First lightning forecast

[k_jensen6]

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.

[Mainship]

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]

Thank you, love all the links.

[RayJayco]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Good thing Lee was a good golfer, as his choice to make HIMSELF a lightening rod was not real sound.

[J-Rooster]

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]

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]

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.

[wolfe10]

Absolutely unhook from shore power if lightening is imminent.

Surge protectors can give you a FALSE sense of security. But, none of them are designed to control a nearby lightening strike.

[k_jensen6]

When parked at campsite. Do you unhook from shore power? Jacks up or down? And are they on some kind of pad, plastic, wood?

[Clay_L]

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.

[sdianel_-acct_c]

http://www.setrekclub.com/Lightening%20&%20RV's.pdf
an 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.