[BC] Lightning

[Alan Alsobrook]

Bruce Doerle wrote:
> Alan,
> So I won't hold anything to a firm rule on the glassification around a ground
> rod. But the reports I have on glassification is that it occurs in
> the soil near the top of the rod and since most lightning strike
> occur during rain storms and since we have fairly sandy soil, I would
> expect that most lightning rods would be wet near the surface.  Who
> knows for sure.

The Strike could occur early in the storm prior to water having a chance 
to soak in, or even before the first rain drop falls. I have noticed 
that strikes ahead of a thunder storm typically do far more damage than 
the strikes that occur after rain is falling. At least in my area when 
you go down about 2'- 3' you hit wet sand. The wet sand requires far 
more energy to heat it up. Also it will have a far lower ground 
resistance.

> However, I don't have to prove that lightning will bypass
> 'prevention' systems; there already is enough examples that you can
> go read about including some mentioned in the Polyphasor bulletin I
> used in an earlier post.

Just keep in mind Polyphasor sells more product if lighting strikes. It 
would not be to their advantage to prove that the prevention systems may 
actually do that.
PS: Polyphasor makes very good products and I do use them.

-- 
Alan Alsobrook CSRE AMD CBNT
St. Augustine Fl. 32086 904-829-8885
aalso at Bellsouth.net