BIG Badda Boom!

[vaskidmark]

Lightening around here usually hits something connected with the electric grid system.  But not today.

Someone must have left something conductive hanging off one of the cranes in the crane rental storage yard across the street.  Scorch marks going down the boom arm and smoke coming off the wire cable spools and the pulleys.  By the time the FD showed up (darned fast, too) there seemed to be nothing for them to do but look up - no hoses unrolled.  Can't see from here  where the crane sits on the ground - don't know if tires blew or anything melted onto/into the pavement.

You are now returned to your regularly scheduled forum.

stay safe.

[MechAg94]

We operate a remote booster station several miles away via line of site microwave ethernet dish.  The comms tower out at the booster tends to get hit every now and then.  We recently replaced the ethernet line going out to the tower with fiber.  Apparently, the voltage was jumping or induced into the ethernet copper cable just enough to fry our network switches at the tower and in our control room.  It would either shut us down or cause faults.  It fried our security camera on the tower twice this year.  No issues since switching to the fiber.  (we don't have a crossed fingers emoticon.  tin foil hat seems inappropriate)  

On cranes, standard practice is cranes don't operate and we clear people off steel structions and platforms for lightning within 8 or 10 miles.  I have never seen a crane get struck though.

[230RN]

Deleted because of possible copyright on slo-lo lightning strokes.

Substitute:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dukkO7c2eUE&feature=player_embedded

[RocketMan]

Very cool how the ionized corridor conducts lightning strokes many multiple times.  And to the naked eye, those would appear to be just two or three quick strikes.

[HeroHog]

In my youth I was a mechanic for a pile driving company. One day during a thunderstorm, lightning struck a pile driver just outside the shop where I was standing. The boom almost knocked me off my feet! It scared the living poo outta me!

[K Frame]

" Can't see from here  where the crane sits on the ground"

Use your multipass to get a closer look.

[Brad Johnson]

Equipment hits are common 'round here, mostly because it's the tallest thing for several miles in any direction. Same goes.for windmills.

Brad

[vaskidmark]

" Can't see from here  where the crane sits on the ground"

Use your multipass to get a closer look.

Didn't yesterday because of the vast amounts of liquid sunshine still filling the air.

Rolled past this morning and there were what looked like places where someone had dumped gasoline on the tarmac and lit it off.  Coming home this afternoon they were just putting a paving roller back on the truck.  There's a big rectangular patch of new storage yard surface.  The crane was not to be seen.

stay safe.

[230RN]

I always chuckle inside when I hear something about how you're safe in a rubber-tired vehicle because the tires insulate the car.

Ummm yeah... Like a stroke that's been itching to hit the ground from a mile (or whatever) up is going to pause at four inches of wet rubber.

Yes, you're pretty safe in a car, but not because of any insulation.

[Firethorn]

Yes, you're pretty safe in a car, but not because of any insulation.

Nope, it's the great big metal cage you're sitting in.  The conductive metal around you consisting of the car's frame means electricity much prefers traveling through it than you.

[230RN]

Nope, it's the great big metal cage you're sitting in.  The conductive metal around you consisting of the car's frame means electricity much prefers traveling through it than you.

True, of course, but guys do get electrocuted/burned when a stroke hits their crane or whatever.

[K Frame]

[MechAg94]

Nope, it's the great big metal cage you're sitting in.  The conductive metal around you consisting of the car's frame means electricity much prefers traveling through it than you.

There is also likely a better conductive path to ground than 4" of rubber somewhere nearby.  With a crane, they generally have outriggers down.  There is a lot of metal to provide a path to ground outside the cab.