Car Radio Player During Lightning ?

[eyepea]

Is it ok to have the car radio on, during lightning ?

Can it damage the radio?

Sounds a stupid question. Perhaps it is and some would say use common sense

But just want to know the facts...

I usually switch off car radio when there is lightning.

Some laugh at me and say it is not necessary.

Because, normally TVs are switched off during lightning and disconnected as the TV antenna sticks high up in the sky above roof tops and can get a lighting stike.

But car radio arial, if not pulled out, is ususally at the same level of car roof (except for cases where it is located center of rare roof or some other place), and car roof is usually flat metal. So in most cases car arial is not sticking out up above other things. Also since tyres are rubber, car arial is not earthed. (well I dunno how true is this in wet weather ) So can car arial get struck by lighning?

Anyway, playing CD on car radio player even during lightning should be ok or is it best avoided (as radio player is swithed on even to play CD) ?

Thanks.

[mirage7777]

  eyepea said:

Is it ok to have the car radio on, during lightning ?

Can it damage the radio?

Sounds a stupid question. Perhaps it is and some would say use common sense

But just want to know the facts...

I usually switch off car radio when there is lightning.

Some laugh at me and say it is not necessary.

Because, normally TVs are switched off during lightning and disconnected as the TV antenna sticks high up in the sky above roof tops and can get a lighting stike.

But car radio arial, if not pulled out, is ususally at the same level of car roof (except for cases where it is located center of rare roof or some other place), and car roof is usually flat metal. So in most cases car arial is not sticking out up above other things. Also since tyres are rubber, car arial is not earthed. (well I dunno how true is this in wet weather ) So can car arial get struck by lighning?

Anyway, playing CD on car radio player even during lightning should be ok or is it best avoided (as radio player is swithed on even to play CD) ?

Thanks.

AFAIK - there are no issues -as the vehicle is not grounded. it is said that during lightning - the best place to be would be inside a car -rather than out.

[jehan80]

  eyepea said:

I usually switch off car radio when there is lightning.

Some laugh at me and say it is not necessary.

Thanks.

Sorry, but thats ridiculous

[Miyuru Daminda]

No better explanation than this

http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/car-lightning

[eyepea]

Thanks for the info.

[SeanD]

  Miyuru Daminda said:

No better explanation than this

http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/car-lightning

I failed to get anything related to the question from this video. Sure, the radio worked after the lightening stopped, but that's not the issue at hand. I would think there is some possibility of problems, mainly due to antennas. I can't find anything much online, but I did find this on a US govt website, talking about 2 way radios. I would thing the same could apply to a normal car stereo as well:

"While inside a safe vehicle, do not use electronic devices such as radio communications during a thunderstorm. Lightning striking the vehicle, especially the antenna(s), could cause serious injury if you are talking on the radio or holding the microphone at the time of the flash. Emergency officials such as police officers, firefighters and security officers should be extremely cautious using radio equipment when lightning is in the area."

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/outdoors.htm

Anybody know anything more about this?

[VVTi]

If that video did not make it clear, not sure what will.

Its as plain as it can get.

You can listen to the radio/CD in your car during the worst lightening storm. Nothing will happen.

There are more of a danger of a tree getting hit and the tree falling on your head while listening to your car radio than your car stereo getting hit.

Also, unless you are carrying a GI pipe that is 18 feet long attached to your car as an antenna... then,,,,,, who knows....

  Quote

Sounds a stupid question. Perhaps it is and some would say use common sense rolleyes.gif

Your words..

Also, inless you have a CB radio installed in your car or a Com Set (asking for trouble in SL if you are a civilian) again, you have nothing to worry about....

Edited April 10, 2010 by VVTi

[Buddhika M H]

Btw as the video says you're safe because vehicles are usually act as 'Faraday cages'- not because its not earthed. you shoudnt be touching any metal thing, ESPECIALLY exterior metal panels (ie body )

[SeanD]

  VVTi said:

If that video did not make it clear, not sure what will.

Its as plain as it can get.

You can listen to the radio/CD in your car during the worst lightening storm. Nothing will happen.

There are more of a danger of a tree getting hit and the tree falling on your head while listening to your car radio than your car stereo getting hit.

Also, unless you are carrying a GI pipe that is 18 feet long attached to your car as an antenna... then,,,,,, who knows....

Your words..

Also, inless you have a CB radio installed in your car or a Com Set (asking for trouble in SL if you are a civilian) again, you have nothing to worry about....

But what part of the video made this clear? I'm not talking about playing CDs here. At no point during the actual test was the radio (or any electrics, from what I could see) ON. I would be more interested in what would have happened had he left the radio on. I am aware that lightening isn't attracted by radio waves, but cars still have antennas. Will a radio that is ON cause the lightening to be conducted to it, or a voltage surge and explode? That's my question. This was not even addressed during the video. Really, they should have left everything running, because you're more likely to be driving (or stuck in traffic) in a thunderstorm, than sitting in a parked car.

It's kind of like how they said it's OK to use your cellphone during a thunderstorm. And it was, until people started getting plowed by lightening while on their cellphone.

Edited April 12, 2010 by SeanD

[DevakaC]

  SeanD said:

But what part of the video made this clear? I'm not talking about playing CDs here. At no point during the actual test was the radio (or any electrics, from what I could see) ON. I would be more interested in what would have happened had he left the radio on. I am aware that lightening isn't attracted by radio waves, but cars still have antennas. Will a radio that is ON cause the lightening to be conducted to it, or a voltage surge and explode? That's my question. This was not even addressed during the video. Really, they should have left everything running, because you're more likely to be driving (or stuck in traffic) in a thunderstorm, than sitting in a parked car.

It's kind of like how they said it's OK to use your cellphone during a thunderstorm. And it was, until people started getting plowed by lightening while on their cellphone.

Exactly my point. Its hard to draw conclusions from the video since the car was not running nor the radio was turned on while it was tested for lightening. The vulnerable point is the radio wave receiver. Thats why TVs, cellphones tend to get roasted while lightening from my understanding.

[VVTi]

IMHO... NOTHING will happen.

I have driven through some very bad lightening storms both here and abroad in some cars loaded with electronics. Nothing has happened.

Last few weeks also we had severe thunderstorm here in Colombo and I was in the middle of a few with radio on and it didn't even occur to me to knock anything off... which would have been silly IMHO...

  Quote

The vulnerable point is the radio wave receiver. Thats why TVs, cellphones tend to get roasted while lightening from my understanding.

If they are earthed...

How come Planes flying through Thunderstorms don't fall off the sky, despite being hit sometimes? Same reason.

[Miyuru Daminda]

http://www.nyc.gov/html/oem/html/hazards/w...r_thunder.shtml

  Quote

Safety Tips for Driving During a Thunderstorm or Heavy Rain

Turn on your lights.

Pull onto the shoulder of the road and stop, making sure you are away from trees or other tall objects that could fall on your vehicle. Stay in the car and turn on the hazard lights until the heavy rain subsides.

Listen to your car radio and be alert.

Avoid contact with metal or conducting surfaces outside the inside the vehicle. Lightning that strikes nearby can travel through wet ground to your car.

Avoid flooded roadways. The depth of water is not always obvious.

If you find yourself in a skid, remain calm, ease your foot off the gas pedal and steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, brake firmly as you steer into the skid. If your vehicle does not have anti-lock brakes, avoid using your brakes.

To avoid hydroplaning — which occurs when the water in front of your tires builds up faster than your car's weight can push it out of the way — do not brake or turn suddenly. This could throw the vehicle into a skid. Ease your foot off the gas until the car slows and you can feel the road again.

If listening to radio during lightning is dangerous, they will not instruct something like this.

[Ripper]

interesting!

i think it's all about the odds gentleman!

Say if you're a really unlucky sod...having ball point pen in your pocket might attract a lightning strike!

The car antenna isn't exactly a high point for a thunderbolt to get attracted to but i don't think anybody can say that it wont get hit.

I have driven in heavy thunderstorms with the radio on and haven't got hit...not yet at least!

And to the point of airplanes...those things do get hit by lightning and there have been instances of planes getting into trouble after getting hit by lightning.

Also thunder bolts really dont need grounded objects to travel...

if it can bloody travel miles and miles in thin air.. going through your car's rubber tyres is nothing...

[eyepea]

hmmmm, from what I gather from all the posts, as said, it all depends on the odds I guess

Good to hear no one has actually got the radio damaged so far

thanks all