Atmospheric interference with TIG arc?

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Hello all,Weird questions for those of you in the know:  Can a lightning storm affect your TIG welding arc?  I am not talking about power to the machine, but actually the arc itself from some change in the atmosphere?  Ions, etc?  Heres my situation.  Been progressing nicely in my TIG class at the local community college.  I have systimatic system of preparing and cleaning 14ga mild steel coupons.  Puddle has always been nice and smooth and easy to control with my usualy settings.  I am welding with a Dynasty 200, DCEN, 80 amps (if pedal is full throttle), 2% thoriated 3/32 tungsten, Argon at about 15cfh.  The other night we had a large lightning storm, and I could not produce a decent weld bead...period.  Puddle acted very violent and seemed really drawn to the tungsten.  Puddle was difficult to control.  I double and triple checked all of my machine settings, polarity, post flow, gas flow, tungsten tip, material prep, on and on.  finally gave up and went home.  Any experience with atmospheric conditions affecting your welding?  Thanks for your input.Jay DavisAWS-CWIC-60 Specialty Welding ContractorLoving husband, and father of two boys (
Reply:Was it arc blow?
Reply:Interesting...were you able to go back to the same set-up later successfully?
Reply:Full moon, perhaps? I swear I used to see many of the strangest equipment malfunctions occur around full moon periods when I worked as an equipment tech.I suppose it is possible that lightning could have affected your welding arc. After all, I've had my graphite fishing rod sing to me when a lightning storm was a good 10 to 15 miles away. I was getting little static shocks as well and that's when I decided it was time to get the heck off the lake.As welds4d stated, it would be interesting to know if your normal settings were back to being okay later on.PapaLincoln Idealarc 250 (circa 1962)Lincoln Weldpak 155 w/Mig KitLincoln Squarewave TIG 175
Reply:Arc blow.Your work piece has become magnetizied.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:I have class tonight so I will report back results.  What conditions would cause the steel to bcome magnatized.  My coupons are stored in the same place, and handled the same way prior to welding.  Ground is attached the same, etc etc.  What would cause the magnetization(sp?)?JayJay DavisAWS-CWIC-60 Specialty Welding ContractorLoving husband, and father of two boys (
Reply:hmmm...lightning maybe???...(just kidding)
Reply:I would say it very likely was lightning.  When the fields are building up to cause lightning every thing on the ground is charging up to cause a balance with the charge in the atmosphere. So it wouldn't surprise me a bit.  Mac
Reply:Originally Posted by jbyrdThe other night we had a large lightning storm, and I could not produce a decent weld bead...period.
Reply:Thats not a dumb question.  We have a bank of around 40 welders plugged in and welding at anyone time.  If the lightning had been much closer the instructor said he would have shut it down.Jay DavisAWS-CWIC-60 Specialty Welding ContractorLoving husband, and father of two boys (