Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « on: June 16, 2019, 12:16:29 PM » Author: Cole D.
I heard one time that sometimes during thunderstorms, when the lightning struck that blue sparks would come from their wall outlets. I've never seen this happen in my house though. Has anyone heard of this? Maybe ungrounded outlets could do this? I would think most likely it was due to power surges coming through. But I had power surges during storms but never any sparks either.
		Logged

Collect vintage incandescent and fluorescent fixtures. Also like HID lighting and streetlights.

	Re: Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « Reply #1 on: June 16, 2019, 11:07:04 PM » Author: dor123
Never heard and seen of this phenomenon.
		Logged

I"m don't speak English well, and rely on online translating to write in this site.
Please forgive me if my choice of my words looks like offensive, while that isn't my intention.

I only working with the international date format (dd.mm.yyyy).

I lives in Israel, which is a 220-240V, 50hz country.

	Re: Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « Reply #3 on: June 17, 2019, 01:18:59 AM » Author: Medved
Failure of the utilities to limit the voltage overshoots...
		Logged

No more selfballasted c***

	Re: Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « Reply #5 on: June 20, 2019, 10:48:57 PM » Author: suzukir122
Nope, never heard of this. But... I have heard of Ball Lightning entering homes/buildings during thunderstorms. I have yet to see picture or video proof of this happening though. Even if I saw picture proof, I'd still need proof that it isn't photo shopped. But Ball Lightning is apparently a thing, so there's that.
		Logged

Interests:
1. Motorcycles, Cars, Women, and Lighting (especially fluorescent)
2. Weightlifting/staying extremely athletic
3. Severe Thunderstorms of all kinds
4. Food and drinks. So gimme them bbq ribs
Lighting has ALWAYS been a passion of mine. I consider everyone on here to be a friend

	Re: Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « Reply #7 on: June 21, 2019, 10:55:27 PM » Author: xmaslightguy
Quote from: suzukir122 But Ball Lightning is apparently a thing, My dad saw it once years ago. He was driving home from work, lightning struck a powerline, then made a ball of light that rolled along the line and eventually faded out. Said it was one of the strangest things he's ever seen. I woulda loved to have seen something like that happen
		Logged

ThunderStorms/Lightning/Tornados are meant to be hunted down & watched...not hidden from in the basement!

	Re: Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « Reply #8 on: June 22, 2019, 07:47:17 AM » Author: suzukir122
@Xmaslightguy, I have a strong idea of what you mean. Do you think it was something like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34r6RGF2JLA The kind I'm talking about though apparently can travel anywhere it wants, even through windows, during a thunderstorm. I've even read about ball lightning traveling into an oven. This is all stuff I've read about in books when I was a kid. I really, really have yet to see this phenomenon in action.
		Logged

Interests:
1. Motorcycles, Cars, Women, and Lighting (especially fluorescent)
2. Weightlifting/staying extremely athletic
3. Severe Thunderstorms of all kinds
4. Food and drinks. So gimme them bbq ribs
Lighting has ALWAYS been a passion of mine. I consider everyone on here to be a friend

	Re: Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « Reply #9 on: June 22, 2019, 12:58:24 PM » Author: Medved
Quote from: xmaslightguy on June 21, 2019, 10:55:27 PM My dad saw it once years ago. He was driving home from work, lightning struck a powerline, then made a ball of light that rolled along the line and eventually faded out. Said it was one of the strangest things he's ever seen. I woulda loved to have seen something like that happen You may see many, look for "Jacobs ladder", it is quite popular electrical physic trick...
		Logged

No more selfballasted c***

	Re: Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « Reply #10 on: June 22, 2019, 01:34:29 PM » Author: dor123
Quote from: suzukir122 on June 22, 2019, 07:47:17 AM Do you think it was something like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34r6RGF2JLA Never seen such a thing . Edit: This looks like a jacob's ladder between two overhead lines. But why the arc moves horizontally and not burning in the same location? The arc can only move upward, since the ionized air rise upward, causing the arc to move upward as well in a jacobs ladder.
« Last Edit: June 22, 2019, 01:49:20 PM by dor123 »		Logged

I"m don't speak English well, and rely on online translating to write in this site.
Please forgive me if my choice of my words looks like offensive, while that isn't my intention.

I only working with the international date format (dd.mm.yyyy).

I lives in Israel, which is a 220-240V, 50hz country.

	Re: Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « Reply #11 on: June 23, 2019, 12:07:49 AM » Author: lightinglover8902
I never seen a outlet spark during a nearby lightning strike... I never seen it happen.
		Logged

Save the Cooper OVWs!! Don't them down by crap LED fixtures!!!

	Re: Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « Reply #12 on: June 23, 2019, 05:55:19 AM » Author: Medved
Quote from: dor123 on June 22, 2019, 01:34:29 PM Never seen such a thing . Edit: This looks like a jacob's ladder between two overhead lines. But why the arc moves horizontally and not burning in the same location? The arc can only move upward, since the ionized air rise upward, causing the arc to move upward as well in a jacobs ladder. Magnetic force is pushing it away from the power source (upstream substation transformer). The current through the wires makes a magnetic field, the arc, being a moving conductor with current in it, then gets a force pushing on it. The low power science toys have quite too small currents flowing so the have to be placed vertically to rely just on the heat and convection. But here the involved currents are many orders higher (short circuit currents on that power line), so the magnetic become way the greatest forcess involved
« Last Edit: June 23, 2019, 09:23:39 AM by Medved »		Logged

No more selfballasted c***

	Re: Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « Reply #13 on: June 23, 2019, 08:44:49 AM » Author: suzukir122
@GE101R, and to think, all of that happens in just... less than a second. That's awesome but scary at the same time. Have ya'll seen those close up lightning strike video compilations on YouTube?? Some of those videos are intense...
		Logged

Interests:
1. Motorcycles, Cars, Women, and Lighting (especially fluorescent)
2. Weightlifting/staying extremely athletic
3. Severe Thunderstorms of all kinds
4. Food and drinks. So gimme them bbq ribs
Lighting has ALWAYS been a passion of mine. I consider everyone on here to be a friend

	Re: Blue sparks from power outlet during storms? « Reply #14 on: June 23, 2019, 09:28:24 AM » Author: Medved
Very often the cause of the various power problems is not the lightning itself, but the gusty wind usually accompanying the storms, causing e.g. the wires swying wildly so they intermittenly touch each other (plain straight strong wind just deflect them all in one direction, so they retain some clearance), sometimes breaking tree branches or even the whole trees then falling onto the wires,...
		Logged

No more selfballasted c***