How can i build a lightning conductor?

Question

i'm currently studying lightning conductors, and i need more info on building one. the conductor i intend to build is for camping purposes. is there anyone who can explain to me how to build one?

Answer 1

The only one that I ever heard about that was portable was a nine iron.....

Answer 2

It is easiest to understand this if any of these people took an actual electronics class like I have. Electricity flows on an atomic level. The reason the air is a poor conductor is mainly because it isn't a single substance, it is many different things mixed together (Nitrogen, oxygen, etc). The Rod on the other hand is a single substance that is a great conductor (probably Copper). What makes something a great conductor is if it has a single space open for an Electron in its last "Shell"(just like Copper does), the reason that works so well is because the charge can jump right in and back out without causing instability (it is simply replaced with the next electron), and not to mention that the atom was looking to fill the hole (like a negative charge). So thinking of electricity as a line of electrons, each will basically do a frog leap into and back out of each atom of Copper until it finds its way to the ground (literally at some point it will find its way to the Earth). If you put a very long conductive rod into the ground, it would work as a ground (that is where they get that term from). Electricity moves VERY quickly and will easily slip to the strongest ground. Much like if you were to take an empty 2 liter and put a small hole about 2 inches from the hole in the top, then filled it with water and turned it upside down with the cap off, some water may slip out the small hole, but it will naturally go for the big hole (in this case, because of Newton's Law). In the same way as the water experiment, some electricity will ground near the rod, but tiny amounts that could barely bother a fly. If you look at a picture of lightning, you will see these tiny strands of current around it, they do this because the ground's load is full and they will find the next best ground. Something else to know (while we are learning), the light from lightning actually starts at the ground and goes up, the exchange takes place just before you see the light, the light is a product of the event, it is not the event itself. I'll stop droning now : ) By the way, it doesn't look for the shortest or quickest path, it goes to the path with least resistance. Obviously a Copper rod connected to a good ground is much better than your son while he is wearing RUBBER shoes on cement, two very good insulators (non conductive substances).

Answer 3

Okay here goes:

Step 1, find a long metal pole (the longer, the better).
Step 2, dig a deep hole in the ground whose diameter is a little bit more than the diameter of the pole (the deeper, the better BUT not too deep....)
Step 3, stick the pole in the hole (this is why the hole can't be too deep, you want most of the pole sticking into the air.
Step 4, fill the dirt around the sides of the pole.

Important things to note: The height of the pole will detemine the area on the group protected from lighting strikes (on average). Curiously, as with most things in nature, this protection falls away exponentially. You can work out the height of the pole needed simply by plotting an exponential curve and wrapping it around the y axis.

PS enochiansorcerer knows what he's talking about

Answer 4

I have designed many lighting annunciator systems on the tops of telecommuncation company central offices. The use of a lightening rod is not as affective as using many short 18" rods approx 15' feet apart all the way around the parimeter of a building, connected by #6 bare wire, grounded to a 1/0 wire earth ground. While it is not the intention to attract lightening, but disapate it, the ground potential is kept low, However if you want to attract lightening the trick is height and boosting your -ground potential. Since lightening is positive charged potential looking for a ground, you want to provide a ground location with a higher negative charge potential then the surrounding area.

Answer 5

Ring, ring! Alarm bells ringing.

Seeking an explanation in the wrong place may get you electrocuted by lightning while holding a laughable rod built from advice rendered by faceless strangers on the net.

Answer 6

Joe Willy Neckbone says, "I don't rightly know the answer to your question, but I will be right here waiting for you to ask a question that I do know the answer to."