pig lightning strike

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Pyrotrons-at-aol-dot-com>

Hi Everyone.

These kinds of things are interesting to most coilers I know, thought I'd 
mention it.

Last night, I watched a storm system move by from NW to SE. There was the 
typical gust front (cold wind, straight-line winds, shelf cloud), then super 
heavy rain, then the severe part of the storm.

The lightning had mostly past, but I was looking down the street, directly at 
the place where the lightning struck. I had just enough time to put my hands 
over my ears and turn around. It was a massive, massive strike. Not your 
typical bolt.....it was very powerful. I've seen close lightning before, this 
one was different.

I immediately looked up after the main clap of thunder hit, and there was a 
fairly massive, rolling, mushroom shaped ball of fire rising where the arc 
hit. I drove to the end of the street, and found the pig burning brightly on 
it's perch. Hot oil pouring everywhere. The top was completely blown off, and 
the main metal cylinder was very bent out of shape.

So I drove down to Reliant Energy's place up the road, and they followed me 
to the location. They had power back up on my street within 20 minutes. Not 
bad!

My main point is this: No matter how over-designed a pole transformer or 
commercial power product may be, nothing will survive a direct hit from those 
giant natural capacitors. So much power. As a tesla coiler seeking those 
illusive big arcs, I was awestruck for several moments after it happened. 

Take care,

Justin Hays
KC5PNP
Email: pyrotrons-at-aol-dot-com
Webpage: www.hvguy-dot-com