Could a lightning collector be built so as to divide the voltage of a lightning bolt into usable potentials?

Question

Could a lightning collector be built so as to divide the voltage of a lightning bolt into usable potentials?

Answer 1

I don't see how. You will be receiving a voltage of a million volts or more, at a current of thousands of an amp.

I know of no way to handle those voltages and currents, let alone dividing them up.

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Answer 2

Suppose that you place a coil or resistor of some kind in the path of the circuit connecting the lightening collector to the earth. The extremely high voltage from the bolt of lightening is going to try to find another more direct route to earth without passing through your device. Its high effective frequency means that it prefers to pass on the outside of the conductor, and to jump to another one, if at some stage the resistance of your device is a bit more than it already accepted.

It should be theoretically possible to take a small proportion of the energy out before this resistance is too high, but since the prime object of the lightening collector is to protect the surrounding buildings etc., even adding a small resistance is inadvisable becuse it would raise the chances of these structures being struck.

Remember Benjamin Franklin's experiment with a kite in a thunder-storm. The lightening was supposed to pass down the wet conducting string and through a key to ground rather than through a dry silk string and glass handle to the kite string holder. Only in that case the silk string got wet and the operator died from the shock.

Answer 3

Yes, just make sure you have fuses, anti surges, etc, etc.

To do it you use the same method as dividing the potensial difference (Voltage) of a small circuit, step up and step down, etc.