains.
Hmmm, thats unusual - have you checked with neighbours to see if anybody else has had similar problems? I suspect a spike on the mains, in which case its piss poor power supply design to blame.
Insurance should cover me, lightening damage is in my policy. Looks like they're digging a bit though 
It wasn't a direct hit, there was a flash of lightning outside and then the black vertical band appeared at EXACTLY that moment.
I suspect the power supply was spiked, not enough to take it out, but enough to send something inside overvoltage.
Bloody engineers, they are only down the road from me!!!!
Right, on the phone again.
It wasn't a direct hit, there was a flash of lightning outside and then the black vertical band appeared at EXACTLY that moment.
I suspect the power supply was spiked, not enough to take it out, but enough to send something inside overvoltage.
Bloody engineers, they are only down the road from me!!!!
Right, on the phone again.
BliarOut said:
Induced current coming down the coax lead wouldn't help...
No coax... Only connected via cable TV through a tuner. The only route in to the panel was through the mains.
So it was effectively connected to two incoming cables - the cable TV signal cable and the mains? That is an ideal setup for zapping things with lightning. The lightning strike sets up a potential gradient in the ground, and the two cables sample the potential gradient at widely differing points and apply it directly to your delicate kit. "Directly" has a slightly different meaning where lightning is concerned, too - the huge voltages and very short rise times effectively mean there's no such thing as insulation.
Pigeon said:
wedg1e said:
Induced current coming down the coax lead wouldn't help...
No coax... Only connected via cable TV through a tuner. The only route in to the panel was through the mains.
So it was effectively connected to two incoming cables - the cable TV signal cable and the mains? That is an ideal setup for zapping things with lightning. The lightning strike sets up a potential gradient in the ground, and the two cables sample the potential gradient at widely differing points and apply it directly to your delicate kit. "Directly" has a slightly different meaning where lightning is concerned, too - the huge voltages and very short rise times effectively mean there's no such thing as insulation.
Genius..... Now how do I word that for the insurers? It has to be able to counter the engineers statement about the power supply still being intact.
Update:
The insurers said their weather system said there was no lightning on that day
Just spoke to the met office who helpfully confirmed that there was actually intense lightning at my postcode at exactly the time I said. (Ten mins from the end of the cup final!) Not only that, but they faxed their weather report to my insurers. Top people!
Now to discredit that engineers report
Why oh why do the insurers have to make everything so difficult
The insurers said their weather system said there was no lightning on that day
Just spoke to the met office who helpfully confirmed that there was actually intense lightning at my postcode at exactly the time I said. (Ten mins from the end of the cup final!) Not only that, but they faxed their weather report to my insurers. Top people!
Now to discredit that engineers report
Why oh why do the insurers have to make everything so difficult
BliarOut said:
Update:
The insurers said their weather system said there was no lightning on that day
Just spoke to the met office who helpfully confirmed that there was actually intense lightning at my postcode at exactly the time I said. (Ten mins from the end of the cup final!) Not only that, but they faxed their weather report to my insurers. Top people!
Now to discredit that engineers report
Why oh why do the insurers have to make everything so difficult
If they want a witness I was at the BMF standing in a rapidly deepening puddle at the time
wolves_wanderer said:
Update:
The insurers said their weather system said there was no lightning on that day
Just spoke to the met office who helpfully confirmed that there was actually intense lightning at my postcode at exactly the time I said. (Ten mins from the end of the cup final!) Not only that, but they faxed their weather report to my insurers. Top people!
Now to discredit that engineers report
Why oh why do the insurers have to make everything so difficult
If they want a witness I was at the BMF standing in a rapidly deepening puddle at the time
So was I. Had to put my camera and trupod away.
Why dont you call Multi Region Magic and ask for Gavin, and explain the situation. He will help if he can.
Dave
wolves_wanderer said:
Update:
The insurers said their weather system said there was no lightning on that day
Just spoke to the met office who helpfully confirmed that there was actually intense lightning at my postcode at exactly the time I said. (Ten mins from the end of the cup final!) Not only that, but they faxed their weather report to my insurers. Top people!
Now to discredit that engineers report
Why oh why do the insurers have to make everything so difficult
If they want a witness I was at the BMF standing in a rapidly deepening puddle at the time
Duly noted... Was there lightning over Orton too? (It was way too soggy for me
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