Who hasn't wanted to be struck by lightning? This insulated suit with conductive strips running down the outside from a three-foot metal headdress will make the experience nearly safe.-- hob, Jun 24 2001 a pastoral scene [hob, Jan 23 2005] (?) Mr. Megavolt getting zapped http://www.moeskitc...ht/MegavoltZap.htmlBurning Man, 1999. [jutta, Jun 24 2001] Lightning rod hat fad http://www.mail-arc...a.com/msg00070.htmlAbandoned before its full potential could be realized. [hob, Jun 24 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004] High Voltage Experiments http://www.amasci.c...mateur/capexpt.htmlNot entirely related but it involves high voltages and some of you may even be insane enough to be interested. [RobertKidney, Jun 24 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004] (?) Conductive Garments for Sale http://www.techwear.../esdgarmentfaq.htmlWith pics! [trekbody, Jan 27 2005] political economy http://infomotions....political-695.shtmlMark Twains story about lighting rods. [popbottle, Mar 31 2014] "Who hasn't wanted to be struck by lightning?" <raises a paw>-- StarChaser, Jun 24 2001 Bring it on!!-- steg, Jun 24 2001 And *why* doesn't lightning ever strike the same place twice?-- The Military, Jun 24 2001 Peter, yes, staying in the basement is a very easy way to avoid being hit by lightning. My idea was intended for people who WANT to be hit by lightning, but to survive. Sorry if this was unclear.
I'm not sure how being in the vicinity of lightning would kill you, but presumably the people you mentioned received some sideways current. If they were wearing lightning suits, the charge would've gone to the suit instead and then to the ground, bypassing their flesh but entertaining them greatly!-- hob, Jun 24 2001 Anyone? Anyone?-- The Military, Jun 24 2001 The Military...that's not nec. true. It's highly unlikely to strike the same place during a short span of time. I'm guessing this is because of the neg/pos charges being balanced when the lightning strikes an area, and it takes a while to build up in the ground again? I could be wrong, it's just a guess.-- Legend, Jun 25 2001 Well, there's dumb and then there's dumb. If you know what I mean. [defiantly choking back tears]
I refuse to believe that there is not a market for this, in the age of bungee-jumping from subway trains or whatever the TV said the kids were doing these days.-- hob, Jun 25 2001 Peter, with that National Geographic reference it sounds like you're suggesting that I physically go to "the library" or some such thing.
Electric shocks are no longer my bag, but I was crazy about them as a kid. I had one of those big "78 experiments in one" electronics kits, and some twisted person had included instructions for wiring up a low-voltage current to a relay so it buzzed enough to be really uncomfortable. Then I'd hand the wires to people and tell them it was a lie detector.
In any case, I'm still at a loss to understand why you'd be injured by current flowing through the outside of the (insulated) suit, if the conductor's resistance is negligible compared to that of your body. I guess I'll have to go to... er... "the library."-- hob, Jun 25 2001 [Legend] I'm sorry, but the answer the judges were looking for was: "Because after the first time, the place isn't there anymore" (Henny Youngman; The Stone Age of Comedy).
Your deduction, though, is sound and convincing. Thanks.-- The Military, Jun 25 2001 "I want a new category... for "Dumbest idea in the whole halfbakery". This one goes into the Hall of Infame."
UnaBubba, it's gonna have to wait behind a -long- line of superheros...-- StarChaser, Jun 25 2001 Hey, hob, lightning is great. I love thunderstorms, and was once within a half-kilometer or so of a lightning strike--it struck in a meadowy spot and blew shallow trenches in the turf as the charge dissipated. I've seen pines that were struck by lightning, and it tends to blow off strips of bark from crown to roots. I'd be too scared to try your suit, but I'll watch from a safe distance...-- Dog Ed, Jun 25 2001 I'm with Dog-Ed:- You try it and we will watch...
To get this to work you might try 2 layers of insulators separated by vacuum(or was that for heat? never mind the idea is insane enough that this can't make it worse...) You probabley need prety thick conducting rods aswell - try using a superconducter... Also to decrease your chance of dying why not try to negatively charge the inside of your suite?-- RobertKidney, Jun 25 2001 isn't pure water (or as close as possible to being pure a good insulator) u could put ttah between the 2 layers or some rubbery material
also on some science program they were testing if it was safe to stay in your car in a lightning storm, this invovled driving around in a vw golf between two metal grids above and below, they increased the charge untill lignting struck! the car kept running and everything was fine untill the third strike which took out the eletrics but the man was fine.-- edski, Jun 25 2001 Shift this to the Public Execution section and you've got a winner.
This could be done. The suit would be large and extremely bulky, but possible. You would need an exoskeleton (non conductive) to support the weight, a double-layer of conductive surfaces (seperated by a non conductive/non flammable material) with an inside lining of rubberized asbestos or something similar. Add to this heavy-duty ear protection and you might survive a hit or two. The trick would be the double grounding. Insure each layer has its own path to ground.-- Reverend D, Jun 25 2001 You know you watch to much Sailor Moon when: A while back you were found in a thunderstorm wearing an aluminum hat jumping up and down and shouting "Jupiter Thunder Clap Zap!"-- nick_n_uit, Jun 25 2001 At last! A practical application.-- The Military, Jun 26 2001 i for one do not understand why we are discussing cow fences and amusement parks and light sockets, when clearly what we are presented with is an idea about a *lightning suit.* sign me up to watch if anyone tries it. i'm too chicken, it's true.-- romy, Aug 02 2001 Baked. Linesmen in Australia sometimes use grounded chainmail suits when they need to contact live transmission lines.
Lightning is a whole different story and assuming the suit functioned perfectly, you'd never survive the heat generated as your 20 guage steel suit fused itself and vaporized.
Nevertheless, it's Darwinian potential is enormous. Good luck!-- FloridaManatee, Feb 14 2003 Are there impersonal lightning rod suits?-- mrthingy, Feb 14 2003 Due to pressure from risk-averse killjoys, I've redesigned the thing a little to keep the current further away. See illustration (link).-- hob, Jul 11 2003 Like it. Strap it on and then stand yourself at the top of a hill, in a bucket of salt water and curse Jove, Thor, Zeus, Taranis and any other storm god you can call to mind. "Oy Thor, where's y'hammer eh? Call that lightning, more like a faulty zippo mate!" KABOOM! fizzle Whoohoooo!-- squeak, Jul 11 2003 How did I miss this? Gorgeous illustration, too.-- bristolz, Aug 28 2003 Shazam!-- jaksplat, Jan 26 2005 Well, I'm tempted to give a croissant as reward for the illustration alone. It's not a baked croissant however, and I require you to hold a tray with said raw croissant when you test this suit. If it doesn't burn, I'm a believer.-- ConsulFlaminicus, Jan 27 2005 //also on some science program they were testing if it was safe to stay in your car in a lightning storm, this invovled driving around in a vw golf between two metal grids above and below, they increased the charge untill lignting struck! the car kept running and everything was fine untill the third strike which took out the eletrics but the man was fine.//
The same experiment was conducted on Top Gear in the UK and the cr worked fine after about 4 strikes.
If my grasp of physics isn't too shoddy, what happens is the car forms a Faraday cage so the lightning doesn't affect the occupant of (in this case) the car. I've seen a regular Faraday cage in operation and if I remember correctly, as long as you keep your limbs on the inside you're perfectly safe. I reckon the suit as an extension of this is a magnificent idea and I for one will be signing the ex-girlfriend up for the trials.-- RichieRich, Jan 27 2005 That illustration is a hoot-and-a-half! Bravo.-- krelnik, Jan 28 2005 random, halfbakery