"4" series lightning strike

[copyman]

Got a call from a customer's IT guy. He is really good with knowing the equipment and one of the only IT guys I know that likes getting his hands dirty working on a copier or printer, etc. He said several switches etc in server room have evidence of strike so anything connected to ethernet had a chance of damage. Lost their alarm systems, phones, etc.

Anyway he called and said 4 copiers in building took a lightning hit and have various issues (see below). 2 machines were not affected, Biz 754e & C353

I will be going out tomorrow to have a look and not sure how to approach this? I find it hard to believe that 3 MFP boards would get fried but stranger things have happened! Will the reset tool F/W have any effect on this? Any other ideas appreciated. They are going to be putting an insurance claim in and will buy new copiers if they have to. I never use the network ports on the surge protectors, this is one time it may have prevented a big loss. The only machine that wasn't on a surge protector is completely dead.

Thanks in advance

Biz C654 will not power on, No fans, motors, nothing. Has power at outlet, he checked main fuse on machine and good. (only machine plugged into wall, all others on good surge protectors) Suspect bad power supply.

BizHub 754e can copy, can't print. Network port dead, no activity light. He hooked laptop up and still dead.

BizHub C654 can copy, can't print. Network port dead, no activity light. He hooked laptop up and still dead.

Bizhub C364e can copy, can't print. Network port dead, no activity light. He hooked laptop up and still dead.

[Woxner]

reset will not help in this case. you are looking at 3 mfp bd's and the one that wont power up possible power supply and mfp. its always a good idea to run network through the surge protector. cant tell you how many machines have been saved. dont think a network reset will help either

[copyman]

Thanks wox. That's kinda what I figured, if MFP is fried it's fried! Ain't nothing bringing it back to life except a chink with a soldering iron & new components:p

Good to know you believe in using the network ports on the surge protectors. Then I guess you also used the fax in/out ports on surge protectors? The reason I never got into habit of using the protector net or phone ports was not having an extra patch or phone cable with me, which is needed to use it.

I know this customers IT guy will make sure to use both Net & phone port protection with any new machines. Expensive lesson!

[copier tech]

This sounds like an insurance claim to me.

Personally i’d write them all off even if you fix them now you will have issues later on.

[JR2ALTA]

This sounds like an insurance claim to me.

Personally i’d write them all off even if you fix them now you will have issues later on.

^^ This ^^

[bsm2]

BAM you just sold 4 new machines done!

[emujo2]

This is why we have insurance..The NICs are protected by micro fuses..they have blown due to the surge..You could probably get repaired boards from HYTEC but IMHO, you should give the guy a quote for the parts(new) and labor..This will probably get the insurance claim rolling and you can upgrade. BTW, our surge protectors come with a guaranty on anything connected to them..In this case we would replace the boards and bill the surge manufacturer. This is spelled out on the maint contract and customers must decline in writing the surge protectors if not wanted.

[srvctec]

I've had this exact same thing happen on a 4e series machine on service contract. The idiot customer completely disconnected the surge protector we sold to them with the machine (but left it setting on the floor by the machine like THAT would somehow help) that had connected ports for protecting the NIC and fax, after they moved the machine to a different office in an adjacent building (decided on their own that it didn't need to be connected to the surge protector in rural Kansas). Lightning fried the MFPB and I had to basically re-set up the machine from scratch. I charged them $1600 - $1800 (can't really remember), for drive time, labor and the board. They turned it into insurance since everything else in their buildings got fried as well. Lots of PCs, internet modem and switches died that day.

[copyman]

This is why we have insurance..The NICs are protected by micro fuses..they have blown due to the surge..You could probably get repaired boards from HYTEC but IMHO, you should give the guy a quote for the parts(new) and labor..This will probably get the insurance claim rolling and you can upgrade. BTW, our surge protectors come with a guaranty on anything connected to them..In this case we would replace the boards and bill the surge manufacturer. This is spelled out on the maint contract and customers must decline in writing the surge protectors if not wanted.

I know about the warranty from surge protector companies but problem is I didn't utilize the ports to protect net & fax lines. This is why all the copiers that had surge protectors still started up and can use to copy. The surge also came through the network and took out the MFP boards. I mentioned about never using the net and fax ports on the surge protector in a post above. Think I may start using them after this. Just have to throw a bunch of short net cables in the truck.

[Synaux]

Yeah, I would let the insurance run its course and rob the machines of anything useful (if possible) and give to me :P

I am curious though, if you have the router/switch/hub, etc itself protected, then how can a surge powerful enough damage the MFP board?
Only things I can think of it a breach (somehow) on the Ethernet cable itself or mayyyyybe a patch panel?? Do they have a patch panel installed?

Also emujo2, are you emujo's son?!

[Synaux]

I know about the warranty from surge protector companies but problem is I didn't utilize the ports to protect net & fax lines. This is why all the copiers that had surge protectors still started up and can use to copy. The surge also came through the network and took out the MFP boards. I mentioned about never using the net and fax ports on the surge protector in a post above. Think I may start using them after this. Just have to throw a bunch of short net cables in the truck.

Here is what you do, fry the ethernet port on the protectors and make a claim and cross your fingers :P