LIGHTNING ROD
Attracts lightning strikes in a 128-block radius and outputs a redstone signal of 15 for 8 game ticks when struck. Prevents lightning fires in the surrounding area.
Crafting Recipe
3 Copper Ingots → 1 Lightning Rod
Signal Behavior
Input
InputLightning strike within 128 blocks
Output
OutputSignal strength 15 for 8 game ticks
Max Signal Strength
Max Signal Strength15
Delay
Delay8 game ticks (4 redstone ticks) pulse
Modes
- Pulse on lightning strike
Overview: what the Lightning Rod is and does
Attracts lightning strikes in a 128-block radius and outputs a redstone signal of 15 for 8 game ticks when struck. Prevents lightning fires in the surrounding area.
As a trigger it watches the world for an event and converts that event into a redstone signal. It is a weather-driven trigger and a fire-safety block, catching strikes that would otherwise scatter.
The Lightning Rod was added to Minecraft in 1.17 and everything described here reflects its behaviour in Java Edition 1.21.
How it works: the redstone mechanics
On the input side, lightning strike within 128 blocks. On the output side, signal strength 15 for 8 game ticks.
During a thunderstorm it pulls nearby lightning to itself from up to 128 blocks away and outputs signal 15 for 8 game ticks (4 redstone ticks) on each strike, while suppressing the fires lightning would normally start around it. Outside storms it does nothing.
Its output is a pulse, not a held signal: 8 game ticks (4 redstone ticks) pulse.
It can output a maximum signal strength of 15, which travels 15 blocks through bare redstone dust before fading to nothing.
It operates in the following modes: pulse on lightning strike.
How to set it up
- 1Craft the Lightning Rod: 3 Copper Ingots → 1 Lightning Rod.
- 2Decide where the signal needs to start or land, then place the Lightning Rod against a solid surface so it can see the event you want to detect.
- 3Lead the signal it produces into a repeater or dust line so the rest of your contraption can respond to the detected event.
- 4Test in a creative-mode plot first: trigger the input and confirm the Lightning Rod behaves exactly as the timing above predicts before committing it to a survival build.
Uses & applications
- ▸Lightning-powered contraptions
- ▸Fire prevention
- ▸Charged creeper creation
- ▸Random event detection
Tips & common mistakes
- !Only works during thunderstorms
- !Short pulse duration may need extending
- !Attracts ALL nearby lightning
- !Its pulse is short and only happens during storms, so it is a novelty trigger — buffer it with a latch if a strike must hold a state.
Lightning Rod FAQ
What is the Lightning Rod used for in Minecraft redstone?
The Lightning Rod is most often used for lightning-powered contraptions, fire prevention, charged creeper creation, and random event detection. As a trigger it watches the world for an event and converts that event into a redstone signal.
What signal strength does the Lightning Rod output?
Signal strength 15 for 8 game ticks. Its maximum signal strength is 15.
How do you craft the Lightning Rod?
3 Copper Ingots → 1 Lightning Rod. It was introduced in 1.17.
How long is the Lightning Rod's pulse?
8 game ticks (4 redstone ticks) pulse. Because it is a pulse rather than a held signal, use an extender if you need the output to last longer, or an edge detector if you need exactly one trigger.