info on lightning rod protection
- Thread starter Kismet
- Start date
C
czygvtwkr
Guest
I have seen it strike a brick chimney and explode it. The chimney was not more than 20 feet from a lightning rod attached to the neighboring house. The strike destroyed every telephone on the street also, not melted just made them not work.
I think their effecivness is an old wives tale.
I think their effecivness is an old wives tale.
Angel
~*~*~
my grandfather and grandmother lost a few tv's to lightening.... anytime a thunderstorm rolled through we were instructed to turn off the tv!!!!!!!!!!! thank God for cable.... my other grandfather had lightening come through the phone and throw him across the room!!!!!!! This was many moons ago though.... back in the day.... 
C
czygvtwkr
Guest
More lightning info
Hi, I'm new to the forum, but saw this post and thought I would share what I know. I hope I don't overstep the bounds here - I've been known to be opinionated.
I live aboard a sailboat on the Chesapeake and lightning is a constant concern - I have a 56-foot high aluminum lightning rod on my home! I've seen what lightning does to boats and I've seen the prevention measures. I've been privvy to the latest research on lightning done by Ewen Thompson, an acknowledged expert (http://www.thomson.ece.ufl.edu/lightning/). Still, it is a subject that is not fully understood, even by the best minds (I'm certainly not one of them).
A lightning protection system for a boat is similar to one for a house - it is designed to conduct lightning to ground - the water in my case. On a boat, this has some problems as the mast typically goes through the cabin on its way to the keel and this is where dangerous sideflashes occur. Grounding the mast and rigging to a ground plane in the water is supposed to mitigate damage. Unfortunately, lightning doesn't care what we've done to slow it down, it seems to defy predictions. Sometimes it travels the path to ground, sometimes it takes a scenic route on the way, destroying things in its path. Boats sink every year when lightning exits through the hull rather than along the grounding line. One reason recently discovered is that the wire from the rod to the ground must not have any sharp bends - lightning will take an exit there. Remember. lightning just leapt across a half-mile of sky - jumping out of the copper wire is not hard for it. I'm sure this is the same for a home protection system.
There is debate on whether a lightning protection system attracts lightning, though many experts believe it does not. I'm not convinced, having seen many boats struck, about half with lightning protection, half without.
This brings up lightning dissipators. These are metal pipes with metal "fuzz" at the top whose goal is to dissipate ions before a streamer can form. The claim is that the "air terminal" will delay a streamer for only a fraction of a second in order to allow another streamer, presumably at a different location to initiate the strike. It has been recently proven that blunt rods are more effective than pointed ones for disssapating electrons, so home systems might benefit from blunt tips as well.
As one who is the most susectiple to a lightning strike (and the cost to repair radar, radio antenna, 12-volt and 120-volt systems, etc..) I chose NOT to have a lightning protection system. I feel that there is enough evidence that these systems CAN cause more problems than they solve (where would you strike if you were lightning - a pretty grounded metal pole next to a house, or a tall tree a half-mile away?) If the protection system is not done exactly right, it is of no use and may cause side-flash damage. As was said before, the lightning is GOING to strike regardless of what you do. You MAY be able to influence where it strikes - you may not.
My opinion is, save your money and make sure you're insurance is paid up.
Hi, I'm new to the forum, but saw this post and thought I would share what I know. I hope I don't overstep the bounds here - I've been known to be opinionated.
I live aboard a sailboat on the Chesapeake and lightning is a constant concern - I have a 56-foot high aluminum lightning rod on my home! I've seen what lightning does to boats and I've seen the prevention measures. I've been privvy to the latest research on lightning done by Ewen Thompson, an acknowledged expert (http://www.thomson.ece.ufl.edu/lightning/). Still, it is a subject that is not fully understood, even by the best minds (I'm certainly not one of them).
A lightning protection system for a boat is similar to one for a house - it is designed to conduct lightning to ground - the water in my case. On a boat, this has some problems as the mast typically goes through the cabin on its way to the keel and this is where dangerous sideflashes occur. Grounding the mast and rigging to a ground plane in the water is supposed to mitigate damage. Unfortunately, lightning doesn't care what we've done to slow it down, it seems to defy predictions. Sometimes it travels the path to ground, sometimes it takes a scenic route on the way, destroying things in its path. Boats sink every year when lightning exits through the hull rather than along the grounding line. One reason recently discovered is that the wire from the rod to the ground must not have any sharp bends - lightning will take an exit there. Remember. lightning just leapt across a half-mile of sky - jumping out of the copper wire is not hard for it. I'm sure this is the same for a home protection system.
There is debate on whether a lightning protection system attracts lightning, though many experts believe it does not. I'm not convinced, having seen many boats struck, about half with lightning protection, half without.
This brings up lightning dissipators. These are metal pipes with metal "fuzz" at the top whose goal is to dissipate ions before a streamer can form. The claim is that the "air terminal" will delay a streamer for only a fraction of a second in order to allow another streamer, presumably at a different location to initiate the strike. It has been recently proven that blunt rods are more effective than pointed ones for disssapating electrons, so home systems might benefit from blunt tips as well.
As one who is the most susectiple to a lightning strike (and the cost to repair radar, radio antenna, 12-volt and 120-volt systems, etc..) I chose NOT to have a lightning protection system. I feel that there is enough evidence that these systems CAN cause more problems than they solve (where would you strike if you were lightning - a pretty grounded metal pole next to a house, or a tall tree a half-mile away?) If the protection system is not done exactly right, it is of no use and may cause side-flash damage. As was said before, the lightning is GOING to strike regardless of what you do. You MAY be able to influence where it strikes - you may not.
My opinion is, save your money and make sure you're insurance is paid up.
Mikeinsmd
New Member
First of all, it's spelled LIGHTNING~!!!! Sheesh!! Second, Harry Homeowner can't go popping rods up wherever or however he chooses. Lightning protection systems must be installed correctly and bear a Master Lable. They aren't designed to keep lightning away. James White hit the nail on the head. Read his post for an accurate synopsis.RodRugg said:
kwillia
n/a
You tell him, Mikey...Mikeinsmd said:First of all, it's spelled LIGHTNING~!!!! Sheesh!! Second, Harry Homeowner can't go popping rods up wherever or however he chooses. Lightning protection systems must be installed correctly and bear a Master Lable. They aren't designed to keep lightning away. James White hit the nail on the head. Read his post for an accurate synopsis.
Bustem' Down
Give Peas a Chance
Did you know that when lightning rods were invented, many christians opposed the use of them claiming that lightning was the wrath of God and tampering with it would be blasphemy.