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Old 06-11-2019, 11:45 AM   #1
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Ford owners - odd question on lighting strikes

I am in Florida and summer is here already since May. We have been getting thunder storms and lightning just about every afternoon. I was driving my F-250 and saw a lightning from sky to ground.

That got me wonderering. Is the aluminum alloy body on the 2015 and newer F-150's and 2017 and newer Superduty better or worse if hit by lightning? More or less likely to get hit at all?
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Old 06-11-2019, 12:21 PM   #2
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If I'm not mistaken, aluminum is a better conductor of electricity versus steel.

I think other things would come into play here more than the makeup of the truck... Your height relative to your surroundings or the ground pool of positive charges.
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Old 06-11-2019, 12:43 PM   #3
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Not to make “light” of it , but if you do get hit by lightning, get a lottery ticket.

But seriously, would you not be protected seeing as your 4 rubber tires are grounded to the road? That’s what I’ve always thought, but I may be wrong.

Cheers

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Old 06-11-2019, 01:59 PM   #4
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Not to make “light” of it , but if you do get hit by lightning, get a lottery ticket.

But seriously, would you not be protected seeing as your 4 rubber tires are grounded to the road? That’s what I’ve always thought, but I may be wrong.

Cheers

DJ
Yeah, that's what I thought too. Turns out that what protects you in a vehicle is the lightning traveling around the metal framework (skin effect, similar to Faraday cage). Tires make little difference in a strike and lightening is an extra hazard for those driving convertibles, fiberglass body or open station vehicles. It can even travel inside the vehicle via metal door handles, steering columns etc...
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Old 06-11-2019, 02:02 PM   #5
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The vehicle acts like a faraday gage and most of the electricity goes around the people in the vehicle. Has nothing to do with the rubber tires.

I am wondering is Aluminim vehicle is more likely to get hit by lightning than steel vehicle.

As a kid my steel car was either hit or a close lightning bolt hit near the car but I saw a flash and the radio was toast. One second the radio was on the next second puff, no more radio. This was a 1968 car before all the electronics.

Interesting I have not had that happen since...so I am thinking I am due for another hit.

Anyone lose electronics on modern car. I would think it would stop the car from running.
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Old 06-11-2019, 02:11 PM   #6
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A motorcyclist was struck and killed by lightning the other day in Florida. Put two holes in his helmet. MinntoMich is correct, it is the car body not the tires that protect you. Aluminum body will protect you, but likely to splatter where the strike occurs.
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Old 06-11-2019, 02:23 PM   #7
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...But seriously, would you not be protected seeing as your 4 rubber tires are grounded to the road? That’s what I’ve always thought, but I may be wrong.

Cheers

DJ

Why would a few inches of rubber tires be a better insulator then the thousands of feet of non-conductive air the lightning traveled through to reach the vehicle?
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Old 06-11-2019, 02:55 PM   #8
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Why would a few inches of rubber tires be a better insulator then the thousands of feet of non-conductive air the lightning traveled through to reach the vehicle?
Good question for a science teacher which I am not but from what I gather its the collection and direction of charged ions that preceed the path of the strike which provide the conduction through the atmosphere. I think.

When atmospheric gas becomes ionized, it turns into a plasma which is conductive.
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Old 06-11-2019, 03:18 PM   #9
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"I am wondering is Aluminim vehicle is more likely to get hit by lightning than steel vehicle."

The short answer to the OP's question is no. While aluminum may conduct better than steel, a strike will favor the following as per the National Weather Service.

"Height, pointy shape, and isolation are the dominant factors controlling where a lightning bolt will strike. The presence of metal makes absolutely no difference on where lightning strikes. Mountains are made of stone but get struck by lightning many times a year. When lightning threatens, take proper protective action immediately by seeking a safe shelter and don’t waste time removing metal. While metal does not attract lightning, it does conduct it so stay away from metal fences, railing, bleachers, etc."

I would say your chances are at least about equal.
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Old 06-11-2019, 05:15 PM   #10
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I am in Florida and summer is here already since May. We have been getting thunder storms and lightning just about every afternoon. I was driving my F-250 and saw a lightning from sky to ground.

That got me wonderering. Is the aluminum alloy body on the 2015 and newer F-150's and 2017 and newer Superduty better or worse if hit by lightning? More or less likely to get hit at all?
I agree with others, aluminium body won't change anything in the grand scheme of things. You are talking millions of volts of electrical potential, 3/4 to 1" of rubber won't change anything nor insulate you from strikes. Let's not forget most tires are steel belted too.

What would an aluminium truck look like after a strike? My guess is it'd have a hole or two through it depending on the voltage potential.

I am part of a large automotive tech website and we share a lot of pics, some on lightning struck vehicles. I have seen holes through hoods and roofs and some with almost no visible damage but several thousands in electrical modules fried, totaling the vehicle.
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Old 06-11-2019, 05:24 PM   #11
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I saw that motorcyclist story. Wow, what a way to go. Driving I95 in Florida is dangerous but now add one more thing.

Thanks for all the replies.

I can agree there is no additional risk from lightning strikes driving an aluminum alloy truck.
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Old 06-13-2019, 09:53 PM   #12
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I see that no one has posted this yet so here goes. The solution to you problem is to keep a 2 iron in your truck. When you are in a thunderstorm grab the 2 iron and hold it out the window as high as you can. Do not let go of it. It always prevents you from a lightning strike because even God can’t hit a 2 iron.
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Old 06-13-2019, 09:58 PM   #13
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I like that 2 iron idea[emoji106]

Or I could make my truck a low rider to get lower than all the other trucks. I got that idea from the guy on this forum that wants to lower his Ram.
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Old 06-24-2019, 02:50 PM   #14
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I would bet that many of you are not aware that GM's also have aluminum bodies. Only the bed bottom is steel. They just aren't admitting it since they bashed Ford's aluminum pickup bed.
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