2021 3990fl sierra 5th wheel. We had a huge electrical storm in August, power was not plugged into anything, generator off, batteries both off. Went to go camping and our leveling system did not work spent most of the day talking and video chatting with lippwrt, the company that made our controlling unit I was told by the company it was probably lightening strike. Went through investigating the issue three different times and it was determined that the main control unit needed replacing, There are no black marks, burnt wires or indicators of lightening strike but considering the weather, the unit all worked the day before and the fact that the main control along with the inside control panel and exterior control buttons all failed. Power came in but won't go out. My insurance says without showing that lightening hit the unit they won't pay.
Recommend that you check with your insurance agent as this damage may be covered.; Also, many surge protectors and EMS devices include insurance to cover damage from power surges, such as the one caused by the lightning strike near to you. I submitted such a claim to Tripp Lite for damage to computer equipment caused by a power line surge, which blew up the Tripp Lite protective device. Tripp Lite promptly reimbursed me for damages and provided a replacement protective device at no cost to me.
Turning off the breaker is a good start, but since it doesn’t doesn’t disconnect your RV from the pedestal ground wiring you're still vulnerable to a nearby earth strike.
I have always unplugged our shore power during a lightening storm. However, I recently installed lithium batteries and solar. I can shut off our solar and batteries during a lightening storm also. Should I disconnect the terminal wires from the batteries also?
You can leave your solar panels and batteries connected. If your RV suffers a direct lightning hit while unplugged from shore power it will fry nearly everything in your RV, connected or not.
Close lightning creates an intense ground potential as well. Power, jack pads, cable tv cable are likely all very different potentials during strike. At home my power, phone and cable all had their own grounds feet apart. Every time a street light 150 feet away got hit (about twice a year) I was buying new routers/internet gear. I linked the grounds and not a failure in over a decade.
I installed the snap pads after my purchase of my GeorgeTown. Also when it is parked in the RV canopy it sits on 3/4 inch stall mats. Would adding a copper ground rod from your frame to the rod driven into the ground help redistribute the current? Possibility maybe. Thanks
Funny that you mention insulating pads under the stabilizers. For many years now I have used 10" square pieces of 3/4" thick horse stall rubber mat under my stabilizers and front jack. I use them because they are virtually indestructible. Most of my camping is dry camping off grid.
Great job of putting numbers on this event. I normally explain it like this. " You would need a surge protector the size of a Dump Truck to protect you from a direct hit."
This strike sounds like a 'near end of the world' strike. Not normal. We were dry camping with friends up in the WA woods and had a huge nearby strike with a clap of thunder that almost deafened me (well, almost). Nothing happened to our stuff. But I wonder abut the idea of insulating the camper with boards (or anything) because with the rain, wouldn't it negate any insulating ability with the rain soaking everything?
just bought and old RV want to make a tiny house how to make it electrically safe in a storm???
2021 3990fl sierra 5th wheel. We had a huge electrical storm in August, power was not plugged into anything, generator off, batteries both off. Went to go camping and our leveling system did not work spent most of the day talking and video chatting with lippwrt, the company that made our controlling unit I was told by the company it was probably lightening strike. Went through investigating the issue three different times and it was determined that the main control unit needed replacing, There are no black marks, burnt wires or indicators of lightening strike but considering the weather, the unit all worked the day before and the fact that the main control along with the inside control panel and exterior control buttons all failed. Power came in but won't go out. My insurance says without showing that lightening hit the unit they won't pay.
Can you explain how we can prove this?
Is being in an RV during an electrical storm so different than being at home in your house?
Recommend that you check with your insurance agent as this damage may be covered.; Also, many surge protectors and EMS devices include insurance to cover damage from power surges, such as the one caused by the lightning strike near to you. I submitted such a claim to Tripp Lite for damage to computer equipment caused by a power line surge, which blew up the Tripp Lite protective device. Tripp Lite promptly reimbursed me for damages and provided a replacement protective device at no cost to me.
"Disconnect during lightning" - Is turning the breaker off sufficient or is physically unplugging the cable necessary?
Turning off the breaker is a good start, but since it doesn’t doesn’t disconnect your RV from the pedestal ground wiring you're still vulnerable to a nearby earth strike.
I have always unplugged our shore power during a lightening storm. However, I recently installed lithium batteries and solar. I can shut off our solar and batteries during a lightening storm also. Should I disconnect the terminal wires from the batteries also?
You can leave your solar panels and batteries connected. If your RV suffers a direct lightning hit while unplugged from shore power it will fry nearly everything in your RV, connected or not.
You said to unplug and run on the batteries.
What about the generator being used?
Yes, the generator should be safe as well.
Thanks
Close lightning creates an intense ground potential as well. Power, jack pads, cable tv cable are likely all very different potentials during strike. At home my power, phone and cable all had their own grounds feet apart. Every time a street light 150 feet away got hit (about twice a year) I was buying new routers/internet gear. I linked the grounds and not a failure in over a decade.
I call that huge differential voltage spike a whiplash effect. And yes, it destroys a lot of electronics.
I installed the snap pads after my purchase of my GeorgeTown. Also when it is parked in the RV canopy it sits on 3/4 inch stall mats. Would adding a copper ground rod from your frame to the rod driven into the ground help redistribute the current? Possibility maybe. Thanks
Funny that you mention insulating pads under the stabilizers. For many years now I have used 10" square pieces of 3/4" thick horse stall rubber mat under my stabilizers and front jack. I use them because they are virtually indestructible. Most of my camping is dry camping off grid.
Great job of putting numbers on this event. I normally explain it like this. " You would need a surge protector the size of a Dump Truck to protect you from a direct hit."
This strike sounds like a 'near end of the world' strike. Not normal. We were dry camping with friends up in the WA woods and had a huge nearby strike with a clap of thunder that almost deafened me (well, almost). Nothing happened to our stuff. But I wonder abut the idea of insulating the camper with boards (or anything) because with the rain, wouldn't it negate any insulating ability with the rain soaking everything?
I’ve already written an article about that which I’ll repost here next week.
How is the battery? Thinking that the battery may not be good as think it loses it charge quickly than usual.