mking
Indianland,South Carolina
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Joined: 02/14/2006
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Other than high winds,hail,or trees falling I would have thought so.But after seeing the latest news now its got me thinking.It appears that in a C/G in N/Y lightning struck a R/V and caught it on fire.I know we hear about lightning striking houses all the time but I guess I never thought about it while in your R/V.I would have thought that the wheels would be good insulators,but forgot about the metal jacks that touch the dirt,which would ground the frame of your R/V.
2006 Dodge Quad-Cab 2500 CTD,4;10 gears,pulling a Forestriver Flaggstaff 831qbss
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naturist
Lynchburg, VA
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Joined: 04/24/2008
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The wheels and tires are NOT good insulators. Tires are black because they contain a lot of carbon black, added both for cost and as a sunlight blocking agent, to protect the rubber from UV. Carbon black is electrically conductive. Without the carbon black, tires would look like surgical latex tubing, sort of yellowish brown. And they would degrade rather rapidly in sunlight.
But your point is well taken. You might be safe from a direct hit by lightning due to the RV frame around you, but you are at risk of fire resulting from that strike.
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Dutch_12078
Great Sacandaga Lake, NY
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Joined: 10/07/2008
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As said, tires are not a good lightening insulator on any vehicle. Consider the distance that bolt of lightening travels before reaching the vehicle. Do you really expect a few inches of rubber to stop it from reaching the ground??? The saving grace in a conventional car or truck is the metal "cage" that surrounds us and carries the current past us. The open frame on most RV's does not offer anywhere near the same level of protection.
Dutch
1995 Coachmen Catalina 322QBXL
F53 chassis, 460 V8, TST TPMS
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Moderator
Bowling Green, KY
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Moved from ATC
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fla-gypsy
North Florida
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Having survived a strike while standing next to my RV I can tell you it is not much protection. It knocked me an easy 6' and I thought I was a goner. I ended up wiggling around in the dirt mumbling "I'm hit" according to the witnesses. My feet had a funny hot sensation and I had some serious jitters for about 2 hours. The rescue guys said I was just lucky. My RV strike was not even a direct hit but what arc'd off of a tree next to it that was hit and partially exited through the power cord. The damage was about $1500. See pics below for the scorch marks on the RV.
09 SuperDuty Crew Cab 6.8L/4.10(The Black Pearl)
06 Keystone Hornet 29 RLS/(The Cracker Cabana)
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skipnchar
Topeka or somewhere else
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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Insulating a half million volts with a 1/8" thick piece of rubber is not MY idea of safe. This is especially true when the stab jacks and tongue jacks are on the ground in addition to the wheels. Now factor in the power hook up that can run a strike into your RV from a mile away if a line is struck and you have about the SAME vulnerability as the average home.
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR -
2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles)
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ralexis
Flagstaff, AZ
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A good path to ground (like jacks and other conductive objects directly on the ground) will help route the strike to earth at reduced impact to the rv and occupants. This won't guarantee complete safety but the cage effect of the rv framing/skin (if metalic) plus the good path to ground is somewhat comforting. Your electronics and appliances will probably get fried. Be prepared to fight any resulting fires/apply CPR.
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mr. ed
Madison, SD (but usually elsewhere)
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As I read this there are T-storms threatening the Albuquerque area  . Jacks in many instances do not touch the ground directly. In my case both the front landing jacks and rear stabilizers rest on wood. This is the case with most setups that I have seen. So, the possibility of jacks making a good ground connection is in the minority. The only items actually contacting the ground are the tires.
Mr. Ed (fulltiming since 1987)
2007 Hitchhiker II LS Model 29.5 LKTG
2007 Dodge Ram 3500/6.7 CTD/QC/4X4/SB/SRW/6-speed man/Big Horn edition
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ScottG
Bothell Wa.
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Joined: 02/25/2005
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Actually tires are good insulators - I've watched video's of vehicles beig hit by high voltage. The problem is the potential just jumps across them to earth without even slowing down.
Scott, Grace and Wesly
2003 Dodge 3500 4x4, 6 speed Cummins (lightly bombed),
2004 Forest River 25RKS many, many mods.
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Adventure
Michigan
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Joined: 07/18/2003
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What about using a ground fault interrupter on your power cord at the box?
2005 F250 V10, 4x4, CC,
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