lightning

[fireryan]

Ok. My garage was struck by lightning today. So as I was going thru the garage checking stuff I noticed my furnace fan was humming. The switch feeding the furnace was off. I checked he switch to see if maybe the contacts had been welded shut but they have not. Didnt have time to look any further, any ideas. This is the 3rd time in 2 years this garage has suffered damage due to lightning. Is it possible that maybe my grounding system is no good. I know it has one rod but i never have done an ohm test on it

 

[ultramegabob]

install a lightning arrestor/surge suppressor.

 

[fireryan]

do you have a tail panel in your garage? if so, install a lightning arrestor/surge suppressor.

Not sure what a tail panel is but I do plan on installing surge protection asap

 

[ultramegabob]

I changed my post after I realized my brainfart that your talking about a ground rod and not a lightning rod, you obviously have a panel in your garage....

 

[fireryan]

yeah I was a little quick on the gun there:grin:

 

[benaround]

fireryan,

Don't waste your money on a ground rod test, the earth is what it is. It might

be wise to check the cable tv and phone grounds to be sure they are all tied

into the GES. Installing TVSS in the main panel or main disconnect would be

a smart move. Maybe check and see if the EGC to the furnace is connected.

 

[ultramegabob]

Installing TVSS in the main panel or main disconnect would be
a smart move.

if the lightning is striking the garage, wouldnt it be better to install the TVSS in its panel diverting the lighting to the closest ground rod?

 

[hillbilly1]

Is the garage getting struck directly? or is it coming in from nearby utility hits? If its the utility side, install more ground rods, they will help dissipate the surges that the TVSS catches(when you install it). I always tell my customers you want to stop it before it goes inside, so ground, ground and more grounds. Have a lot of customers that previously constantly got hit, then after upgrading the ground system and installing TVSS's have no more problems.

 

[fireryan]

Im gonna install another ground rod and a tvss. But there must be something shorted together to make the furnace fan run with the switch off. The ground was not connected in the furnace so I will have to connect that. For some reason they ran it to the furnace but never connected it, not real smart. They ran a 3 wire direct burial cable to the garage so there is no egc running to the garage

 

[hillbilly1]

I would go ahead and drive two, make it in a delta configuration 8' apart tying all three together with a single run of #4 bare copper, start at the first rod loop thru to the second, then back to the first rod. Use copper clad rods only, as the galvanized rod rust up quickly in acidic soil.

 

[rattus]

I would go ahead and drive two, make it in a delta configuration 8' apart tying all three together with a single run of #4 bare copper, start at the first rod loop thru to the second, then back to the first rod. Use copper clad rods only, as the galvanized rod rust up quickly in acidic soil.

The experts tell me that the connections to the rods should be silver soldered as well.

 

[stickboy1375]

Is the garage getting struck directly?

If it did, we wouldn't be having this conversation... :grin:

 

[hillbilly1]

If it did, we wouldn't be having this conversation... :grin:

My neighbor on the hill above me had a direct strike, or at least a branch of a direct strike, It hit his gutter, run down the downspout, hit the metal termite shield, run down to the copper LP gas line, blew a hole in it projecting a flame 2-3' long from it into his basement. Luckily (I guess) he was working in the basement at the time, and ran out and turned off the gas. No other damage was done other than the downspout brackets blown off.

 

[hillbilly1]

The experts tell me that the connections to the rods should be silver soldered as well.

Exothermic welding is the preferred method. (CadWeld is one of the name brands)

 

[stickboy1375]

My neighbor on the hill above me had a direct strike, or at least a branch of a direct strike, It hit his gutter, run down the downspout, hit the metal termite shield, run down to the copper LP gas line, blew a hole in it projecting a flame 2-3' long from it into his basement. Luckily (I guess) he was working in the basement at the time, and ran out and turned off the gas. No other damage was done other than the downspout brackets blown off.

Pretty impressive, did you see the strike?

 

[hillbilly1]

No, did not get to see it, but did get to upgrade his grounding system at the house and barn. He was losing two fence chargers a year to lightning, hasn't had to replace one now in 6 years.

 

[stickboy1375]

No, did not get to see it, but did get to upgrade his grounding system at the house and barn. He was losing two fence chargers a year to lightning, hasn't had to replace one now in 6 years.

I dislike those invisible fences for dogs, they seem to be a real problem with lightning.

 

[hillbilly1]

I dislike those invisible fences for dogs, they seem to be a real problem with lightning.

This was a very visible fence for cattle!