Lightning Damage

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Lightning Damage to an Avion Camper

This 1981 Avion Camper was parked under a tree. The tree was hit by lightning, and lightning flashed from the tree to the camper. Two holes, about half the size of dime, were present on the roof where lightning flashed to the camper. There was also melted aluminum at the waste tank door where the lightning current exited the camper. In line with where the lightning entered and exited the camper, is the door to the power converter. Although the power converter did not take a direct hit, it was damaged by induced lighting current. The changing magnetic field associated with lightning can induce electrical currents into nearby wires without coming in contact with then. Because the frequency of the lightning current is much greater than 60 Hz, the majority of it travels on the outer edge of the wire. Electrical engineers refer to this as the skin effect. High electrical currents induced into wires can heat the wire enough to change the color of the wire insulation, or it can melt or tear the wire insulation.

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