Lightning Damage

[londonrain]

Here are a few pictures of Lightning damage on piping. Four zones affected by the lightning and piping was over 18" deep.

[SprinklerGuy]

that looks just like freeze damage....wow.

[gusbuster]

Since it is something that I never really have had to deal with, why would lightning strike a plastic water pipe? Something to do with the mineral content of water?
Was this just a fluke?

I've replaced surged timers, but never a pipe that was hit by electricity of a lightning strike.

[londonrain]

Since it is something that I never really have had to deal with, why would lightning strike a plastic water pipe? Something to do with the mineral content of water?
Was this just a fluke?

I've replaced surged timers, but never a pipe that was hit by electricity of a lightning strike.
I repair about 1-2 jobs a year with damaged piping from lightning. Not real sure why it happens but it does. The two areas are about 12 feet apart and about 10ft and 22ft away from the tree that was hit by lightning.

[BSME]

what happens to the ground? a hole all the way through?

[speedbump]

I've only seen it happen once here in The Lightning Capitol of the World. It hit the pipe between the well and home. It did a number on about a foot and a half of the pipe. Looked a lot like your pics. There was an oak tree nearby which was also hit. I assume it hit the tree first and followed a root to the pipe.

We also have lightning that hits then travels across the ground for a mile or so looking for an electrical ground. I know because one of them hit me about 15 years ago. It didn't do any damage to me, except a pain in my chest (not near my heart). A spark jumped from the end of a piece of pipe I was getting ready to pick up about 1.5 foot into my boot, jumped from my knee to my elbow and into the truck I was standing next to and touching. Scared the s*** out of my helper. I just stood there for a minute collecting my thoughts and trying to figure out if I had already been transported to a better place.

bob...

[PurpHaze]

Here are a few pictures of Lightning damage on piping. Four zones affected by the lightning and piping was over 18" deep.

Man... it really smashed them. What's the possibility that there may be other breaks/holes once you repair this?

Also... Talk to Jon about taking pictures with your boot toes in them. Edit them out. :laugh:

[PurpHaze]

I just stood there for a minute collecting my thoughts and trying to figure out if I had already been transported to a better place.

Sorry... California's already full up. :laugh:

At least we don't have the magnitude of lightning you guys have. Just earthquakes. :)

[speedbump]

Yeah, then we have the Hurricanes. I'm not sure what's worse. You know when the Hurricane is coming long before it gets here. The news teams make sure of that. They hipe them to death.

But you don't know when or where the Lightning is coming and the same is true of Earthquakes, so I guess we are pretty much both at great risk.

How about Montana, does that sound safe???

bob...

[DanaMac]

Yeah, then we have the Hurricanes. I'm not sure what's worse. You know when the Hurricane is coming long before it gets here. The news teams make sure of that. They hipe them to death.

But you don't know when or where the Lightning is coming and the same is true of Earthquakes, so I guess we are pretty much both at great risk.

How about Montana, does that sound safe???

bob...

Nope, just left there from vacation. Massive wildfires. I was also up there in 2003 when Glacier was on fire.

[PurpHaze]

Heck with it. Guess that every place has its problems. You can either go out in it or become a couch potato. :laugh:

Me... I'm taking a few days and heading down to take on the LA/Orange County freeways. Now THAT'S scary stuff. :)

[gusbuster]

Heck with it. Guess that every place has its problems. You can either go out in it or become a couch potato. :laugh:

Me... I'm taking a few days and heading down to take on the LA/Orange County freeways. Now THAT'S scary stuff. :)

If the freeways don't get you, their smog will.:laugh:

Doing the mouse trip?

[PurpHaze]

If the freeways don't get you, their smog will.:laugh:

Doing the mouse trip?

Yup... The wife and I have discovered that we REALLY enjoy it without kids. Ours are all grown and we can do what we want at our pace. We always get a motel room across the street so we can take a break any time we wish. Have a new camcorder and I really want to get video of the 50th fireworks this time. They are absolutely amazing. :)

[speedbump]

Well so much for Montana!

Me... I'm taking a few days and heading down to take on the LA/Orange County freeways. Now THAT'S scary stuff.


I haven't been near LA since I was there in 1968 and the Freeways were at a stop then. I can't imagine what they are like now.

bob...

[londonrain]

Man... it really smashed them. What's the possibility that there may be other breaks/holes once you repair this?

Also... Talk to Jon about taking pictures with your boot toes in them. Edit them out. :laugh:
That was it for the damage. We flushed the up stream lines out from the closest heads since all four of the lines were full of mud. :clapping:

[Bigred350]

I have had a few cases of lightning messing with irrrigation.

On one it melted some of the wireing. On another it burned up all the valve motors. On another it actually blew the timer off the wall, when it did that it hit the guys car in his carport and put a small dent and scratch on his car hood.... insurance paid for all of it!

[DanaMac]

On another it actually blew the timer off the wall, when it did that it hit the guys car in his carport and put a small dent and scratch on his car hood.... insurance paid for all of it!

I had one with the same thing, but it was in his garage, and it burned a spot on the hood.

[jerryrwm]

Several years ago a customer had lightning strike the chimney and it blew the controller off and into the neighbor's driveway. It was covered under his homeowner insurance as all the rest of the damage was way more than the deductable.

Had another strike on a tree and when it got into the ground it smoked 5 solenoids nearby.

[Wet_Boots]

Long ago, I replaced a lightning-fried controller, and noticed that even the outdoor wiring had been cooked, with brittle crazed-looking insulation. Funny thing, though, was that the solenoids were still okay. (Richdel valves, of a model that inspired me to start that valve thread)

[londonrain]

I repaired another broken pipe from lightning today but I did not have my camera at the time so here is a pic from my driveway. I have more lighting damage repairs in my schedule book and I will take a pic of 2 RC-12's blown up and some solenoids fried.