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Lightening Strikes on FWCs?


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#1 Wallowa

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Posted 14 July 2019 - 03:45 PM

We had a long and violent lightening storm here last night; which gave me pause.  Has anyone had or seen a FWC which was struck by lightening?

 

Thanks..Phil


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#2 ntsqd

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Posted 14 July 2019 - 04:03 PM

I can't say that I've ever seen any type of RV that had been hit by lightening. Interested to see if anyone else has.


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#3 ski3pin

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Posted 14 July 2019 - 04:13 PM

We have ridden out so many thunderstorms in our All Terrain Camper - similar enough to a FWC I feel it appropriate to post here -  that I'm convinced the camper/truck do not add any additional attractiveness to draw a lightning strike.


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#4 Smokecreek1

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Posted 14 July 2019 - 05:13 PM

Ya, I have the same reaction and  impressions as Ski.  Just sit tight, enjoy and don't use the time to clean  your tire iron -just kidding :rolleyes:! Seems to me that vehicles all have some type of system that bleeds off that type  energy, but I tend to still  not touch metal things during the storm.

 

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#5 PaulT

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Posted 14 July 2019 - 05:54 PM

Remember that the camper is insulated from strikes by the same rubber and air that the vehicle is, although sitting in your camper on the summit during a thunderstorm may not be recommended. ;)

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#6 Wallowa

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Posted 14 July 2019 - 06:56 PM

Remember that the camper is insulated from strikes by the same rubber and air that the vehicle is, although sitting in your camper on the summit during a thunderstorm may not be recommended. ;)

Paul

 

 

I was kinda wishing this was true about the tires...sadly the tires do nothing to insulate from lightening..not certain but this sounds like a Faraday Cage...charge on outer shell...but still, it would scare the crap out of me!

 

Most people believe the rubber tires on a car prevent lightning strikes. Ironically, it’s not the rubber tires insulating the car, but rather the conductive metal framing which protects you by conducting the electricity around the vehicle and its occupants. The truth is, rubber tires don’t prevent lightningstrikes in the least bit.
www.weatherimagery.com/blog/rubber-tires-protect-lightning/
 

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#7 longhorn1

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Posted 14 July 2019 - 07:32 PM

There was a guy on a motorcycle about 3-4 weeks ago that a lightening strike went through his fiberglass helmet, causing him to crash, and he didn't survive. jd

I was kinda wishing this was true about the tires...sadly the tires do nothing to insulate from lightening..not certain but this sounds like a Faraday Cage...charge on outer shell...but still, it would scare the crap out of me!



Most people believe the rubber tires on a car prevent lightning strikes. Ironically, it’s not the rubber tires insulating the car, but rather the conductive metal framing which protects you by conducting the electricity around the vehicle and its occupants. The truth is, rubber tires don’t prevent lightningstrikes in the least bit.


Do Rubber Tires Prevent Lightning Strikes? | WeatherImagery
www.weatherimagery.com/blog/rubber-tires-protect-lightning/




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#8 Wallowa

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Posted 14 July 2019 - 07:53 PM

There was a guy on a motorcycle about 3-4 weeks ago that a lightening strike went through his fiberglass helmet, causing him to crash, and he didn't survive. jd

 

 

Hey thanks for the cheery thought!   :D   What killed him the crash or a millions of volts or thousands of amps?

 

  I leave soon on a two off road MC trip across Idaho and Montana....will "keep my head down"... B)

 

Phil

 

Amps in Lightning
A typical lightning bolt carries 1,000 to 300,000 amps. A typical lightning bolt is rated at up to 125 million volts. The “average” lightning bolt is very hot.
www.tlpinc.com/lightning-safety/lightning-by-the-numbers.html

Edited by Wallowa, 14 July 2019 - 07:54 PM.

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#9 Taku

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Posted 14 July 2019 - 08:00 PM

Well, since I have been hit by lightening three times, while out in the field, I hope next time I am in my ATC during the storm!


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#10 craig333

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Posted 14 July 2019 - 10:11 PM

I"ve wondered if the Faraday cage effect would be improved if you lowered the top. Only been in one storm where I thought my odds of getting struck were pretty good.

 

I've talked to a couple of lookout operators who say its still pretty scary even if the structure is designed to take a direct hit.


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