Conference 7.286::home_work

    Most all barns have lightning rods installed at the highest points.
    This would lead me to believe you'd have good luck at a farm hardware
    supply type outlet.
    
    Some of the barns I've seen close-up had heavy gage bare copper
    wire connecting the rods together, then running down the side of
    the building and terminated at a ground rod.       
    
    Play it safe and check the codes for your location.
    
    Let us know how you make out. Does this entitle you to a reduction
    on your home owners insurance?
    
    /Jim

    
    You might also try a ham radio store.
    
    CdH
    

    I just got the latest copy of "The Journal of Light Construction". They
    did a good article on the subject, and probably have sources listed
    for the different materials. I will bring in the journal next week
    and make photo copies of the article for you.
    
    	Steve

   Thanks for all your replies.
    
    re .1  --  Good idea on the farm supply store.  I don't
               know about the insurance, but it is sure
               worth checking out!
    
    re .3  --  I'd definately like to read the article, Steve.
               I'm at mail stop CX01-1/P25.
    
    Gary
    

    For anybody's future reference, this should answer
    all your questions:
    
	Installation Standard LPI-175  for $13
	
	from: Lightning Protection Institute
	      P.O. Box 1039,
	      Woodstock, IL   60098-1039

	      Tel #: 815-337-0277

	 Last night,  for the first time in my life, I was truly scared
     during  a  lightning  storm.  My wife and I were rudely awakened at
     about  midnight  by  a simultaneous flash/sizzle/crack of lightning
     thunder.   It seemed to lift us right off the bed.  I jumped out of
     bed  half  expecting  to see half the house destroyed or the forest
     out back ablaze.

	 For the  next  10  minutes, we were in the middle of an awesome,
     frightening,  display  of  natures  force.   Lightning  bolts  were
     raining  down all around us non-stop.  Our 4 year old son joined us
     in  the  room  so I climbed back in bed with him to assure him that
     everything would be ok. After all, it was only a thunderstorm.
     (Good thing he never figured out that dad was only bluffing!) :-)

	 While we lay there, I began wondering about the bed we were on.
     We  have  a  waterbed,  which  by definition has a heater.  I began
     wondering  if  we were any more exposed to danger than on a regular
     mattress.  I mean we were lying on a body of water connected to the
     household electrical system.

	 I realize  that  this  is  probably  a  dumb question, but is a
     waterbed any more dangerous than a regular one in a thunderstorm? I
     know  that with a direct strike the question is probably moot.  But
     how about a strike on a nearby power line for example?

	 While this  seems kind of dumb now, it sure seemed important at
     midnight  last  night!  :-)  I've  seen  many  thunderstorms in the
     mountains region of New Hampshire.  This one was as good/bad as any
     I have seen.

					    Mark

    Thanks so much for putting that thought in my head. I'll never get to
    sleep during a storm now...
    
    :^)
    
    Edd

Given that the water in the waterbed isn't grounded, you should not be in
any more danger than sleeping on top of a mass of metal coils (little 
antennae) in a standard mattress.  The issue with "stay away from water
during an electrical storm" is that most sources/bodies of water are at or
near ground potential (ponds, faucets, etc.).  Your waterbed is just a
sack of water with no electrical connection to ground.  Relax.

				Steve

    
    Besides it's encased in a vinyl bag (sort of an insulator I would
    think). Although lightning would probably melt that in short
    order....Just to make you feel better ;-).
    
    Steve B. 

Thanks Steve :-)

I had forgotten about the "little metal antennae" in a standard matress.

As to the issue of ground, that is what I was wondering about. The sack
of water is sitting on top of a heater foil which is connected to ground.
The only seperation is a few mm of plastic.

						Mark

If you unplug your heater you won't have a ground.

George

The important point is that the water itself is not grounded.  However,
a lightning bolt, having traveled a number of miles to reach you, isn't
necessarily going to let a couple of inches of any insulating material
bother it.  Still, as long as YOU are not touching anything that is grounded,
you should be ok.

					Steve

    I've always been of the opinion that lightening is so powerfull it
    doesn't have to play by the same rules as "domestic" electricity.
    
    Edd

Get a futon.

    You can find shredded air in the diet breakfast cereal section of
    your local supermarket if you don't want to rent an air shredder.

Why not just shred the water?

Clay

    
    Shredded water?!? Can we please stay attached to reality here?
    
    Shredded air's conductivity (very low) and density (somewhat higher
    than noncompacted air, but less than water) make it a good compromise
    for a non-electrocuting "water" bed. It also addresses somewhat the
    need for safe shredded air disposal by providing an avenue for reuse.
    (Although it does raise other issues: for example, would prolonged use
    in water beds, or use beyond normal stress parameters, increase the
    coefficient of air compatction beyond the capabilities of current
    shredder technology? Do newlyweds pose an unacceptable environmental
    risk?)
    
    NOTE: you may have trouble finding the correct funnel.
    

    While true shredded water is very expensive to make, you could try
    faking it with some of those little gel balls that suck up the water,
    expanding in the process.  Don't know how much you'd need for a
    waterbed, though.
    
    Dick

	    If you want an electrically safer water bed, fill it with distilled
	water.  Water is an insulator.  It's the minerals, etc., in the water
	that make it conductive.  Unplugging it `does' sound more feasible.

					Tim