Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!agate!ig!uwmcsd1!mailrus!cornell!rochester!kodak!ornitz From: ornitz@kodak.UUCP (barry ornitz) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: Lightning rods. Was: Protecting computer equipment Summary: Read the full article Keywords: lightning, lightning rods, discharges, protection Message-ID: <1327@kodak.UUCP> Date: 15 Jul 88 14:29:07 GMT References: <1988Jul8.045005.17867@utzoo.uucp> <6179@aw.sei.cmu.edu> <1323@kodak.UUCP> <1228@thumper.bellcore.com> Reply-To: ornitz@kodak.UUCP (barry ornitz) Followup-To: sci.electronics Organization: Eastman Kodak Co, Rochester, NY Lines: 24 You really need to read the entire article. While the tip is protected, the rod will generally be hit several inches to several feet below the tip unless a better path is found in the vicinity. The rod will _not_ prevent lightning strikes! The full reference is: Moore, C. B.: Improved Configurations of Lightning Rods and Air Terminals, "Journal of the Franklin Institute," Vol. 315, No. 1, January 1983, pp 61-85, Pergamon Press, Oxford. My memory was mistaken on Moore's address. He is with the Langmuir Laboratory of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. I was about 75 feet from a large tree hit by lightning once (in a building). Not only was the tree split, but the root system exploded leaving numerous furrows in the ground with the major roots exposed. Scary! 73 Barry WA4VZQ ----------------- | ___ ________ | | | / / | | Dr. Barry L. Ornitz UUCP:...!rochester!kodak!ornitz | | / / | | Eastman Kodak Company | |< < K O D A K| | Eastman Chemicals Division Research Laboratories | | \ \ | | P. O. Box 1972 | |__\ \________| | Kingsport, TN 37662 615/229-4904 | | -----------------