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Does anyone know what will happen to me if the tower I'm climbing is struck by lightning?

Does it depend on the tower? I've noticed some have what looks to be an independent grounding system while others do not. Perhaps these systems are just for the objects attached to the tower?

I'm not out seeking this situation by any means, just curious really.

thanks,

sum1

Although I'm not a BASE jumper, if I was I would tend to think that I would shy away from jumping if there was lightening in the area...

1.21 giggawatts is great for little stainless steel bodied cars, but I think it would suck for me...

Yeah man, I've got 190 BASE jumps, I used to stack towers for a living and now I'm an Licensed Electrician. Most larger towers (bigger than 500') have too much sensitive electronics in the building at the bottom not to have a lightning rod or suppressor of some type, HOWEVER, as an electrician I wouldn't be anywhere near the fucker if I thought it might get hit. 120 volts is bad, direct current from the source while climbing or sitting in the basket on a tower would get you on the cover of most newspapers.

Jumping in lightning is totally irresponsible, blatantly wrong, and dangerous… that is why I have only done it a few times… BUT, If you see lightning in the distance, you know it’s gonna be a fast climb… By the way, my name is TBone and I snort spaghettios…

Its true... I may have snorted spagettios, but lightning jumps( 3 A's) give you great visuals.
My partner in crime Punk can back me up on that.
Although, I'm thinking getting cooked rare rather than well done, is a better line of attack. But thats just me.
TBONE

Yo! Hey spider, aren't you a friend of Pauly's from Tx? If you're ever in Nc, Specifically Charlotte area drop me a line. I'm A licensed Electrician also, and have always wondered what would happen if the tower was struck while I am on it. I live about a mile (as the crow flies) from a 1400ft'r and have seen it get struck numerous times during storms. It seems to only get struck when a storm is centered over it, then it will get struck repeatly till the storm moves away a little and then the bolts that come down will strike close but not always the tower. I think it would depend on the path the current took on it's way to ground, to whether or not you got hurt. In theory since the tower itself is grounded, and you are not touching the ground yourself, you shouldn't feel the hit. Like hanging on to a high tension line as long as you don't ground yourself, the current passes you by. It should take the best path to ground and a human on the side of a tower would not be it. I have held onto the sides of metal objects before that got accidently energized and was not shocked due to these parts being grounded. If they had not been grounded i would have a nice jolt. With lightning though, who knows? It's all theory as always I think the wise move would be to stay off though, A theroy I don't want to test, but am interested in hearing others opinions on this subject. peace.
Mike

693 i have dropped an email from your profile but it bounced back!

can you email me please.......... have something i need to ask...........

Michael.McHale@Berkeleygroup.co.uk

Thanks!

Be safe............always!

Michael

Yes Mike, it is I, Paulys ex-lover from Texas, friend to all from North&South Crackalaky!(and Atlanta). Me and the lady are planning a trip in the Carolinas as soon as we can manage and will let ya know. Goin to the hole in Mexico in November, so scheduling is tricky. Of all my jumps, 150 are in Moab, so 1400' A's sounds insane to me. As well, if yer ever in CO, pleeeze give a call and we can get low again ya' big altitude freak. NO LIGHTNING ON TOWERS FOR ANYONE!!!! i think.

Hey Sexy,

Y'know I'm thinking that the tower would act as a faraday cage and the person wouldn't feel a thing... bet your hair would stand up, though. I bet the sonic boom would scare the snot out of ya for sure. holy shit.

speaking of electricity... anybody ever done a stack in the morning/evening (low light situation) and had st. elmo's fire (blueish plasma-like substance - whatever it is...) all over themselves/their hands?? Once, redfern and I were atop a 1000' foot stack at sundown and the static was bleeding off of our hair (standing straight up like while touching a van de graf generator) and fingers.. we waved our arms around and played sorcerer's apprentices for a while before we fell off. Our hands would sizzle and pop when we held them up in the windflow. That was one freaky, memorable jump.

later,
Gardner

yeah, Pauly said something about you being a nice piece of ass, but i didn't know what he meant at the time If you are in Carolina I'm sure we can through you off something tall. Good luck with the Mexican Hole, wear a rubber, i heard those holes can be a little dark and hairy. later Mike

I think so and i probaly try it out one day... that must kick ass