🚀 go-pugleaf

I disagree with Denis and agree with Pete.  Lightning rods are much
smaller than towers and serve mainly to discharge the electric potential
buildup.  This can be easily demonstrated with a Van de Graff generator
and a straight pin.  In El Paso I would allow 8 inch sparks to strike my
arm.  When I brought the straight pin within 10 inches of the globe, I
would not get shocked.  As a matter of fact, I was not able to get a
spark to hit the pin unless it was very close. (1 mm)

I do submit that a Van de Graff is hardly comparable to lightning.

On Tue, 20 Sep 1994, Pete Lohstreter wrote:

> According to Denis Chalifoux:
> >
> > "Lightning rods DO attract lightning..."
> >
> To which Pete responds:

> ............ I still maintain that the purpose of a standard
> lightning rod is to discharge the induced charge on the attached
> sturcture and not to provide a path for the lightning bolt itself.
>
> Pete;
> KA5KCB
> petel@tenet.edu
>