Lightning Storm in RV

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I enjoy thunder storms, I watch them with glee. Apparently we should be worrying about selfie related injuries more.

Bill
 
First of all, thanks for the advice guys.  This thread def cleared some things up for me.

A couple of things to add about lightning, as I understand it, based on reading Weather Service info.

Lightning super-heats, and then travels through the now-more-conductive superheated air.  While yes, the tremendous voltage of lightning striking isn't going to be stopped by a few inches of rubber (tires), those few inches matter for likelihood of strike.  As static builds between the atmosphere and the ground, a lightning strike becomes increasingly likely until a strike occurs.  While you can't do that much about whether or not you are in that path, you can avoid being an active endpoint in the strike.  A shoreline, a dangling awning rod, or even a bicycle leaning on your RV is still grounding you to the final node in the lighting's path.

Mythbusting:
Only metal cars can act as Faraday cages.  Modern fiberglass bodies do not, so you are probably better off in your metal body RV than in your fiberglass body car.

Here's our lightning policy:
-lower antannaes
-remove any conductive bridge between your coach and the ground (shoreline, bikes, xmas lights, etc)
-get on the bed and stay away from the walls and ceiling - just like in your car, don't touch controls or handles
 
Modern fiberglass bodies do not, so you are probably better off in your metal body RV than in your fiberglass body car.
Click to expand...

Many RVs are fiberglass bodied these days. I might even say "most RVs" other than the lower priced models.  However, I'm not sure that the body cladding has a lot to do with lightning vulnerability, pro or con. Too many variables, I think, to make any general statements. Metal conducts, of course, but whether it is conducting current toward or away from the occupants, or not conducting anywhere at all because it lacks a ground, depends on a bunch of things.
 
wheresmishu said:
Here's our lightning policy:
-lower antannaes
-remove any conductive bridge between your coach and the ground (shoreline, bikes, xmas lights, etc)
-get on the bed and stay away from the walls and ceiling - just like in your car, don't touch controls or handles
Click to expand...

If you're going to do all that, don't forget to unplug and stow the shore power cord.  No use getting rid of all of the secondary ground bridges if you leave the best one connected to the ground pin in the power pedestal.
 
I live in Florida in an RV and Florida is the lightning capitol of the world. I love to sit and watch the fantastic light shows they produce. It never dawned on me to be paranoid about it.
 
SeilerBird said:
I live in Florida in an RV and Florida is the lightning capitol of the world. I love to sit and watch the fantastic light shows they produce. It never dawned on me to be paranoid about it.
Click to expand...


    I live only a few miles from you and I can stand at the back door and count 5 trees that have been killed by lightning and another three that have been stuck but are still alive. Lightening scares the bejibbies outta me. Lost two satellite dish recievers, a water pump and two gate operators.
 
Well, I have been hit by lightning 3 times.

In none of those times was I the highest thing around.

Once on  sailboat and twice in 2 different mountain cabins. Never in motorhome.

 
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