Lightning Strike?

[Propflux01]

I have a Davis weather station, plastic, mounted on a metal pole, which, in turn, is mounted to the side of my metal-sided, shingle-roofed shop. Yesterday when I woke it had rained but nothing showed on the inside monitor. So up goes me to the roof to remove the bucket and clean out the hole that lets water through. Sure enough, clogged. But here's whats strange: There are metal spikes on top of the bucket, that just slide into holes to keep birds from trying to nest, and a small loose "cup" not unlike a sink strainer to keep out the big bugs and such. I pull this bucket off to clean it, and this is what I find. 2 of the wires melted down, and a melted spot inside the bucket, and 1/4 of the strainer is melted. Nothing else, including the solar panels, control box, anemometer, or anything else has been touched. the highest temp recorded so far was 89*F. Is this a result of a small lightning strike or something?

 

[4wheeldog]

I am not sure you need an actual "Strike" to get damage like that......I have experienced failure of electrical components in my house, without an actual strike. Nearby lightening can induce an overload of current in nearby metal.

Specifically, we had a near miss, and the next morning my hot water pump (Hot water tank/boiler setup) had a fried capacitor. That is not a coincidence, to my way of thinking.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Sure looks like it must have been lightning. I worked in a bicycle shop back in college and someone came in claiming he had been hit by lightning while riding. I was thinking "yeah, sure" until I looked at the bike--various control cables were spot welded to the frame in places.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
I am not sure you need an actual "Strike" to get damage like that......I have experienced failure of electrical components in my house, without an actual strike. Nearby lightening can induce an overload of current in nearby metal.

Specifically, we had a near miss, and the next morning my hot water pump (Hot water tank/boiler setup) had a fried capacitor. That is not a coincidence, to my way of thinking.
Strike wasn't that close (the changing your uw kind) and fried my 24 volt underground sprinkler components including the controller.

 

[Wheel]

I'd say it got hit. Melted metal isn't caused by a near strike. Component failures can come from a strike that hits the ground or poles nearby and feeds back some of its power (usually as a line melts off the pole opening the circuit)

Any other evidence on the roof ?

 

[JetStar]

Originally Posted By: Wheel
I'd say it got hit. Melted metal isn't caused by a near strike. Component failures can come from a strike that hits the ground or poles nearby and feeds back some of its power (usually as a line melts off the pole opening the circuit)

Any other evidence on the roof ?


Was thinking the same, in the first photo, are those metal BBs (similar to weld spatter) I'm seeing?

 

[Wheel]

What's the diameter of that melted spot in the first pic ?

 

[Propflux01]

No other sign anywhere of damage. The "weld" spot is about the diameter of a dime. As for the BB's, no, those are just water spots. I am just surprised nothing else has been burned, marked, etc., and everything works perfectly!