PVC wind genie and tower

[JDog]

Hi all, just joined.   I've been watching and reading for a while now. My question is - if I make a wind generator tower entirely out of PVC pipe will it be relatively lightning resistant? We live on a mountain top and get hits all around us. Everything would be PVC except the motor and down wires inside of the tower. The guy wires would be nylon or a like material,  Comments please!  Thanks!

[DanB]

I think it would be a terrible idea.  Maybe it'd work if you used massive PVC but I wouldn't.  Just the wire down the tower would probably look the same to lightning as a steel tower.  Plastic guy wires will likely stretch a lot.

I would make a steel tower, ground things properly etc...

[Chagrin]

PVC pipe is not designed to be UV resistant. You'd want to paint it and keep an eye on it that it doesn't become brittle.

[asheets]

Of the 3 lightning strategies (resistance, suppression, and redirection), redirection  through a conductive mast to a good ground works best.

[Ungrounded Lightning Rod]

Using an insulating tower with a conductive wire up it to the mill means there is no reduction in the field-concentrating effect of the raised conductor, which is what makes raised objects high-probability targets.

You're just guaranteeing that, when the lightning hits, the whole main bolt will enter through your genny and run down the wiring into your electrical closet, then find its way to ground in the handiest way possible - perhaps several of them - frying or igniting eveything it touches.  B-(

[JDog]

Wow, great answers. I thought I was on to something but will concentrate on rediriting the stike instead. Thanks. JDog