TWL: Easy Lightning Protection-update
Michael Schooley wrote: "I really don't have time to reply to this, but I
think this advise is
dangerous, albeit good intentioned." regarding my connection of a #4 wire to
my radar arch,etc.
I see no danger, but improvements can be made to what I have done, as
discussed below.
My source, surprisingly, is the same as his, except my article is about ten
or fifteen years old!! The expert cited now says rounded end rather than
pointed rods are better, and that the bristle brush type haven't been
proven to work. But the pointed ones do work.
Anyway, I'll file off the point to a 3/8" to 1/2 inch rounded end.
Additionally, it turns out that a flat copper sheet near the surface of the
water provides better connectivity than the big zinc I used.....so I plan to
add a sheet of copper and cut indents along the edge to increase edge area
and improve any liughting dispersal. I'll retain the zinc for weight because
the last big boomer I was in had 90 mph winds and I need something to hold
the cable end down.
Michael also cited the same source saying it's dangerous to hook up a
protection system since the "charger front" extends far to the front of the
storm and risks are already high. I could not find a source for this which
would be helpful to understand the context. Meantime, I respectfully disagree
and will continue to connect my system well in advance of approaching storms,
And of course, none of this guarantees protection, but should offer better
odds.
Rob Brueckner.
Hatteras Yachtfish
At 01:36 PM 11/26/02 -0600, you wrote:
electronics fried. The whole thing just scared the crap out of us. It does
prove the point to me that the lightning danger is upon you long before you
may realize it. I guess the point Michael was making is that I sure wouldn't
Brent,
My experience with lightening is modest, but what little there is indicates
that the danger will be upon you before you know it.
I would not wrap my paddy paws around any conductive substance, with any
kind of electrical disturbance nearby, for love or money.
My wife's brother was hit by lightening in the mountains outside Boise,
along with 2 other fellows. Both of them were killed. The 3 of them were
running for cover when hit and he reports that they had virutally no
warning as the cloud simply boiled up out of nowhere.
Remember clouds. They are simply water vapor that has condensed. If the
condensation does not occur before the lightening starts or only shortly
before, you may not have any warning.
Lucky is the man for whom the bells tinkle before they toll.
Capt. Mike Maurice
Wilsonville, Near Portland Oregon
Rob Brueckner wrote:
Michael also cited the same source saying it's dangerous to hook up a
protection system since the "charger front" extends far to the front of
the
storm and risks are already high. .(endsnip)
I won't try to say I know anything about lightning protection, because I
don't, but I'll relate what I saw happen. Last year while we were moving our
boat around Florida, we had just arrived in Ft Myers in the middle of a
Saturday afternoon. We were just sitting on the Sundeck, sipping a cool one,
& saw one of those famous Florida afternooon thunderstorms coming toward us.
It was still far enough away that we hadn't even thought about closing
things up & getting inside when we heard what sounded like a cannon go off
about 150 ft from our boat. There was smoke & fiberglass flying through the
air & it took a second for us to realize what the heck had happened!
Lightning had hit a boat just down from us. I guess it hit what was probably
a Loran antenna first. Pieces if it went all over the marina & smoke was
rolling out of the boat. We all ran over & looked the boat over, but didn't
see any fire. We stood by with fire extinguishers until the marina folks
came down & opened the boat up to see if there was indeed any fire, which
there wasn't. I think the final verdict was that there was just a lot of
electronics fried. The whole thing just scared the crap out of us. It does
prove the point to me that the lightning danger is upon you long before you
may realize it. I guess the point Michael was making is that I sure wouldn't
want to be holding that #4 cable getting ready to throw it over the side
when the lightning hit!
Rob, I think overall you have a great plan, just get it out there & get the
heck out of the way WAY ahead of time!
Brent Hodges