Lightning safety in non-metal-roof vehicles like Bronco?

[MallCrawlinBranco]

https://www.weather.gov/iln/lightningsafetyweek

The safest location during a thunderstorm is inside a large enclosed structure with plumbing and electrical wiring. [Guess pex pipe has another downside to it heh]

If no substantial buildings are available, then an enclosed metal vehicle such as an automobile, van, or school bus would be a suitable alternative.

Convertible vehicles offer no safety from lightning, even if the top is up. Other vehicles which are NOT safe during thunderstorms are those with open cabs, such as golf carts, tractors, and construction equipment.

the tires aren't doing crap for you. Its the metal acting as a faraday cage. Bronco is probably better than a convertible thanks to the roll bars, but still not proper protection it sounds like. And camping under a cloth tent with metal poles..... That isn't going to save your ass, but if you're minimizing ground contact it might help

https://lightning.org/is-your-shelt...about-the-dangers-of-tents-and-thunderstorms/

“Lightning struck Lookout Point near the tent a 6:52 p.m. Cowan’s three companions were standing in the tent at the time; they received only minor injuries and survived the strike. Cowan, however was lying down and killed instantly.

If your tent is the highest thing in the area its a worse bet than not being in it.

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[Toccoa]

Just set up a lightning rod if it bothers you.

You are more likely to get killed by a bear or a crackhead

and if you are in dry country the lightning will start a fire before it strikes your car

 

[NotApplicable]

Is this just as much of a concern while in motion/driving or is it worse when parked

 

[HarderCorer]

::EDIT:: Don't bother reading this. 5 others already answered this better in the time it took me to write it.

It isn't the roof providing you protection, but the 4 rubber tires insulating the vehicle and yourself from being grounded.

Nope, the lightning just went 2 miles or more through open air, it isn’t going to be stopped by the short gap between the car and the ground.

it’s the metal. The metal provides an easier path than you do, and that should be true of the metal frame.

People constantly get this wrong. Lightning will take the easiest route possible. It will go through the air if nothing better is there but will always look for trees and metal. If it's going to hit close to a car, it will hit the metal top travel to the bottom and and if needed, skip through the air though most likely it will find a better back through stuff closer to the ground. The reason people don't get fried in a car is the same with birds on electric wires. Now if the lightning happens to strike as you're getting into the car...

TLDR though, you'll be just as safe as in a normal car.

 

[beachman101]

Is this just as much of a concern while in motion/driving or is it worse when parked

lighting works by sending down dozens of little "fingers" called streamers.

the first streamer to touch something that is grounded is the path the electric discharge will take and that is the path of the lightning bolt

movement or no movement it might make no difference

 

[Brongo]

It isn't the roof providing you protection, but the 4 rubber tires insulating the vehicle and yourself from being grounded.

Lightning is looking for the easiest path to ground. The insulation of the tires is the biggest factor. Less conductive material such as a mic roof actually helps as well.

Science rocks!

 

[NotApplicable]

lighting works by sending down dozens of little "fingers" called streamers.

the first streamer to touch something that is grounded is the path the electric discharge will take and that is the path of the lightning bolt

movement or no movement it might make no difference

Seems like this would’ve been a more discussed topic for all the convertibles and Jeep’s on the road if it were a measurable risk then !

 

[LSU Jonno]

Hey guys,

I actually work lightning protection at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. We just got the SLS Core Stage out of the test stand at Stennis and on its way to Kennedy without any significant lightning events! On to the Bronco...

Even an all metal vehicle is not a Faraday Cage due to windows, rubber door seems, etc. You are relatively safe in a metal vehicle simply because there is metal between you and the lightning strike, and once lightning attaches to the metal of the vehicle it will be shunted away and around you because metal is the lowest impedance path.

If lightning hits the plastic MIC top, it will absolutely destroy it, and may arc through the vehicle. Best case scenario would be if it attached to the top of the metal beam across the windshield.

Don't count on tires "protecting you" at all. Think about it, the lightning just originated in the clouds, perhaps miles away, and broke through the dielectric strength of miles of air to get to your vehicle. Do you think lightning will have a problem bypassing 2-3 ft of rubber tire? It doesn't. Plus your tires will likely be dripping wet with rain...

 

[mtap]

It isn't the roof providing you protection, but the 4 rubber tires insulating the vehicle and yourself from being grounded.

Lightning is looking for the easiest path to ground. The insulation of the tires is the biggest factor. Less conductive material such as a mic roof actually helps as well.

Myth

 

[beachman101]

Hey guys,

I actually work lightning protection at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. We just got the SLS Core Stage out of the test stand at Stennis and on its way to Kennedy without any significant lightning events! On to the Bronco...

Even an all metal vehicle is not a Faraday Cage due to windows, rubber door seems, etc. You are relatively safe in a metal vehicle simply because there is metal between you and the lightning strike, and once lightning attaches to the metal of the vehicle it will be shunted away and around you because metal is the lowest impedance path.

If lightning hits the plastic MIC top, it will absolutely destroy it, and may arc through the vehicle. Best case scenario would be if it attached to the top of the metal beam across the windshield.

Don't count on tires "protecting you" at all. Think about it, the lightning just originated in the clouds, perhaps miles away, and broke through the dielectric strength of miles of air to get to your vehicle. Do you think lightning will have a problem bypassing 2-3 ft of rubber tire? It doesn't. Plus your tires will likely be dripping wet with rain...

have you ever shot a model rockets with steel wires up into thunder storms? always wanted to try that

 

[Nickp]

The Ford rep at the next Bronco event when one of you asks a question about this:

 

[LSU Jonno]

have you ever shot a model rockets with steel wires up into thunder storms? always wanted to try that

We shoot rockets trailing wire into storm clouds to trigger lightning so that we know exactly where it strikes ground in order to validate our lightning instrumentation. It's pretty cool to see.

 

[Blksn955.o]

when in elementary school...like 5th grade we where driving home from the store in the family F150 extended cab and got hit by lightning. Big flash of light...like everything was white. Everything went nuts on the truck. We got home and I remember the truck had to be repaired and I rember it was never right again. It was traded in not too long after due to that.

This would have been around 87-88

 

[beachman101]

We shoot rockets trailing wire into storm clouds to trigger lightning so that we know exactly where it strikes ground in order to validate our lightning instrumentation. It's pretty cool to see.

thats awesome.

not many people know you can trigger lightning on demand with a model rocket

 

[wbrainbow]

When it’s your time it’s your time. Don’t park on top of the mountain or in an open field. Get low or go.

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