Lightning protection
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Williamsburg, VA
Lightning protection
Has anybody installed lightning rods on their home or shop? I'm thinking about it but haven't researched it much. Any info that you might want to pass along would be appreciated. I will install it myself, but I haven't got a clue as to what I need or how much I should be spending.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Williamsburg, VA
I've been to those already. I was leaning more toward this one for the sake of an estimate...http://www.lightning-safe.com/ but I was hoping for personal experience before I get too far into it. 'preciate the help though.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,476
Likes: 224
From: Frequently frozen MN
I don't know of many lightning rods in use anymore -- mainly because they possibly cause more problems then they MIGHT solve.
IMHO the actual rod slightly increases the chances for a strike ( slightly), because it is a piece of metal high in the air. On the other hand, I really don't think that it can do much to dissipate a strike. The amount of energy in a bolt of lightning is pretty incredible. I don't believe that you could shunt it to ground with any reasonably sized conductor. I believe that if lightning should strike a lightning rod, it will still arc to nearby grounded areas and/or blow out the ground circuit attached to the rod. If your shop is metal, it will probably be fairly effective by itself.
The surge protectors on phone lines, etc. are for the energy that's induced when lightning strikes nearby.
Just my .02
ford2go
IMHO the actual rod slightly increases the chances for a strike ( slightly), because it is a piece of metal high in the air. On the other hand, I really don't think that it can do much to dissipate a strike. The amount of energy in a bolt of lightning is pretty incredible. I don't believe that you could shunt it to ground with any reasonably sized conductor. I believe that if lightning should strike a lightning rod, it will still arc to nearby grounded areas and/or blow out the ground circuit attached to the rod. If your shop is metal, it will probably be fairly effective by itself.
The surge protectors on phone lines, etc. are for the energy that's induced when lightning strikes nearby.
Just my .02
ford2go
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
Likes: 22
From: The Big, Oregon
There isn't so much need for lightning rods nowadays, because most plumbing is plastic instead of iron or copper/brass. I have been in an older house with an all-brass sewer system, when it was hit by lightening, and it wasn't fun. Thought the roof was leaking, turned out it was a pipe in the apartment above mine that got a hole blown through it, flooded my place pretty good.
Having trees near to your house helps a bit, so does not building on the top of a hill.
I think the most detrimental effect from a lightning rod system properly installed is maybe more strikes, and a burn mark on the building under the cable.
Having trees near to your house helps a bit, so does not building on the top of a hill.
I think the most detrimental effect from a lightning rod system properly installed is maybe more strikes, and a burn mark on the building under the cable.
Trending Topics
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Frame houses still attract lightning because of that "spiderweb" of ground wires in the ceiling for lights etc. The wires and house construction offer no protection either. Being inside a frame house is not much better than standing under a tree.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Williamsburg, VA
The situation I am in is that my house is in the middle of a clearing. I've got fifty feet or more all the way around before there are any substantial trees. I've seen lightning strikes that blow a hole in the roof and catch the attic on fire even on the newer houses. I work at night and I'd rather not come home in the morning to a pile of ashes. This time of year we get a lot of late evening thunder/lightning storms. Just trying to protect my investment. When I build the shop, I'll be looking to protect that too. By then I'll have the experience of protecting the house so it should go easier. The shop will be traditional wood frame with steel siding, but I think it will still need the lightning rods to protect it. I guess I'm going to get an estimate from the place that I linked to earlier. I'll let you know what they say....
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 687
Likes: 1
If the installer you choose needs to know the makeup of your soil, be as accurate as
possible. Proper grounding is essential to a good installation. The installer you link to
looks like they provide a quality design. You might ask them how the connections are
made in the installation. Many installers use cadweld bonding as opposed to using
clamped connections that can loosen and corrode with time. One other tip is to find
a local place that can test the efficiency of the system grounding after it is installed.
Relying on a excellent installation with a poor ground system can give a false sense
of security.
possible. Proper grounding is essential to a good installation. The installer you link to
looks like they provide a quality design. You might ask them how the connections are
made in the installation. Many installers use cadweld bonding as opposed to using
clamped connections that can loosen and corrode with time. One other tip is to find
a local place that can test the efficiency of the system grounding after it is installed.
Relying on a excellent installation with a poor ground system can give a false sense
of security.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Williamsburg, VA
Originally Posted by fl1a
If the installer you choose needs to know the makeup of your soil, be as accurate as
possible. Proper grounding is essential to a good installation. The installer you link to
looks like they provide a quality design. You might ask them how the connections are
made in the installation. Many installers use cadweld bonding as opposed to using
clamped connections that can loosen and corrode with time. One other tip is to find
a local place that can test the efficiency of the system grounding after it is installed.
Relying on a excellent installation with a poor ground system can give a false sense
of security.
possible. Proper grounding is essential to a good installation. The installer you link to
looks like they provide a quality design. You might ask them how the connections are
made in the installation. Many installers use cadweld bonding as opposed to using
clamped connections that can loosen and corrode with time. One other tip is to find
a local place that can test the efficiency of the system grounding after it is installed.
Relying on a excellent installation with a poor ground system can give a false sense
of security.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 878
Likes: 0
From: Cornelius, Oregon
Talk to some HAM radio guys. They're pretty knowledgeable about grounding their antenna systems for lightning. You could probably get some knowledge from them and build a system yourself for a lot cheaper than having a company do it.
actually there's some good discussion going on about it over on eham.net right now...
http://www.eham.net/articles/17168
actually there's some good discussion going on about it over on eham.net right now...
http://www.eham.net/articles/17168
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
From: Williamsburg, VA
Originally Posted by pitrow
Talk to some HAM radio guys. They're pretty knowledgeable about grounding their antenna systems for lightning.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,214
Likes: 13
From: New Jersey
The best lightening rod system is a pole, much taller than the highest point of your house, installed at least 10' away from teh house, driven directly into the ground.
Lightening is attracted to the highest point near the strike, and further attracted to materials that conduct better - like metal.
If it's tall enough, your house won't be struck, and the lightening directly channeled into the earth. No wires necessary as the "rod" and the "pole" would be metal.
Lightening is attracted to the highest point near the strike, and further attracted to materials that conduct better - like metal.
If it's tall enough, your house won't be struck, and the lightening directly channeled into the earth. No wires necessary as the "rod" and the "pole" would be metal.