How Much Does a Lightning Protection System Cost
Spending money on lightning rod and the protection system is to safeguard
people from electrocution and also the buildings or structures from fire
hazards caused by lightning strikes that amounts to billions of volts that is
beyond a normal human or his dwelling can withstand. Protection scheme
designed to create a direct path for lightning discharge is widely used since
years ago to avoid fire hazards and electrocution which is in case of
unprotected structures. Ensured failsafe lightning protection system is
employed to intercept the direct lightning strikes by intending this voltage
around the building structure via a conductor to provide a conductive and
safely guided path to the ground.
Even if the point of strike is several kilometers away it can still bring
catastrophic effects. To prevent facing more expensive issues this designed
network of conventional lightning protection systems should be installed to
prevent lightning from happening further to make sure that the effect of
lightning events can be controlled and prevent damages caused.
For the electrical safety of structure, vital electric/ electronic equipment and
its occupants, we shall learn about intercepting these unwanted electrical
events with proper lightning protection system installation obeying
numerous obligatory standards i.e., IS/IEC 62305 for designing and
manufacturing.
Explaining Below the Proven Technology Capture System
Which is Not an Expensive Deal
We are already aware that height and pointed shape are major dominant
factors that determine whether lightning will strike that particular object or
not, we use sharp pointed lightning arresters as the attracting object placed
on the highest point of any structure.
The conventional protection system that consists of lightning arrester
mounted on the top of the highest point of the structure to be protected
followed by down conductors that connects the arrester to ground and earth
termination systems giving external protection to any structure. This air
terminal in-charge of capturing the discharged energy from above has sharp
pointed spikes on the tip top with single or five number of spikes.
The air terminal and its network is custom designed as per the risk
assessment and the level of protection required which also decides the
material it is made of i.e. Copper, Aluminium or Copper Clad Aluminium, etc.
With the purpose of providing satisfactory protection radius and providing
parallel conducting path, the air terminal at the highest possible point and
the earthing system driven under the ground is connected using a
conducting network called down conductor. The high bolt of electric
discharge reaches ground via a down conductor which is also designed
uniquely to withstand the over voltage spikes and to enable smooth flow of
fault current to ground. The earthing/ground system where the lightning
discharge dissipates is the final level of every lightning protection system and
it is a mandatory segment which itself serves a lot by providing a low
impedance path.
At present, there are different types of earthing technology in practice
where maintenance free solution is replacing the conventional technology.
Due to the advancement and advantages of maintenance free earthing over
conventional grounding methodology, maintenance free earthing including
copper bonded steel rods, carbon based earth enhancement compound as
backfill compound and joints created with clamps and coupling its
installation is very simple and is currently the most used.
Sufficient Protection With Proper Surge Protection Installation
Electric hazards can be caused due to overloads, power sags or dips – you
shall have definitely noticed severe damages of electric/ electronic
equipment in your households and workplaces which is due to nothing but
due to power surges i.e. increase in previously steady voltage.
Solution to this is simple and cost effective - Implantation of Surge
Protection Device at power outlets of equipment level along with the
investment in structural lightning protection system.