Lightning

Grounding & Bonding

WHAT IS LIGHTNING?

The movement of air causes particles to collide. These collisions strip off electrons thus forming negatively and positively charged pockets of energy. Any fluid movement (air is a fluid) causes this action to occur. Objects moving through air or air flowing across an object cause this same separation (examples: Car moving down a highway, aircraft flying, wind blowing across an object, warm air rising). These negative and positive charges continuously try to neutralize by recombination. This recombination is suppressed by the atmosphere’s inability to allow free movement of these particles. As the charges build up the atmosphere can no longer keep these pockets of charge apart. When stress between the pockets becomes too great the atmosphere breaks down and the opposite charges attract to neutralize. This breakdown process is called a lightning strike.

As the atmosphere breaks down, just prior to a strike, there are paths of charged particles coming from both directions. Traveling from the earth upward and the sky downward. These paths are trying to find each other. When they do find each other, all the charges in the other branches race to the main channel. This main channel is what we see in a lightning strike along with the branches racing to the channel.

STRUCTURE PROTECTION VS EQUIPMENT PROTECTION.

Lightning rods are designed to protect structures. They do this by providing a conductive path for the lightning currents to follow. This diverts the currents away from the structure and not through it. Equipment protection tries to divert surge currents found on cables connected to equipment. High currents flowing in adjacent wires or cables can cause surge currents. Therefore, an improperly installed structure protection system can cause equipment damage under lightning strike conditions.

HOW STRUCTURE PROTECTION WORKS.

The atmosphere breaks down at corners and points of metal objects first. This is why lightning rods end in a sharp point. The cabling provides an easy path for charged particles to move. Ground rods provide a connection to large pockets of charge. As a large pocket of charge forms in the atmosphere, a pocket of opposite charge in the earth collects directly underneath it. The ground rods, cables and lightning rods form an easy path for the charges to get closer to each other. Remember opposite charges attract each other trying to neutralize the situation. As the atmosphere breaks down, the probability of the main channel forming at the lightning rods is increased due to the direct connection to an opposite charge pocket. Once the main channel is formed at the lightning rod, the cabling diverts the energy to the charged pocket in the earth. This avoids paths through the home or business you are trying to protect. In other words, the lightning rods are asking the charges to follow the metal path rather than others. A structure protection system cannot force lightning to follow it. This is why no one can promise 100% protection from a lightning strike.

HOW EQUIPMENT PROTECTION WORKS.

When lightning strikes near power lines, telephone lines, cable TV and other metal objects, surge currents are caused to flow. Direct lightning strikes to these cables causes much higher electrical currents. Equipment protection products attempt to divert this energy off the cabling and away from the equipment. Typical protection devices are not designed to handle direct lightning strikes. They are used to protect against currents caused by nearby strikes.

WHY YOU NEED BOTH!

Structure protection without equipment protection is like walking in the rain with an umbrella and no shoes. You’re still going to get wet. Lightning protection requires both in order to minimize damage to your investments. Just having one type of protection is only half the job.

CONCLUSION.

Lightning protection is a probability game. If you have a structure in a moderate to high-risk situation, a lightning protection system will minimize the probability of damage. In order to properly protect a home or business, structure and equipment protection is recommended. A qualified professional should be consulted when considering a lightning protection system.