This is a lightning detector that picks up the electromagnetic component of lightning strokes. The detector will pick up some lightning about 100 miles away (rough guess). It is much more sensitive to local lightning. When a storm approaches the detector begins to flash much more often. The lightning detector will also respond to local electrical noise such as turning a light on, a refrigerator motor starting, cell phones, etc. Full instructions will be included with your lightning detector. There are other lightning detectors out there, but few are handmade by an artist!
This lightning detector is packaged in a pocket size plastic box. The plastic box saves you money over my desktop lightning detectors but is just as sensitive, if not more sensitive than my desktop lightning detectors. Plus it is battery powered and pocket size, you can take it anywhere!
This lightning detector was handmade by Chuck Pound, February 2023. The design is mostly my own.
Any kind of 9 volt battery should work to power this lightning detector. I have used rechargable and normal alkline batteries in this unit.
There are 3 controls on top:
Power switch. Turns the device on and off.
Sensitivity controls how sensitive the unit is to detecting lightning and other electrical noise. Normally, you may want this turned up full. You may need to turn this down just a bit if you can not find a location without electrical noise. Sensitivity may need to be turned down during intense lightning or when trying to determine direction that lightning signals are coming from.
Dimmer controls how bright the LED flash is. You can make it very bright, quite dim, or turn it off completely.
- No returns if the unit has been damaged, modified, or altered in any way!
- Returns only if unit is not as described.
- Unit will be well packed for shipping.
- Ask for shipping insurance to be added to your invoice, before you pay, if you feel shipping insurance is needed. We will not be responsible for loss in the mail or mis-delivery.
- Any questions, please ask! (Contact Us)
More information (this info and more included in the package):
Range:
A times, this lightning detector will receive signals from more than the 100 miles estimated.
Frequency:
This lightning detector operates at approximately 16KHz.
Electrical Noise:
You may notice an occasional flash when there is no lightning within hundreds of miles, this is normal operation. These pulses come from many sources. The motor in your refrigerator may flash the detector when it first starts. Flipping a light switch may flash. Some light dimmers produce a lot of electrical noise. Your cell phone puts out signals that this detector will pick up, normally only within a few feet. There are many other sources of electrical noise that may flash the detector. If the lightning detector just keeps flashing for no reason, you may have too much electrical noise in the area. You can try moving the detector, sometimes moving only a few inches can help. We have this problem in our shop and can only place the lightning detectors in select locations.
Placement:
The detector is somewhat directional side to side when the unit is laying flat. Coverage is omnidirectional when the unit is upright, switches pointing up, though sensitivity is a bit lower. There is no need to place the detector near a window. The signals that are picked up are magnetic and will travel through most walls with ease. If you are in a building with a lot of steel the sensitivity may be lowered. In this case you can try placing the detector near a window or other opening. Building materials that may cause problems include rebar in brick or block, steel siding, plaster walls on a wire base, Large buildings with a steel frame, etc. Aluminum siding should not be much of a problem as it is not a ferrous metal, that is, a metal such as iron that magnets can stick to.
