Shipping container lightning protection

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sespllc

Member
Question: Is this true? I have a metal 20' x 20' shipping container and I want to protect it from lightning. The container can be considered a metal shield whereby if lightning does strike the conx the outer shield will take the current surge to ground if the metal container is connected to a ground system. Is this a sound assumption? Open to suggestions and ideas.
 

rcwilson

Senior Member
Location
Redmond, WA
Lightning protection standards consider metal objects like smoke stacks, thicker than .08" as adequate for lightning currents.

Your conex probably has thicker steel than that and all parts are welded together for a good connection. That steel structure is a better conductor for lightining frequencies than most grounding conductors. Just ground the structure to a ground rod on opposite corners.
 

winnie

Senior Member
Location
Springfield, MA, USA
Occupation
Electric motor research
Define what you mean by 'protect'.

I would expect that a metal shipping container would act like the metal skin of an airplane; if lightning hits one point, it will exit another point, and nothing _inside_ will be harmed.

But perhaps you are concerned about protecting things attached to the shipping container, eg communications lines?

-Jon
 
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