Just started full timing in our new to us 2001 class a diesel. The forecast ahead is predicting lightning. Do's and don't s? Love to hear what you all recommend for safety of rig and occupants during this amazing natural phenomenon.

We do not full time, but whenever we pull into a park for the night, if it is lightening my husband hooks up our electric and cable so we can keep an eye out on the weather. If the lightening is in our area, we just pull into our spot and wait for the lightening to quit. Heard of too many people being killed from lightening.If we are on the road, I pull off the highway and try to park at a truck stop or rest area near the truckers. Just recently we had weather change on us while we were on the road. I got hit from the side with a gust of wind. When I saw the 18 wheelers pulling off at the next exit, I figured it was a good idea for me too. I looked at the weather channel on my smart phone while sitting in a parking lot (just got it and was learning how to use it) we found we were under thunderstorm watch and heavy gusting winds. When my husband went into the truck stop to get us some snacks, they invited us to go around to the back to park with the trucks. Where I was, I could watch when the truckers were leaving, so we stayed in the front parking lot.I have seen too many accidents on the news of buses, RVs and 18 wheelers who were pushed over because of gusting winds or fast moving water. Better safe than sorry. Even a flooding underpass can move an RV or 18 wheeler.

We generally pull into a rest area . . . fire up the genny and have a cup of coffee and wait for the storm to pass or slow down.

I don't worry about lightning but do watch for wind. Our house got hit by lightning once and on Pentecost Sunday in 1989 I was playing the organ at Church when we got hit by Lightning. Organ and chimes were out for the next year until they got redone. That was a pipe organ that got hit. Funnty thing was the zymbelstern started playing by itself. If I can't stop it at home or Church why worry about it. It does put on a great show and we have nice front windows to watch it from. Staying inside the MH is probably the safest because of the Faraday Cage you are in. A metal frame will normally spread the strike to the ground.

http://www.setrekclub.com/Lightening%20&%20RV's.pdfan old article but some good info. If in a campground, we unplug from shore power. I unplug my computer although I have a surge protector. We do not drive in thunderstorms with lightening, heavy rain or wind. I check the weather for the next 5 days before we leave and if there are storms we wait them out, or arrive early before afternoon storms hit. If by chance we do get caught driving, we pull into a truck stop, parking lot or rest area.

I unplug from shore power and start the inverter so we can watch TV and use the laptop to see where the cells are and which direction they are moving. Weather Underground has some neat maps showing that.I have a friend with the same year and model motor home I have. In 2005 his was hit by lightning. It didn't hurt him or his wife but he had to take it to the factory to get it repaired. The roof was replaced and there was a lot of collateral damage to the electronics. The cost to the insurance company was over $20,000 as I recall.

First lightning forecast | Good Sam Community

Mainship
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
I installed a whole house surge protector in the motorhome just to match what we have at home.
When we leave home we leave behind the lightning capital of U.S. so lightning not our major concern, much more in tune with the trees overhead for dead branches or since our run in with NUTS and the damage they caused. Falling nuts go right though sun aged A/C shrouds.
Did have a laugh last trip out, with a storm approaching the MH next to us was installing a 40 foot pole, asked if it was lightning protection or a ham antenna, neither a huge flagpole ;)
k_jensen6
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
Thank you, love all the links.
RayJayco
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
Links from the National Lightning Safety Institute and a couple of others. Lots of reading, good info and with lighting, you shouldn't fool around...

Vehicles and Lightning

Lightning Safety for Campers and Hikers

Lightning Protection: New Myths & Old Realities

Little Known Lightning Information

Personal Lightning Safety

US Scouts - Lightning Safety Rules and Tips

NOAA Lightning Resource Page

Summary- Best to get into a metal vehicle, such as your truck or car, NOT a fiberglass vehicle(such as Corvette, Saturn, etc.)and NOT a convertible...
In your RV, don't hook up to anything-especially the electric, stay inside and don't touch anything metal...

Probably more info than you wanted, however I hope that it helps!
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jul 30, 2013
There are very few things you can do and a whole lot of myths.

What can you do: Lower your profile.. Basically do not put up antennas

Do not plug in to shore power.

Try very hard to NOT be the tallest object nearby.. Example a 20 foot tree may well protect a 60' circle (Radius) but your roof has to be in the cone.. and the tree may hit you if it gets hit.

That's about it.

Myths:

I have heard folks yammer about not putting jacks down because they provide a ground path and the tires will insulate you.. Sure they will.. A ligntening bolt that just jumped thousands of feet is going to be stopped by say six inches of rubber tire..... Think about it. One of the funniest jokes I've ever heard.

You are safer inside the RV as the SHELL may protect you, epically if it's metal roof and sides.. A car (All metal) is good too, but only because of the protection (Which by the way is less than complete) offered by the metal shell.. Fiberglass bodies are not much protection.
J-Rooster
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
bobkatmsu wrote:
J-Rooster wrote:
I have an old golf club ( 1 - Iron) and I stand it upright on the roof of our RV on the advice of the following gentleman! Hall of Fame golfer Lee Trevino (The Tex Mex), when he was out on a golf course with lightning he would get his 1-Iron out of the bag and hold it up in the air. He claims he never was struck by lightening while holding a one iron (I won't quote what else he said)! So if it worked for my friend Lee it should work for me. It's a poor man's portable lightning rod!
To finish the quote from Lee, he said, "even God could not hit a 1 iron."
Kudo's to you Bob another Lee Trevino fan! Thought I'd add a little humor to the post and, I don't own a 1-Iron! And yes, I unplug my shore power line during lightning storms wherever I'm at!
bobkatmsu
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
J-Rooster wrote:
I have an old golf club ( 1 - Iron) and I stand it upright on the roof of our RV on the advice of the following gentleman! Hall of Fame golfer Lee Trevino (The Tex Mex), when he was out on a golf course with lightning he would get his 1-Iron out of the bag and hold it up in the air. He claims he never was struck by lightening while holding a one iron (I won't quote what else he said)! So if it worked for my friend Lee it should work for me. It's a poor man's portable lightning rod!
To finish the quote from Lee, he said, "even God could not hit a 1 iron."
wolfe10
Explorer
Jul 29, 2013
Good thing Lee was a good golfer, as his choice to make HIMSELF a lightening rod was not real sound.
J-Rooster
Explorer
Jul 29, 2013
I have an old golf club ( 1 - Iron) and I stand it upright on the roof of our RV on the advice of the following gentleman! Hall of Fame golfer Lee Trevino (The Tex Mex), when he was out on a golf course with lightning he would get his 1-Iron out of the bag and hold it up in the air. He claims he never was struck by lightening while holding a one iron (I won't quote what else he said)! So if it worked for my friend Lee it should work for me. It's a poor man's portable lightning rod!
bluwtr49
Explorer II
Jul 29, 2013
I also don't do anything. Admittedly there is always an inherent risk with lightning but a strike is a remote possibility. If we were in an area with above ground utilities I might unplug but that'a about it.
Clay_L
Explorer
Jul 29, 2013
I leave the jacks down.
There is no reason to raise them. Some people think raising them will let the tires prevent the lighting from going to ground.
It doesn't help.
The voltage in a lighting strike is so high that jumping the distance from the axle to ground is trivial. After all it has just jumped thousands of feet from a cloud. Another 20 inches or less is nothing.