We've got a 500 gal propane tank about 20 ft from the house. THere' plenty
of lighning in this region and I'm thinking that planting a tree 5 or 10
feet from the tank might be inviting trouble.

Any pro or con thoughts?

Thnx

In article , "Jack S" wrote:
We've got a 500 gal propane tank about 20 ft from the house. THere' plenty
of lighning in this region and I'm thinking that planting a tree 5 or 10
feet from the tank might be inviting trouble.

Any pro or con thoughts?

I lived thirteen years in a house with a propane tank less than 20' from the
house, and a hackberry tree about 6' from the tank. Never had a problem, and,
while central Indiana isn't quite like central Florida, we get plenty of
thunderstorms here.

FWIW, the house had lightning rods.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

On Sep 3, 4:56 pm, "Jack S" wrote:
We've got a 500 gal propane tank about 20 ft from the house. THere' plenty
of lighning in this region and I'm thinking that planting a tree 5 or 10
feet from the tank might be inviting trouble.

Any pro or con thoughts?

Thnx

Hi,

I also have a propane tank about 20 foot from my house. Right by it
there is a bunch of trees like 60 feet tall. My well has been taken
out twice by lightning still no trouble with the tank. I do now have
lightning rods on the house though. This year my well did not get
zapped (hooooor-ayh!).

I think it is safe and this is my thought process. Think about an
airplane. They get zapped now and again by lighting. What happens is
that the lightning takes the easiest route to ground. I.E. around the
passenger cabin and out the other side. No zap inside the aircraft. I
think the same hapens to the gas tank. Any lighning will travel around
the tank in the steel shell and then via the feet into the ground. No
spark.

Best, Mike.

"Jack S" wrote in message
...
We've got a 500 gal propane tank about 20 ft from the house. THere' plenty
of lighning in this region and I'm thinking that planting a tree 5 or 10
feet from the tank might be inviting trouble.

Any pro or con thoughts?

Thnx

The thickness of the tank is such that it can take a direct strike without
damage. There have been cases were the copper line between the tank and the
building has gotten pinholes, but that can be prevented by proper bonding.
It happens with water lines, also.