PLB epirb after a lightning strike

E

edante

Member
Joined
17 Dec 2004
Messages
27
Location
Norwich England
Visit site
Now here is something to think about ..

If, as I intend to do, you carry a PLB epirb (with integral gps) in your pocket at all times, but then you get knocked overboard by a lightning strike.

Is it therefore a good idea to always wrap the PLB in your pocket in kitchen foil ?

Or, would it be better in a small tin box ? Does anyone know how water resistant these PLB epirbs are ?

Jeff
 
Maybe you should tie a length of chain around you and dangle it in the water, to prevent a lightning strike running down your wet hair and damaging the epirb?
 
point taken , however I have read that lightning strikes are very unpredictable in their effect. Assuming I survive the strike, for example I am sitting out the back away from any metal , but the electromagnetic pulse damages the electronics. If I am then knocked overboard by a flying pan from the galley for instance, would I not then be thankful for my kitchen foil ?
 
To be honest, if those sort of events happen sequentially then you would be forgiven for thinking that Him Upstairs has decided your number is up. Then a Dolphin would happen along and eat the epirb.
More seriously, the physics of a Faraday cage is fairly well known (but not necessarily by me, any more,) so it ought to be possible to calculate what sort of protection you'd need to prevent damage. My feeling is that a fairly minimal conductive coating would suffice if there was no direct contact with the surge, and most electronic equipment has that for EMC compliance anyway, often in the form of a conductive paint coating the inside of the plastic. If you look at the EMC section of the RS or Farnell catalogue then you will see all sorts of conductive coatings and gaskets that might do the job. Your idea of kitchen foil is actually not that daft but given that it would sit in your pocket for years, I think it would get damaged and you'd have to renew it regularly.
If there was a physical contact with the surge, IMO, no practical protection would work, and you'd probably be dead anyway.
 
Might be safer to give up sailing ..... then theres no risk of going OB.

Sailing involves some risk: if thats not acceptable, dont play the game!

Fretting over a million to one chance distracts you from the all round readiness that is the hallmark of a good seaman.
 
I have discovered that the mcmurdo fastfind plus is built to the following spec:

Sealing BSEN 60945 temporary immersion, MIL-STD-810F method 500:4 4,572m altitude

does anyone know what this actually means , i did a google, but couldn't seem to get an answer. I presume its OK for say 2 metres underwater for a short time
 
How about you put a harness on when ever there's some lightening about? Much safer not to go overboard in the first place and I don't understand how long you excpect to remain in the water with your epirb...
 
you have obviously not been reading the other replies - I already have a length of chain wrapped round me ......

all I want to know is, that in the rare event that I have to use the epirb, that it is not fried or waterlogged or both !!

cheers
Jeff
 
Might be a good idea to take old harry's advice.
or maybe put epirb in your pocket and wrap yourself in foil then both you and the purb will survive.
wadaya think
Dave /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top