Lightning Question

[Bettymsb]

While camping at Three Island St. Pk. the other night out of Glenns Ferry,Id.
we had a little lightning and the question came up as what one would do in
a major storm. Do you unplug from the elactrods? Y'all down south must have
some major events at times so what do you do? Thanks for your replies.
Betty

[rseagle]

If I'm hooked up to 30 Amp service, I'll unplug it during the storm.

[markdoane]

I think it's best to stay inside, unless there is a chance of high winds or flooding. The airstream forms a 'Faraday cage' that protects you from lightning.

Whether to unplug the power, I don't know. The ground wire might provide some protection, but it isn't as heavy as the ground in your house. And you don't know how well grounded the ground is.

[overlander63]

This subject has come up quite a bit lately, and the consensus seems to be to leave the coach plugged in, but unplug any electronics you have inside, and not to hang on to the inner skin of the coach.

[steelbird312]

Seems to me the easiest yet most responsible thing is to get an electrical protector, have it installed, and then you will forget it is there, all the while it is extremely busy protecting your unit from lightening, bad wiring at campgrounds, low or high voltage, surges, etc.
http://www.progressiveindustries.net/EMSHW30C.asp

This unit saves much grief!
No, I'm not affiliated, but somehow, I wish I were-think about the possiblities!

[pmclemore]

Thinking of lightning and grounds, and such - reminds me that I usually use several 2x6 blocks under my front jack to make the setup go quicker. You know, to keep from having to run the jack all the way down to the ground.

However, doing that would take away what would seem to be a natural ground. Would the absence of a metal jack foot contacting the ground be missed in the event of a strike?

Thanks - Pat.

[SilverRanger]

Couldn't the leveling jacks serve the same purpose as a ground?

[pmclemore]

I suppose so, but my "leveling" jacks are actually stabilizers, as yours are likely to be also. Plus, they have such a small footprint, I place 2x6 blocks under them, also.

Does the group think we need to have metal-to-ground contact?

[markdoane]

Originally Posted by pmclemore

Does the group think we need to have metal-to-ground contact?

Don't know.

Ever feel that 'tingling' sensation just before lightning strikes?

That's the lightning bolt looking for a leader. Do you want to reduce the potential between yourself and ground? Make yourself a better target?

I'd say the better insulated you are, the better. Unplug the power cord. Isolate yourself from ground. Stay in the trailer. Keep away from tall 'targets'.

How many people have been killed sitting inside their ungrounded cars? Not very many.

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by markdoane

Don't know.

Ever feel that 'tingling' sensation just before lightning strikes?

That's the lightning bolt looking for a leader. Do you want to reduce the potential between yourself and ground? Make yourself a better target?

I'd say the better insulated you are, the better. Unplug the power cord. Isolate yourself from ground. Stay in the trailer. Keep away from tall 'targets'.

How many people have been killed sitting inside their ungrounded cars? Not very many.

I agree. If you are in your trailer and it is struck, being grounded may not save your life. The temperture of a lightning bolt can reach 50,000 degrees F. The melting point of Alumunum is 1220 degrees F.

[53flyingcloud]

Originally Posted by rseagle

If I'm hooked up to 30 Amp service, I'll unplug it during the storm.

If you don't have an isolator wired into your system, I'd say that's the smartest move..Friend of mine in the next town over (Bedford,NH) has one. Now, for the life of me..I haven't figured out why I haven't done the same yet...

[Ultradog]

There's an old saying that goes something like:
"He who fears lightning must have a guilty conscience."

I don't think it much matters whether your trailer is grounded or not.
If the lightning can jump the thousands of feet from the clouds to the ground it can surely jump from the trailer to the ground.
As OverLander63 mentioned you might unplug your electronic gear.
If it were me though I'd just cozy up to my sweetheart.
Try to make her think all that crashing and thunder and lightning was from us and not the storm.

[RoadKingMoe]

I'm tempted to write many paragraphs about this, but I think Ultradog said it pretty well in few words. And I don't unplug shorepower either.

[Barkingdogg]

I think this is like being in a car or an airplane. The metal cage carries the electricity around you & since you are not grounded (personally) it is not carried through your body. f
the following is from the National Lightinig Saftey Institue
Barkingdogg
Some general recommendations include:

1. Personal Safety Issues: Reported incidents and related injuries make it clear that a person inside a fully enclosed metal vehicle must not be touching metallic objects referenced to the outside of the car. Door and window handles, radio dials, CB microphones, gearshifts, steering wheels and other inside-to-outside metal objects should be left alone during close-in lightning events. We suggest pulling off to the side of the road in a safe manner, turning on the emergency blinkers, turning off the engine, putting one's hands in one's lap, and waiting out the storm.
2. Heavy Equipment: Backhoes, bulldozers, loaders, graders, scrapers, mowers, etc. which employ an enclosed rollover systems canopy (ROPS) are safe in nearby electrical storms. The operator should shut down the equipment, close the doors, and sit with hands in lap, waiting out the storm. In no circumstances, during close-in lightning, should the operator attempt to step off the equipment to ground in an attempt to find another shelter. Very dangerous Step Voltage and Touch Voltage situations are created when a "dual pathway to ground" is created. Lightning voltages will attempt to equalize themselves, and they may go through a person in order to do so.
   Smaller equipment without ROPS is not safe. Small riding mowers, golf cars, utility wagons are examples. Rubber tires provide zero safety from lightning. After all, lightning has traveled for miles through the sky: four or five inches of rubber is no insulation whatsoever. People should safely abandon this machinery and get into a safe shelter.
3. School buses. Metal buses are good Faraday Cages. Make sure all windows are closed and the "hands on laps" rule is observed. Pull over and wait out the storm.
4. Damage. Reported damage to vehicles includes pitting, arcing, burning on both exterior and interior places. See the below photographs, courtesy of Mr. Brown, of his Jeep Cherokee which was struck by lightning. Cases have been reported of total destruction of vehicle wiring, and associated electrical and electronic systems. Cases from police departments report bad burns to the hands and mouth where officers were using radio microphones when their vehicles were struck. Cases describe total blow-out of all four tires in passenger cars. A video in our NLSI library shows a station wagon being struck by lightning in a heavy rain storm, with no damage whatsoever occurring.

[BillTex]

Not sure how this relates but here is the story; we were in a nasty lightning storm this weekend at elevation. We could hear hits all around us. Made sure everyone got inside, closed all the windows, did Not unplug from shore power. I took one last look outside with a flash light to be sure everything was tied down, etc, as I was going back inside and closing the door behind me, I received a shock (my hand was on the door itself). Nothing bad, no injuries, sure got my attention though. I am assuming the shock was due to static electricity which must have been in abundance in the air at that time…what thinks ye? Static charge?
I have never received any shocks from the AS previously.

Bill