Lightning protection

Oh, I have a very vivid imagination on what would happen...none of it good. The odds of a strike are minimal and I wouldn't worry over it.

 

Here in NC the Progress Energy pros have stated that NOTHING will prevent major damage with a million volt lightning strike. They said that lightning can travel up to 4 miles underground. Unplug, meaning disrupt the ground (key to protection) to the charger and car to protect from damage. That's my plan. :spy:

 

Seeing this I was wondering how the car or home insurance policy would deal with damage to the car from a strike??

 

should all be covered. i once had a lightning strike hit near my yard, travel thru the wiring of my underground sprinkler system and travel into the house, invading the entire electrical system. blew the irrigation controller, television and a few other electronics. it was scary, but luckily no major damage or fire. insurance covered everything.

 

Apparently, you have not experienced the house shaking, ear splitting lightning/thunder that roars out of the Gulf and up the SE Atlantic seaboard. A lot different from the Midwest where I grew up. Living among tall Pines, which are perfect lightning rods, I'd say my odds are pretty good for a strike, since every year I see several pines with lightning strikes (soon to be very dead) very near my house. Take lightning very seriously.

 

Oh, I do take lightning seriously. You won't ever see me on the golf course or standing near/under a tree during a thunderstorm.

Given your location and surroundings, you may indeed be at increased risk of a lightning strike. According to NLSI, NC came in #5 on the list of fatalities from 1990 through 2003. The OP's state (GA) comes in at #9, also at increased risk. However, on a per capita basis, you rank #19 and he ranks #25...not quite so high (though still above average). Also, the odds of you being struck, or a lightning fatality are still rather low especially considering the other hazards you risk on a daily basis. Odds of being killed on your daily commute (assuming you don't work at home) are several orders of magnitude greater than being struck by lightning.

There are also lots of things you can do to increase your chances of being struck by lightning: such as playing golf in a storm; or standing near/under a tree during a lightning storm; or choosing to buy/build your home close to tall pine trees, to name a few. [edit]I'd be more worried about my commute than a lightning strike even in your circumstances.[/edit]

The OP asked if anybody had an idea of what might happen if a strike DID occur. My response was: nothing good...but that the odds of a strike in the first place are rather low. He stated the precautions he had taken--unplugged charger and turned off PC...quite sensible things to do.

My point was/is that (having taken all the precautions you can) worrying about something that was unlikely to occur, and over which in the end you have no control over, is not very useful, fun, nor productive.

 

Lightning? Rain?

It NEVER rains in Southern California!

 

but girl, don't they warn ya...

 

You should try sitting out in the middle of the lake, with 50' of aluminum mast sticking up into the air. The Great Lakes generate frequent and violent thunder storms. In the summer months, we average about two really good ones on any week-long sail. In the late autumn you don't want to be on the lake at all (cue The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.)

Tom

 

Been there before. Captain sees storm rolling in and suggests that we avoid making contact with the mast, boom, shrouds, and forestay. Before long the boom has snapped, the jib is torn, and with lightning flashing all around me, I'm the dummy who has his back against the shrouds, his left knee against the mast, his right hand on the boom, and is desperately trying to get the main down off the mast as quickly as possible. The whole time thinking to myself, "If lightning strikes the mast while I'm at this, I wonder if I'll be dead before I notice?". Fortunately, we got the storm tri-sail up, and the boat back under control without any major injuries.