Can lightning hit a ceiling fan?

Answer 1

> No lightning can hit a building affecting the lighting that comes from the fan > or can short circuit the house but not directly hit a ceiling fan.

> Answered by SMCherry originally.

I disagree with SMCherry on this. I do agree that it is highly unlikely a direct strike on a ceiling fan will occur though it is not impossible. Any electrical circuit connected to earth ground could be the target of a strike.

I do agree with SMCHerry that generally appliances in homes are damaged by the massive electrical surge caused when a lightning strike hits a near by a home such as an external power line, not by a direct hit to the appliance itself.

It was originally thought that even electrical supply lines buried deep in the ground were immune from lightning strikes. The theory was that the earth would dissipate the energy before contacting the power lines and therefore not effect the buried power lines.

Testing has proven this theory to be incorrect. Power lines buried in the ground and even encased in conduit (metal pipes used to protect the wiring) have been obliterated by the massive energy released by lightning.

Lightning does take the quickest easiest path to ground and a strike on a home near a ceiling fan is most likely to find alternate paths to ground first prior to coming into contact with the fan. However lightning can generate gigawatts of energy - for the non technical out there that's one hell-a-va lot of power and strikes seldom take a single path to ground. Simply watch any video of lightning strikes and you will see many strikes/paths in one discharge. See the related link for an example.

Answer 2

Yes, lightning can strike a ceiling fan if it is conducting electricity. However, the likelihood is low unless the fan is in direct contact with the lightning strike or part of a larger electrical system that gets hit. It's important to stay indoors during a thunderstorm to minimize the risk of being struck by lightning.