Thunderstorms

[garym053]

Just wondering what most pop-up owners, (Hybrid owners can jump in too!) do during Thunderstorms. Since campers that have canvas walls are deemed unsafe in Thunderstorms, what do you do?

[diane]

If there is lightning, I pack everyone into the trailblazer. I have been camping in a pop-up, but this weekend will be our first in my new/used hybrid . I'm hoping for clear skies, but if not I think I will still pack the kids into the car and wait for it to blow through.

[garym053]

Hi Diane,
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that if you close up the beds, you'll be as safe in the trailer as a car, TT, or anything else, as far as lightning anyway. It's the being surrounded by metal that creates a "Faraday Cage" that channels the strike away from you. Kind of like Get Smart's "Cone of Silence"!

We were out of the camper and in the TV 3 or 4 times this past weekend. Not fun when there's 17 family members to worry about!

[diane]

You are correct Gary. I'm just not sure how quickly I would get the beds up since this is our first outting in the hybrid. I still have not sold my pop-up just in case I'm not as happy with the hybrid over a pop-up. After years of camping in a pop-up I went to a small motorhome a couple of years ago and came back to pop-upping. I'm hoping the hybrid will give me the best of both worlds (a bathroom and the openness of the bunk ends ).

[AustinBoston]

I have to say it depends.

I usually know my lightning risk (where are the tall trees, power lines, etc., how far is the lightning, how hard is the rain, etc.) and then make a decision.

On the other hand, since getting the po-up six years ago, we've not had to make the thunderstorm decision once.  We may get rain, but it's usually done by morning, and have only taken down 4 times in the rain (less than 3%).

Austin

[garym053]

Diane, keep me posted on how you like the Hybrid. That's the same concern I have. Will I still like "Camping" in a Hybrid?

AustinBoston, You are lucky! This past weekend, my DW, DDIL, and myself were sitting under the awning when Crack! People in the site next to ours thought it hit our site! Those are the strikes that are killers- out of the blue like that. We had 3 or 4 strong to severe thunderstorms go through on Friday Night and Saturday.
As far as taking down dry- we had one summer where we took down wet every trip, and we go almost every weekend from June to September!

[AustinBoston]

AustinBoston, You are lucky!...

As far as taking down dry- we had one summer where we took down wet every trip, and we go almost every weekend from June to September!

I can imagine the diligence it takes in that situation to prevent the dreaded mildew.  :yikes:

Austin

[dee106]

we have stayed put in many storms as long as the winds weren't to bad, we even sat out a nor easter in delaware a few years back, the hybrid is grounded by the rubber tires, we just closed the sides and went shopping until it was over, then came back and opened it back up.

[garym053]

Dee106,
It isn't the rubber tires that protect you. As a matter of fact, a couple years ago, the news caught a car being struck by lightning as it was going down the road. Planes get struck and they aren't touching the ground at all.

What protects you is being enclosed in steel, sometimes refered to as "the Faraday cage", closing the sides on a hybrid is the correct thing to do if you're going to ride it out in the camper.

Happy Camping!

[AustinBoston]

we have stayed put in many storms as long as the winds weren't to bad, we even sat out a nor easter in delaware a few years back, the hybrid is grounded by the rubber tires, we just closed the sides and went shopping until it was over, then came back and opened it back up.

Rubber tires will protect you from lightning - if they are a mile thick.

Austin