I had a similar story: My house in Vermont was hit by lightning and burnt down
to ground.
When rebuilding the house, lightning protection was discussed (of course).
The result; I have built the protection out of 3/4" copper pipes (regular 3/4"
Cu water pipes schedule M).
I have a pipes along the roof ridge that splits at each end, go down along the
roof lines and then down to ground like a cage surrounding the house. I used 8'
Cu clad steel grounding rods for the grounding.
I have had two (what I know. There may have been more.) direct hits by
lightnings without any damage to the house. All surge protectors for our
telephones go destroyed the second time.
The lightning protection is not attached to the electric system in the house.
Don't know if it would benefit. The electric system has its own grounding rod.
I firmly believe that the 3/4" water pipe is superior to the commonly used
copper braid as most of the current from the strike goes on the surface of the
conductor and the Cu pipe has a flat surface while the braid has a (sort of)
corrugated surface. I believe the Cu pipe leads the current faster to ground.
I'm sure you will get more inputs.
73 de Hans-N2JFS
-----Original Message-----
From: Kipton Moravec <kip@kdream.com>
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Sent: Wed, Jul 29, 2009 2:40 pm
Subject: [TowerTalk] Slightly OT Lightning Rods
Last weekend a house in my father-in-laws subdivision was hit by
lightning and was totaled even though 4 fire stations were on the scene.
Should the gas pipe at the ground level be tied to the lightning rod
grounding rods? My thought is that if it is not then there is a big
potential difference between the lightning rod and the gas line which
creates a bigger voltage difference for the lightning to jump in the
attic. If it is attached together where the pipe comes out of the ground
then the gas pipe will have a charge which makes the difference between
the lightning rods and the gas pipe less so there is not as much
difference for the energy to jump from one to the other. Is this logic
sound or nonsense?
This is in North Texas, north of Dallas. We get some pretty good
thunderstorms here.
--
Kipton Moravec AE5IB .- . ..... .. -...
==============================================
Four Way Test
Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
- Herbert J Taylor (1932)
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