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

[Mustang GTA]

I would just stay home. Jesus, ever heard of a convertible car? I'd worry more about keeping my camp kitchen clean.

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[BearWithMe]

I should not be surprised at the number of “common sense experts” with no grasp of physics telling us the old wives tale about the rubber tires “helping,” and yet I am surprised.

 

[LSU Jonno]

I should not be surprised at the number of “common sense experts” with no grasp of physics telling us the old wives tale about the rubber tires “helping,” and yet I am surprised.

"Lightning experts" always come out from the woodwork during these discussions. I deal with it literally every day.

It's on full display in this thread. Love it.

 

[wjfawb0 [hacked account]]

I should not be surprised at the number of “common sense experts” with no grasp of physics telling us the old wives tale about the rubber tires “helping,” and yet I am surprised.

You don't work for Lightning Eliminators, do you?

I'm no lightning expert, but I do design high voltage substations and their controls. They tend to take a lot of hits especially when they have 200ft microwave towers in them.

 

[abe]

I feel this type of question is on par with the stolen fender/ stolen doors questions. Could these things happen? Absolutely. Are they likely to happen? No.

 

[Montana Bronco]

The tiny sheet metal of a car roof makes no difference to lightning.

Which is why Ford limited the number of cupholders. It is a proven fact that cupholders attract lightning. Need proof ? Every single vehicle hit by lightning in the past 20 years had cupholders. Look it up on the CDC website. So to protect people like the OP they had no choice but to reduce the number of cupholders.

 

[Potatomafia]

I have been through nasty thunderstorms in convertibles and soft top Jeeps. I would be lying if the thought didn't cross my mind though.

But, like in a convertible, if the vehicle body didn't direct the current away from my fleshy, water filled meat bag, it suddenly wouldn't be my problem anymore

 

[Old Guy]

I go camping in my aluminum truck topper in the summer, and I don't worry about the (sometimes violent) thunderstorms we get up here in the mountains.

In theory, the metal shell of the car body and truck topper should act like a Faraday cage if it was struck by lightning. How is that going to work with a Bronco with a plastic MIC top or fiberglass MOD top?

I'm concerned you'll lose the Faraday effect and then your watery meatsack is fair game as a ground path for the lightning. Thoughts? Has anyone else seriously thought about this?

If you see lighting, just keep your speed at 88MPH.

 

[John Bronco_ I am here]

Hey guys,

I actually work lightning protection at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL.

Sorry not impressive.....now if you said you worked for SpaceX then well..................

 

[AcesandEights]

Lightning. Probably the most important issue related to the 6G Bronco, and my first consideration when choosing a vehicle!

 

[2Jeeps&PatriotX1]

Thought Ive seen all the bizarre questions...but they just keep coming as we get more loopy waiting for our Broncos.

Not sure where you live but my house doesn’t have a metal roof. Man, just realized that my truck has a glass roof and my jeep and camper both have a soft top. Lets hope the 35” rubber on all 3 do their job.

 

[Deleted member 13702]

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.

That’s actually incorrect, it’s the metal cage of the vehicle which acts like a faraday cage. Your tires have nothing to do with it.

 

[wvmtneer]

I go camping in my aluminum truck topper in the summer, and I don't worry about the (sometimes violent) thunderstorms we get up here in the mountains.

In theory, the metal shell of the car body and truck topper should act like a Faraday cage if it was struck by lightning. How is that going to work with a Bronco with a plastic MIC top or fiberglass MOD top?

I'm concerned you'll lose the Faraday effect and then your watery meatsack is fair game as a ground path for the lightning. Thoughts? Has anyone else seriously thought about this?

Did not read entire thread. @North7 care to explain?

 

[North7]

Did not read entire thread. @North7 care to explain?

A faraday cage is a metal enclosure that keeps electrical signals in or out, one example below. An aircraft is a type of faraday cage, the lighting hits the aluminum skin and travels to the tail or wingtips and leaves. On aircraft systems we design them to withstand very high lighting strikes as you still see some of the electrical energy occasionally come into the aircraft and travel down cable bundles damaging equipment if it is not protected. To make a faraday cage, any frame will do, covered by copper, steel or aluminum, solid or mesh. If you line your hard top, say with aluminum foil, in theory you will get some level of protection, not counting the windows,, to find out how much, see the video below. Of course if you do this you will earn the tinfoil hat award at the Bronco meetup.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Other than not playing golf during a lightning storm

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