Tropical storm (Fay) and PCs

[CJ2008]

We have a tropical storm coming to our area (South Florida).

Would you turn off and unplug your PC, equipment, etc.?

I'm always careful, but I am confused as to whether this should be done for any storm or if only for electrical storms. And is there a way to know if it will be an electrical storm or does ANY storm have the potential for thunder?

 

[CrookedRock]

I haven''t really thought about it. Everything but my computer (of course) is plugged into a surge protector. Where in Fl are you? I think the west coast has a little more to worry about.

 

[CJ2008]

Surge protectors are never usually powerful enough to protect your equipment...best protection is to actually unplug it from the wall.

I''m on the East coast.

 

[CrookedRock]

LOL... I wish I could explain my FFIL to you. If you could see the surge protectors we have you would understand. His knowledge of electronics is frightning. He lost a TV to a lightning strike about 3 years ago... he actually convinced Samsung that it was something wrong with the TV and received a brand new TV. I'm still in shock!
In short though. I will probably switch my plug to the TV surge protector, not worth the risk to me. Where are you in FL?

ETA~ East coast... Us too. We should be fine, have you lived in FL long?

 

[CJ2008]

Oh, OK, that's a different story, then! haha We have a MONSTER surge protector for the TV (I mean the thing is like 3 feet long and I don't remember how many joules it has, but it is POWERFUL). We have "regular" surge protectors for my PCs that I will definitely be upgrading - I'm actually even thinking of buying a UPS (keeps the PC going so you can turn it off properly).

I'm in West Palm Beach...we've been here a little over 2 years. You?

I hear the thunder! I'm telling you...NOT safe for equipment. We never think it's going to happen to us...but...

 

[CrookedRock]

West Palm too! It doesn''t look like we are going to get a break here. I was raised in Vero and have lived in Ft Laudy, Delray and now West Palm. I''ve been here for 15 years and seen lots worse. I watched Wilma rip the hurricane shutters off my oceanfront penthouse in Delray 3 years ago... Not fun at all! It seems like you''ve missed all the fun from 3 years ago. This shouldn''t be that big of a deal. Are you in a house or apt?

 

[CJ2008]

I DID miss all the fun! haha Let''s not jinx ourselves now!

 

[CrookedRock]

It will happen again... it''s inevitable. This just isn''t the storm to do it! Thank God for that. I''m just hoping that the ocean calms down before Friday so I can still go to the Bahamas! LOL
How do you like West Palm? And where were you before here?

 

[fieryred33143]

Date: 8/18/2008 9:17:55 AM
Author:claudinam
We have a tropical storm coming to our area (South Florida).

Would you turn off and unplug your PC, equipment, etc.?

I''m always careful, but I am confused as to whether this should be done for any storm or if only for electrical storms. And is there a way to know if it will be an electrical storm or does ANY storm have the potential for thunder?

Hi Claud

Is your PC plugged into a surge protector (oh man is that what they are called

LOL)? I think that for safety you can unplug it when it gets really bad.

I have my laptop plugged in but I unplugged everything else JIC.

(Also, have you been watching the news? Is it just me or are they making a huge deal? Fox hasn''t played anything else all day today)

 

[CrookedRock]

I refuse to watch fox, but yah they always make a big deal no matter the size of the storm. This is a baby! LOL

 

[fieryred33143]

I know. I mentioned on another thread yesterday that Floridians appreciate a Cat 1 and TS as an opportunity to stay home from work

 

[CrookedRock]

Heck ya we do! It''s like a snow day! I used to love this when I was in High School. I remember my Mom being out of town when a storm was coming and I went home and told my nanny that I didn''t have to go to school the next day and she didn''t believe me. I was right though... 3 days off from school!

Gotta love the little storms, and partially bc my grass really needed water! LOL

 

[Tuckins1]

It can''t hurt to unplug everything- even if you have a surge protector.

 

[angel_nieves]

Hey Claudinam!~!!
I live only an hour away from Palm Beach, I think surge protectors and bring in the pants and you should be ok.

 

[angel_nieves]

Hummm I see that there is a number of south Florida Ps members on here. Maybe we should have a mini Ps get together sometime!

 

[Skippy123]

I hope and pray you all are safe!!!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Hey, guys!

I'm in Southcentral PA, but my Dad and Stepmom live in Fort Myers. I think Dad usually unplugs all his stuff, just to be safe. Of course, when they first moved down there, they were laughing at all the people who have generators for when the power goes out due to tropical storms/hurricanes. Well, guess who recently purchased a shiny new generator?!?! LOL!

Stay safe, everybody!

 

[CJ2008]

Hey neighbors! And thanks Skippy and Irish for the safe wishes!

I unplugged my PCs for a while, scanner, etc. I don't mess around. But that's probably because I'm not a "seasoned" South Floridian like you guys are!

And macie, I brought my plants in yesterday...and a mini PS get-together might be something to plan indeed!

Irish, my DH and I are SO the kind of people to have like a KICK-A@@ generator! We just haven't gotten around to it yet haha

ETA: fiery and crooked - I agree that storms in FL = snow days in NY. It's just nice to have those stormy/gray days sometimes - something so cozy about them. I used to LOOOOOOVE snow days in NY.

 

[fieryred33143]

Generators are awesome

So are grills

Thanks for the well wishes

.

We should have a mini PS GTG

 

[CJ2008]

Date: 8/18/2008 5:08:46 PM
Author: fieryred33143
Generators are awesome

So are grills

Thanks for the well wishes

.

We should have a mini PS GTG

Yes! We LOVE ours (we have a KICK-A@@ grill ahaha) And what I ESPECIALLY love about it is that by magic, the task of grilling has fallen squarely on DH''s shoulders. hehe

So I get to make a side dish and he makes the meat.

 

[merrijoy]

Wow! I did not realize there were so many South Floridians on this board. I am down here too. I really think that there are a lot of Californians on here...

I don''t think the storm is too bad and may not be any worse than those few storms last week and the week before. Our wedding was right after Wilma - that was a storm. I am debating to venture to the gym, but I fear the drivers that get nervous when it starts drizzling.

And yes, the reporters are having a field day. They have been on this storm all day. If there is a slight gust of wind, they will let you know. There was a SNL (I think it was SNL) skit like that a few years back. I guess better safe than sorry...

 

[blondebunny]

stupid storm, still only a tropical storm, people are at walmart running around like crazy people...when its a category 4... or a hurricane for that matter i might get a wee bit worried...the really bad storms were 4 years ago.. i remember i was pissed because i lost power for a week which meant no olyimpics and a melted oreo mcflurry in my freezer...

oh and im in orlando

oh and fiery, my BFs school stuff was cancelled till friday...just ridiculous

 

[CrookedRock]

It seems many of us are an hour or so from West Palm... is a GTG in order??

By the way this storm is a wimp so far, we''ll see what tonight brings!

 

[CJ2008]

merri, I watch SNL all the time. hehe Where in South Florida are you? How long have you been here?

bunny - my sister lives in Kissimmee. I didn''t leave my home/office all day today (well, except for the NECESSITIES - bagel and coffee

) but I can just imagine all the people at Walmart.

 

[blondebunny]

we had maybe one storm today all of like 10 mins maybe? nothing big, I was expecting much more, I guess later tonight/early AM we are getting some stuff, I bet Ill sleep through the entire thing...

I just dont get it, I mean we saw this one woman with like 8 packs of water....seriously 8 24 packs?!?!?!? I could totally understand if it was atleast a hurricane, but people just go a tad overboard... we were there to get some paint to touch up our walls, and we were just like geeez ridiculous

The only thing I do when a storm comes is go park my car by a really big tree... hahahahaha

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 8/18/2008 5:11:42 PM
Author: claudinam

Date: 8/18/2008 5:08:46 PM
Author: fieryred33143
Generators are awesome

So are grills

Thanks for the well wishes

.

We should have a mini PS GTG

Yes! We LOVE ours (we have a KICK-A@@ grill ahaha) And what I ESPECIALLY love about it is that by magic, the task of grilling has fallen squarely on DH''s shoulders. hehe

So I get to make a side dish and he makes the meat.

Oh, I hear ya! You guys should see my Dad''s new grill!!!

I think it must be a Florida thing: "Thou shalt own an awesome generator, and a grill to match!" LOL!

 

[CrookedRock]

Just a lil update from South Florida...

Nothing too bad where I am at. The pool is about to overflow from all the rain, but no biggie. West of me out in Wellington def took a hit by some tornados. So if any of you are out there, I hope you made it through safely.

How about the rest of you down in Miami and up in Orlando?

 

[fieryred33143]

Great to hear everything went well for you CR!

Everything here (Ft. Lauderdale/Miami) went well also. Lots of rain and flooding but nothing major.
I did meet our new neighbor yesterday. He noticed my FI’s car wasn’t there so he came to tell me to hide in the bathroom if I hear a train like noise headed toward the house

. Which of course freaked me out and I was on the phone with my poor FI telling him to hurry up

.

 

[CJ2008]

Irish, you crack me up!

Nothing too bad here either! Rain, wind, but not much more.

Fiery, that was funny about the train-like noise.

Be safe everyone.

 

[blondebunny]

no problems here in orlando yet but i just looked at the weather and we''ve only gotten the outer bands so far..