Lightning and stainless liner

[tkirk22]

I've just been planning a dedicated ground rod for some electronics equipment in my 'nerd lab' and it just occurred to me that I'm going to have a big lightning rod on my roof (AKA Stainless Liner) running to my electrical system via the insert blower.

I'm curious. Has anyone thought of that before?

 

[begreen]

Hmmm, in case of a lightning strike, do you want a mega jolt seeking a ground via the stove in the home through the electrical system? Or do you want the lightning to find a fast and direct path to the earth? Methinks I would want a properly installed lightning rod if I lived in an area where a strike is likely. Besides, stove pipe is expensive. Would it be usable after a lightning strike?

 

[tkirk22]

Allow me to clarify. A stainless liner can be a lightning rod whether you want it to be or not. I'm not suggesting using a liner as a lightning rod. That would be stupid.

 

[begreen]

Ah, ok. We're on the same page then. It occurs to me anytime I put something high on the roof peak that is metallic. Fortunately we see very little lightning here. I wonder if anyone on the forum has had a strike at their flue?

 

[Fire Bug]

How about two high wind termination caps that stick out of my chimney flues for my Direct vent propane fireplace insert and propane stove in the rec. room?
I often thought about lightning striking these but so far, so good. Just luck I guess.

 

[jtp10181]

We had a customer get a hole blown in their CSST gas line from lightning. At first we thought it must have hit the cap but there was NO damage to the cap or the pipe. Only thing we could figure was it hit the ground near the house and then got to the fireplace. It was a gas fireplace with electric ignition. It needed about $800 of new parts to repair it back the way it was. Basically everything had been smoked. The CSST arced in the basement ceiling to a metal support beam. Seems the fire ran out of oxygen before it could do major damage. Luckily the customer also quickly shut the gas supply off.

 

[Fire Bug]

It was one of the items I had on my, "Remember To Ask List", when we contemplated inatalling the FB Grand Insert in our fireplace and the Jotul DV 600 Firelight propane stove in our rec room. Due to all the other questions we had, somehow it was overlooked.
I did think about lightning being an issue but as said it was overlooked until now.
There are a great many homes in our area that have the same types of high wind termination caps.
I can't believe that UL or some other safety organization would allow dealers and the manufactures to have these devices allowed if they are at such a risk for a lightning strike.
Now that I think of it, I believe we asked the dealer and the stove installer about this and they both replied that it had never been a problem. Could be another line of BS just to make a sale.
John

 

[jtp10181]

In 3 years I have only had three calls for chimneys hit by lightning. The caps were riddled with holes and amazingly the rest of the pipe was not damaged.

 

[Fire Bug]

How about regular chimney flue caps? They are metal, some even stainless steel?
But I guess they are attached usually to a clay flue liner, they are not as conductive to lightning.
Today, it seems like everybody has something protruding from their chimney flues.
I guess you just have to keep your fingers,(and toes), crossed during a electrical storm.
John