The Camping Forum

[Des0]

hi all

I have been wondring about steel poled tents eg Vango artemis and how they would handle lightning

would they be at more of a risk of a lightning strike due to the steel poles being on the outside ?

and could this be prvented by covering the poles with heatshrink ( which would also help prevent corrosion)?

cheers

Des0

[rexgrant]

Hi Des
In 60 years of camping I have never heard of a tent been struck with lightening, in my opinion I don't think it would make any difference if lightening strikes a tent were the poles are. Here is a few facts that should ease your worries
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-worl ... -17495916/

Regards Des

Rex.

[Wayne]

Hi Des
In 60 years of camping I have never heard of a tent been struck with lightening, in my opinion I don't think it would make any difference if lightening strikes a tent were the poles are. Here is a few facts that should ease your worries
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-worl ... -17495916/

Regards Des

Rex.

That's interesting Rex

I agree, I have never been worried about steel poles and I normally camp with steel poles.

[subaqua]

hi all

I have been wondring about steel poled tents eg Vango artemis and how they would handle lightning

would they be at more of a risk of a lightning strike due to the steel poles being on the outside ?

and could this be prvented by covering the poles with heatshrink ( which would also help prevent corrosion)?

cheers

Des0

if you cover the poles in heatshrink you may actually increase corrosion as any moisture that did find a way in would not dry off quickly and as weall know oxygen and moisture on steel rapidly returns it to its natural metallurgical state.

you have such a small risk of being struck by lightning its lower than negligible .

[M0KAS]

and besides the steel frame of the tent will act like a Faraday cage, the lightning hits your tent (silly high odds of that happenin) it will use the poles to earth out, and go straight to ground, not sure what kind ot tent damage you would get, but the chances of getting hit are so remote its not worth bothering about and the only shrink wrap to use on your poles would be the stuff with the glue in that makes it watertight, its hardly worth the time effort or cost, even if shrink wrap can be bought cheap enough..

[subaqua]

and besides the steel frame of the tent will act like a Faraday cage, the lightning hits your tent (silly high odds of that happenin) it will use the poles to earth out, and go straight to ground, not sure what kind ot tent damage you would get, but the chances of getting hit are so remote its not worth bothering about and the only shrink wrap to use on your poles would be the stuff with the glue in that makes it watertight, its hardly worth the time effort or cost, even if shrink wrap can be bought cheap enough..

not quite, the poles would need to be connected laterally and fully under the groundsheet for it to be a Farady cage. and mobile phone recption would be a right problem . still doesn't raise the risk any.