Re: Lightning protection


"Tom MacIntyre" <tom__macintyre@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:nbhjc1tfjt5o4cum2sbgj5nv1l5ctleh45@xxxxxxxxxx
>
> Hi folks...this was in a baseball newsgroup that I participate in
> (rec.sport.baseball). Faraday cages have been mentioned, implying that
> it could be safe. I don't know that I'd trust this against lightning
> (maybe a Van de Graff generator). What do you think?
>
> "Just wondering if sitting on a wood bench inside a metal cage (i.e.
> metal on top and 4 sides) is a safe place to be during a lightning
> storm. This is similar to the situation of being in a car (except for
> the rubber tires!). I have seen younger kids wait out a passing storm
> this way and am wondering if it IS in fact safe? What would the effect
> of metal cleats be? I'd appreciate any thoughts from anybody but
> especially from physics teachers/physicists. Thanks!"
>
> Tom

It's a good place to be, but lightning is a bit unpredictable.
The cage needs to be grounded. If the ground path passes under your feet,
you could get a voltage differential across the two of them, causing severe
harm to you.

Your feet should be on a dry, elevated wood platform. If the wood gets wet
from rain coming through, there is again the possibility of a voltage
differential.

The cage would be electrically equivalent to a Faraday cage, and therefore
safe, it it was metal on six sides, joined together through low resistance,
reliable bonds.


.

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