Lightning Protection

[desert_sasquatc]

Do aluminum-walled motor homes provide any more protection from lightning than a house does? Does it provide less? I know that being in a car is supposed to be safe when lightning comes because the car acts as a farraday cage. But as I understand it aluminum isn't really conductive, so it can't help with this. How do people stay safe in lightning storms?

[desert_sasquatc]

Thanks everyone!

[Chris_Bryant]

I worked on an Airstream that had been struck by lightning- owner was lying on the couch watching tv.
Melted the body panel it struck, guy had a heart attack. Did fix the trailer, but only for permanent stay- the whole thing was pretty wracked.

[valhalla360]

In a direct strike...after (if?) your hearing comes back, you will be just fine. The Faraday cage effect will work.

The RV will be a total loss.

Most hits are secondary...usually coming through the power cord. Unless you are touching a conductor, not much risk but potential for lots of odd damage to the RV.

Really nothing much different from being in a house in terms of safety (though a house won't create much of a Faraday effect).

[Lwiddis]

When I was new 2LT from California at Ft. Bending in Georgia and a lightening storm was forecast, I asked “what do we do” of my fellow IOBC officers. The response was unanimous!

Go to the nearest bar. Aluminum be damned!

[navegator]

The first thing I did when we bought the RV was to make sure all electrical 120-VAC items were actually grounded to the incoming line and to the chasis the green wire, also made sure that all electronics were also properlly grounded, then I grounded the ladder to the chasis since it was not in contact with any metal from the chasis, then I bought a grounding strap that was installd on a bolt on the differential, I found that this really worked when we were in Colorado at the Escalante National Monumet, yes a lightning bolt hit the ladder and travelled down to ground though the chasis and the strap, the flash was blinding it shook the RV and the boom was good enough that we had to peel the cat from the ceiling with the fur standing on end, we were playing dominos and the wife spilt them all over I made some more tea for her to calm her down.

navegator

[ScottG]

LadyRVer wrote:
I was told to put my stablilizers on wood or lynx levelers so the stabilizers are not in direct contact with the ground. A motorhome recently burned up in a campground and it was mentioned the lightning hit the levelers. They were directly on the ground.

Wont make any difference at all. As was stated before, lightening jumps for miles so jumping across or through a piece plywood would be no challenge for it. In fact, having a clean path may prevent some damage.

[LadyRVer]

I was told to put my stablilizers on wood or lynx levelers so the stabilizers are not in direct contact with the ground. A motorhome recently burned up in a campground and it was mentioned the lightning hit the levelers. They were directly on the ground.

[ScottG]

As far as the aluminum box around you, yes, it will protect you, personally just fine. This includes EMF, which a faraday cage blocks well.
Countless cars and airplanes are struck every day and the occupants suffer no harm.
We ran thousands of tests in aviation.

[dieseltruckdriv]

wa8yxm wrote:

Johno02 wrote:
If you get hit by lighting, Its not going to make much difference either way.

This is a fact. There is some thought that a metal cage about you might offer SOME protection but frankly the EMP is going to mess you up some.

Oh and I have many times heard about the rubber tires on a car. ... I usually have to pick myself up off the floor (And recover my breath) before I reply to those messages.. Why was I on the floor having breathing trouble breathing.. LAUGHING of course. I mean a bolt of lightning that jumps a mile high air gap is not going to even notice a few inches of rubber.

Still in a lightning storm I want to be indoors.. WHY. IT's likely raining out there. And last Thursday I got to play in the dang near freezing rain (Ok perhaps 40 F) and I was not really dressed for it..

You stole my line! 😉

[time2roll]

Consider unplugging from the pedestal during a lightning storm.
A beverage and a favorite analog pastime (cards or a book?) will get you through just fine.

[jplante4]

Pretty good info here.

I'll bet that the chances of getting hit by a Egyptian truck driver having a heart attack on I-10 in Louisiana is probably 10 times greater than a lightning strike.

[wa8yxm]

Johno02 wrote:
If you get hit by lighting, Its not going to make much difference either way.

This is a fact. There is some thought that a metal cage about you might offer SOME protection but frankly the EMP is going to mess you up some.

Oh and I have many times heard about the rubber tires on a car. ... I usually have to pick myself up off the floor (And recover my breath) before I reply to those messages.. Why was I on the floor having breathing trouble breathing.. LAUGHING of course. I mean a bolt of lightning that jumps a mile high air gap is not going to even notice a few inches of rubber.

Still in a lightning storm I want to be indoors.. WHY. IT's likely raining out there. And last Thursday I got to play in the dang near freezing rain (Ok perhaps 40 F) and I was not really dressed for it..

[Horsedoc]

Chances are if you stabilizers are down the more direct path will be to ground through them - or on the neutral on the power supply coming into the RV. Jacks up and the MH is pretty much on rubber.

[Johno02]

If you get hit by lighting, Its not going to make much difference either way.