[TenTec] RE: Power Supply & Equip. grounding

[Curtis Rossow]

>I remember seeing a  long and large braided lightning down lead that has 
>endured the passage of time.  While I was visiting Florence I went up to 
>the top of the Cupola on the Duomo at the cathederal. We were 65 meters 
>above ground level and the ornimental lantern rose another 22 meters.

While I was there I noticed the ground braid that came down from the top of 
the lantern. The braid was two to three inches in diameter. It had a green 
patina which showed that it had been there for some time.

I know that it did its job. About twenty minutes after we came down from 
the top we walked about two blocks towards our hotel we heard a loud roar. 
It started raining in a downpour. I am sure that the roar was from a 
lightning strike on the cathedral.

I would have liked to go backup and look at the ground braid. I am sure 
that it was still intact.

 From this experience I am sure that braid does work for grounding.

Curt Rossow NU7R

>>Even better than braid in a lightning dissipation strap is wide flat copper
>>strap.
>>
>>Braid could explode if struck at a tower with a direct hit.
>
>Now I wonder why the FAA specifies "woven lightning down leads" rather 
>than solid conductors.  This lightning protection is located on the long 
>range radars radome.  Several lightning rods (with very sharp points are 
>locate around the external surface of the  radome.  These are connected to 
>a ciruclar ring of woven cable which has a couple of woven down leads that 
>eventuall connect to the tower down lead which is also woven wire (this is 
>some pretty big wire and the "strands" are pretty healthy size.  For some 
>reason solid coductors were prohibited.......
>
>73, de wd4air
>
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