When Lightning Strikes!!!

[Atlsouth56]

Originally Posted by Frank G

Returned to our fifth wheel today in central FL after a 4 week absence.

It was left hooked up to power with a Progressive Industries surge protector, water hooked up, turned off at the source, Direct tv dish tripod mounted and hooked up. Everything was turned off except the rear A/C set on 85.

When we returned nothing was on and the main breaker inside the unit was tripped. Here is what we found; Main TV won't come on, Electric side of water heater trips circuit breaker, Main A/C, nope no work, and yes that wonderful 18 cu ft 4-door Norcold Refrigator is dead on all functions, full of food, in 90+ heat for 10 days or so. Where the power cable attaches to the Fifth Wheel the Ground Contacts were lightly welded together. A while back someone challenged the design of the new style power cord connectors grounding method, I think it worked well as designed.

The bright side, we pray for those in the path of the storms, we are so lucky and it looks like Progressive will take care of it. Yes it looks like a Lightning strike, probably not direct, but who knows. The neighbors are confirming this, they all thought they were the ones hit.

The interesting find is that Progressive Industries surge protectors have a disclaimer that protects them from any damages. Wow, they could care less if there product works or not in protecting your RV or you.

The Mobile Toy Doctors are coming out tomorrow to assess the damages and fix what they can.

When you ground your landing gear and stabilizers you give a path for lightening to travel into your rv which would trip breakers and fry electronics in the rv. Putting rubber or wood under the pads will lessen lightening traveling into your rv but as others have posted if the lightening strikes close or directly there is nothing out there that will protect your rv.